Date: 10/6/2023
GRANBY — A new take on the dinosaur located outside of Granby Junior-Senior High School was presented to the Granby School Committee during its Oct. 3 meeting.
According to Superintendent Stephen Sullivan, discussions on how they could change up the look of the dinosaur began about a year and a half ago when a group of the high school’s students came forward and felt like there was an opportunity to symbolize something for the school community and the prior painting had little meaning to the schools.
“They proposed something that symbolizes a welcoming environment, an inclusive environment where everyone comes to learn,” said Sullivan.
The new design was chosen through a committee of students and staff who narrowed hundreds of submissions across the Granby schools down to four, where one was ultimately chosen.
Granby Junior-Senior High School Principal Alison Jordan spoke to the committee and added the student leadership group established at the high school voted for elementary school student Lyla who’s original submission was chosen. The design features different colored handprints all over the dinosaur.
“This is what Lyla’s idea of an inclusive environment and embracing diversity,” Jordan said.
She added the presentation to the School Committee was a first look at the final product for Lyla and two of the high school students that were involved in the project. A group of high school students came in a few different days during the summer to help paint the dinosaur.
Jordan recognized Lyla again for her design and said it captures the district’s welcoming culture.
“You bring great pride to our school, and we want to thank you for your design that symbolizes a welcoming, respectful environment here in the district,” Jordain said.
Jordan added she hopes when people drive by Granby public schools and see the new design, they recognize the community as welcoming, inclusive and diverse. She added thanks to the high school students who were involved.
“We just wanted to have it be more inclusive,” said one of the students. “It was great that we could have somebody younger make a good design to use that welcomes everybody to our school.”
Another student expressed gratitude for being able to work on the project as a member of the arts community at the high school.
“We wanted to have everybody have a voice and be able to be include and have that representative of our school,” said another student. “It was just really exciting to be a part of this and a very fun opportunity.”
School Committee Chair Jennifer Bartosz called the project beautiful, and the committee collectively thanked the students for their work.