A once-ordinary exterior wall at the Beachmont Veterans Memorial School has been transformed into a colorful declaration of love, belonging, and community through a collaborative art project that brought students, educators, and a nationally recognized muralist together.
The school's new "You Are Loved" mural, created by Boston-area artist Alex Cook with help from Beachmont fifth graders, was completed Monday, Oct. 19. The artwork, prominently displayed near the school's Everard Street entrance, is designed to send a simple but powerful message to every student, family member, educator, and visitor who walks through the school doors: You belong here, you matter, and you are loved.
The mural culminates a project spearheaded by Beachmont Principal Chris Freisen and School Psychologist Amanda Lockerbie, who secured a $4,000 grant through the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
For Lockerbie, the project represents much more than an opportunity to brighten the exterior of an aging school building.
"Bringing this grant to Beachmont gave us the perfect opportunity to transform an older building into an artistic focal point that promotes belonging and self-worth," Lockerbie said. "It was a truly unique opportunity to involve our fifth-grade students directly in the painting process, giving them a sense of civic pride and connection to their school."
Freisen said the response from the Beachmont community has already been overwhelmingly encouraging.
"We are very excited to have this welcoming mural at the Beachmont!" Freisen said. "Feedback from students and families has been very positive!"
For Cook, who has been painting murals professionally for 29 years, the Beachmont project is part of a much larger artistic mission.
Cook launched his "You Are Loved" mural project in 2014. Since then, he has created more than 140 murals featuring that message in communities across the country.
The project offers five affirmations intended to encourage and uplift people: "You are loved," "You are needed," "You are beautiful," "You are important," and "You can do it." Of those messages, Cook said "You Are Loved" is by far the most frequently requested, accounting for approximately 88% of the projects.
During an interview at Beachmont as the mural was taking shape, Cook explained that his work is rooted in the belief that public art can influence how people think about themselves and their place in the world.
"Art is a way of focusing people's thoughts in an inspiring way, especially when you put it in a public place and do it in a powerful way," Cook said.
He explained that the combination of large-scale lettering, vibrant colors, and a deeply personal message creates an experience that can resonate with people long after the paint has dried.
The artwork, he said, is intended to capture someone's attention visually before revealing its deeper meaning.
"People maybe haven't been told what it says, and they first just see the colors, and they're like, 'Wow, it's cool,' and then they're walking back, and they're like, 'Oh my God, it like says something,'" Cook explained.
Cook believes the impact of such messages can be particularly meaningful in schools, where students are developing their identities, building relationships, and learning how they fit into their communities.
"The whole project grows out of my sense of the power of having a voice in your corner," he said.
For Cook, placing a mural on the side of a school carries significance that extends beyond public art. He believes the decision to invest in a permanent, highly visible message of encouragement communicates something important about the values of the institution itself.
"I think it's a huge part of creating culture," Cook said. "If you grow up in a school with a mural on the wall that says, 12 feet high, 'You Are Loved,' you can never say that there was nothing supportive in your life."
Cook also highlighted the link between public art and mental health, saying that it helps children and adults alike be reminded that they are valued.
For Beachmont, that philosophy corresponds to the school’s mission to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for students and families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
The completed design is intended to incorporate the message "You Are Loved" in several languages spoken within the school community, including Portuguese, Spanish, and Arabic, along with Italian in recognition of the Beachmont neighborhood's cultural history.
The multilingual messages include "Você é amado," "Eres amado," "أنت محبوب," and "Sei amato."
Lockerbie said incorporating these languages was an important part of ensuring that the mural reflects the families who make up the Beachmont community.
One of the most meaningful aspects of the project was the opportunity for Beachmont's fifth graders to participate in creating the mural.
Rather than having Cook complete the entire piece independently, students helped paint sections of the artwork under his direction. Cook prepared the design in advance, outlining the large lettering and geometric patterns before students began painting. Using brushes, paint cups, and assigned sections, the students contributed to an artwork that will remain part of their school long after they have moved on to middle school.
That hands-on experience was central to the project's vision, allowing students to work together while taking ownership of a permanent addition to their school.
"I hope that this mural will have a lasting, positive impact, ensuring that every student, family, and visitor feels genuinely seen and valued," Lockerbie said.
The mural project was first presented to the Revere School Committee in August, when Freisen and Lockerbie outlined their vision for transforming the school entrance into a welcoming space that reflects the district's values of inclusion, equity, and cultural pride.
Committee members were enthusiastic about the proposal, especially the focus on student involvement and the potential to give the exterior of the school a new look.
Now, with the painting nearly complete, the vision presented over the summer has become a reality.
Cook said he hopes the mural will continue to influence the school community for years to come, long after the excitement surrounding its installation has faded.
"When culture is built, when there is an actual buy-in from the families, from the teachers, and from the students that we actually have value, that this community was important, that's very different than an organization where that doesn't exist," Cook said.
At Beachmont, that investment in school culture is now written in large, colorful letters for everyone to see.
And for the students who helped paint those letters, the message carries an additional meaning: They helped create something that will welcome and inspire future generations of Beachmont students.
You are loved.