The annual tenth grade mural tour is connected to the students’ summer reading of Third and Indiana, a novel by Steve Lopez. The book focuses on the experiences of a 14-year-old boy and the people around him living in the area of Philadelphia known as the “Badlands.” The actual intersection of Third and Indiana was an area infamous for drug dealing and violence. As part of their study, the students examine how art (murals, specifically) can challenge ideas and change minds.
The students will continue to engage these ideas in English class during the first week of school.