Courage to Learn Gives Wings to Fly: The Henry W. Lawton School Murals

Courage to Learn Gives Wings to Fly by artist David McShane is located at the Henry W Lawton School, a School District of Philadelphia public elementary school located in the Wissinoming section of Northeast Philadelphia. In the spring and summer of 2023, the exterior of the school underwent a dramatic transformation, including playground equipment, synthetic turf fields, and landscaping, as well as murals covering large portions of the exterior of the school building. In March of 2023, Lawton was chosen to be the 2023 recipient of the Philadelphia Eagles annual playground build and transformation. A school leadership committee was headed by Principal Arnetta Imes. Led by McShane, students, teachers and other school community members brainstormed ideas for the mural designs, and suggestions for subject matter in the mural included lions (the school mascot), the notion of the courage it takes to try something new and “soaring” as a metaphor for the limitless possibilities that come with learning, and imagery related to setting high goals and moving towards dreams.

The mural designs carry this theme throughout the series of murals that span the rear of the building, surrounding the playground areas. The murals feature many of the Lawton student drawings that were created when every student in the school got a chance to explore the theme through various drawing prompts during in-classroom drawing workshops. The students’ drawings featured themselves playing in a new magical playground and imagining their futures and flying towards their dreams. The students also made lots of drawings of lions. These drawings provided a host of good ideas that were poured into the mural designs, as well as some great individual drawings that are featured as images in the murals.

The project is sponsored by The Philadelphia Eagles.

Since 1999, the Philadelphia Eagles (as the Philadelphia Eagles Youth Partnership from 1999-2015) has funded an annual Playground Build that includes the entire Philadelphia Eagles organization, including players, coaches, and staff members, with a Philadelphia school community to transform asphalt school yards into beautiful, imaginative and safe spaces for play and recreation. Mural Arts Philadelphia joined this partnership between the Eagles and the School District of Philadelphia in 2002. Mural Arts leads the development and production of the murals and mosaic tables that are part of these projects. Once a school is selected, Mural Arts leads an introductory pep rally at the school, as well as drawing workshops and after-school art programs with students to involve the school community in developing a theme for the project. Murals are then designed around the theme, often incorporating student drawings and artwork. The projects also include installations of play structures and a mini Eagles turf field in addition to the colorful murals and mosaic tables.