Penns Valley High School used to be filled with color and creativity on the walls as students would paint and have free will to add a mark to it. However now all the work has been covered up and is now very bland and dull making some students very upset.

Penns Valley High School Cafeteria used to have lots of colors and different artwork that made it seem happy and have character. Now however it looks more prison-like and many students say they miss the old walls, Sammie Snider stated, “It’s messed up. Why would they do this? It is so rude to cover up an artist’s hard work. Imagine all the hours they spent.” I agree with this statement and feel that the school needs to do a better job at allowing students, especially art students to express themselves.

This is also being seen at the younger level. For example the PVEI school. Penns Valley Intermediate School the cafeteria used to be filled with personality as each of the blocks surrounding the lunchroom was painted by a student. This allowed students to leave their mark and have a fun project for art class. This was something each person at the school looked forward to getting to do and now it has just been erased. As well as the artwork. This had been going on for many years and lots of alumni loved getting to come back and see their block. I talked to alumni of PVHS Hailey Coursen about this issue, “Getting to paint my block was something I was so excited to get to do. My older brother had a block that had still been in the school and I wanted to be like him and add mine. Now they are both gone. It is very disheartening that something so great has been taken away for really no reason and I think it should be brought back and color should be restored.”

Penns Valley Highschool recently tried to add some fun and positivity into the hallways but it is not the same. The colors are all black and dark and many students do not find them nice. You can see the difference in the cafeteria below and it easily shows which were created by the free will of students and which was created by the mind of the administration.

I feel as well as many other students that PVHS needs to add color and creativity back into the school and let students express themselves. In doing this many students may feel more accepted or even appreciated in getting to leave a mark and it will be something nice for them to come back as alumni.

Before (PVEI)

Now

Opinions of those of the author and do not reflect the viewpoints of Penns Valley Area School District.