Students in the Port Jefferson School District took time during a recent Saturday to work on a mural in the district’s English as a New Language classroom. Not only adding color but a sense of unity was the goal when students and ENL teacher Jennifer Walling brainstormed ideas for the project.

The undertaking was all designed, painted and completed by the students, with student-artist Gabriela Sanchez managing the design of the globe and selecting the word “hello” in various languages that she wrote by hand.

“We were inspired by a photo that we saw online and loved the multi-cultural hands as not only does it represent the world and bring us all together but it signifies who we are as an ENL community,” said Ms. Walling.

The languages represent the diverse cultural backgrounds of the students and the room’s festive artwork is an invitation to a mini haven for the students before or after school and during study halls and lunch periods.