Our team installed the Children of the River mural on the east side of Hood River Valley High School (HRVHS) at the end of September. Mural artist, Michelle Yamamoto, worked collaboratively with Tammy Hosaka (high school counselor), Amirra Malak (AP art teacher), and most importantly, more than 20 HRVHS students, to create a welcoming space for students when they arrive each morning to school. Students who participated in the creative endeavor are Amilia Arnold, Kefira Addy, Kate Bricker, Elizeo Cardoso, Nico Dye, Aileen Gonzalez, Christine Kinoshita, Theo Levine, Yasmina Mayo, Karol Najera, Vivian Olson, Itzel Ortega, Sahir Ortiz, Audrey Romero, Lana Salman, Yasmine Salman, Elizabeth Wilde, Zayd Ziada. Other adults involved in the project included Patricia Ortega Cooper, Stephanie Harris, Cynthia Rivera, and Lucille Begay.

The group also consulted with the Yakama Tribal Council and Native Liaison, Lucille Begay. Yakama Nation Elder and Chairman of the Tribal Council, Gerald Lewis, spoke of the “Children of the River,” when the Native American images were presented to the Yakama Nation Tribal Council for approval and is the inspiration for our mural title.

Thank you to Mario Ramirez, Jaime Campos, and Daniel Silver from our HRCSD Maintenance Department for installing the mural.