ESCONDIDO – Over the summer, a new student mural joined several other works of art created by Escondido high school students at Washington Park.
Domanick Valdivia, a 2024 graduate of Orange Glen High School, submitted his design for review earlier this year. After his design was chosen, Valdivia brought the mural to life over the summer with help from Del Lago Academy student Alex Cross, Valley High School teacher Charlie Mejia and Orange Glen High School teacher Aled Anaya.
This is the third year in a row that students have contributed works of art to the walls at Washington Park.
The student mural project first started in 2019 as a partnership between the city of Escondido along with the Public Arts Commission and the Escondido Union High School District.
After pandemic restrictions prevented students from gathering to paint the murals in 2020, some kids opted to apply vinyl stickers of their designs on the walls of the Washington Park poolhouse and recreation buildings. Due to vandalism, most of those stickers are now gone.
The following year, students switched to painting the murals directly on the walls, all of which remain intact.
Both Mayor Dane White and Councilmember Consuelo Martinez celebrated the mural’s unveiling on Sept. 21.
“It’s great to see our community come together at Washington Park,” Martinez said. “The student art has made it an even more inviting place.”
Orange Glen High School Principal Michael Santos and Assistant Superintendent Courtney Goode also showed their support for the mural at its unveiling.
According to its leaders, the district remains committed to empowering students to make a positive impact in their community like the murals.
