12 May The 2025 Storm Drain Mural Project
In 2025, the Storm Drain Mural Project united artists, educators, environmental experts, and students across Augusta-Richmond County to raise awareness about water pollution through public art. This vibrant initiative, a collaboration between the Greater Augusta Arts Council, the Richmond County Board of Education, and the Phinizy Center for Water Sciences, turned otherwise overlooked storm drains into bold, educational murals. By combining science and art, students not only learned about environmental stewardship but also gained a sense of pride and ownership in their communities. The project empowered young artists to use their creativity as a voice for change—leaving a lasting impact both visually and socially. Their reflections reveal just how meaningful this hands-on experience has been.
Quotes for storm drain mural projet 2025:
I feel this project is incredibly important. Water is a human right and the pollution we see here locally in our waterways, including the Savannah River, must be combated with educational opportunities such as these. If the next generation isn’t shown where and what pollution can look like, they won’t know until it’s too late. Partnerships such that we have developed between the Arts Council, RCBOE and Phinizy show what a unified mission can do. Not only are our local students gaining the experience and knowledge from experts, but they are learning with hands on activities. Which I think really drives it home for some kids. Creating a mural, in turn, will continue to educate students for years to come.
-Heather Dunaway, Greater Augusta Arts Council, Gallery & Public Art Director
We have enjoyed teaching our local students about how stormwater impacts their school and their daily lives. This project is helping to educate our future scientists and community members so that they have the tools to solve critical issues with our local waterways and make informed decisions for a healthier community. Showing students how science and art can work together to educate the public is a great way to get them thinking outside of the box. It can open their minds to new ideas for their future careers and how different facets of the community can work together. This project also gives the students an opportunity to leave their mark and know that they are making a positive impact on their school that they can be proud of in the future.
-Camilla Sherman, Phinizy Center for Water Sciences, Education Director
“I can say doing the mural was fun and I would do it again. Painting was fun even though sketching the mural out was pretty detailed like Ms. Scott has us do for our projects.”
Jerusha Jenkins, Senior C/O 2025, Lucy Craft Laney High School
“Working on this mural has been an incredible experience. I’ve learned so much about the importance of storm drains and their impact on our environment. The project also taught me valuable lessons about teamwork and helped me step outside of my comfort zone. I especially appreciate the symbolism of the red salamander, which represents Laney’s colors and honors Ms. Lucy C. Laney herself. Overall, creating this mural has revealed the beauty of collaborative art and its power to educate and inspire.”
Maleena Burns, Senior 2025 Lucy C. Laney
“Having never actually completed a mural or even seen one being done; this was an enlightening experience. Everything my students learned only cemented their prior knowledge of color mixing and brush techniques. Mr. Daniels was very accommodating with my students and took a hands-on approach much like mine.”
Ms. Scott, Visual Arts Teacher, Lucy C. Laney High
“When I helped with the mural, it was fun. I got to do things I had never done before. I’ve met new people (Mr. Daniels), learned more about painting and color mixing. The mural represents us and how we feel about our school and founder Lucy Craft Laney. I liked doing the mural and would love to do it again.
Zykeria Dawson, 5th Period Visual Arts II, Lucy C. Laney High
“It was really fun and interesting working on the mural project with other Laney students. Mixing the colors we needed only using primary colors, Black and White. It was a good experience every Tuesday.”
Ja’Tiya Williams, 5th period Visual Arts II, Lucy C. Laney
“I loved painting the mural. This was the first time working with someone other than Ms. Scott. A mural expresses ideas and stories and I think us doing the mural helps to explain to people not to drop trash everywhere and to care about what we dump in our sewers.”
Jayla Mingledolph, 5th Period Visual Arts II, Lucy C. Laney
”I learned how to really take my time and not rush a masterpiece. I also learned to detail and to not overdo it and that it’s okay to only use a little paint at a time. I had a lot of fun and I am very grateful to be a part of such a great art piece.”
Kierra Hatcher, 5th period Visual Arts II, LCL
“Participating in the making of the storm drain mural was thrilling and helpful because of what I learned from it. It taught me a few lessons when dealing with a grand piece of art, and it changed my perspective on patience, strategy, and knowing when to stop. Through working on the mural, I began to see the significance of what it symbolizes, that it symbolizes Miss Laney watching over the generations, the founder of the school that is named after her and the colors that represents the school.”
Princess Kinard c/o 2025, 6th Period Drawing I, LCL
“Working on this mural has been an incredible experience. I’ve learned so much about the importance of storm drains and their impact on our environment. The project also taught me valuable lessons about teamwork and helped me step outside of my comfort zone. I especially appreciate the symbolism of the red salamander, which represents Laney’s colors and honors Ms. Lucy C. Laney herself. Overall, creating this mural has revealed the beauty of collaborative art and its power to educate and inspire.”
Maleena Burns, Senior 2025, Lucy C. Laney
I’ve heard about the storm drain mural project at art teacher meetings for the past few years and was thrilled when my school was selected to participate. The process has been rewarding for both myself and my 5th grade students, and the mural has become a powerful way for our school community to engage with environmental issues.
Phinizy Swamp’s educational session had a huge impact on the students, sparking their passion for protecting our waterways. It was amazing to see them excited about spreading awareness through their art. One of my favorite moments while painting was when a large, lifted truck drove by, and the students immediately exclaimed, ‘Why is he driving that?!’ ‘He’s polluting our air!’ and ‘He needs to come look at our mural and learn about what he’s doing!’ It was wonderful to see how much they cared about the issue.
This mural, placed in such a prominent location, will undoubtedly spark conversations about pollution for years to come, leaving a lasting impact on our school and future generations.
-Chloe Mahone, Art Teacher, Lake Forest Hills Elementary
“The mural project was fun to make and a great way to spend my time after school. It’s significant because it’s a creative display for future generations to understand what can happen if we continue to pollute the Savanah River.”
– Brittain Rivera, Lake Forest Hills Elementary 5th grade
An incredible outdoor mural about protecting the Savannah River has come to life, created by the passionate and talented students of ARJ High School as well as Augusta artist, Destinee Love! This vibrant masterpiece not only showcases the beauty of the river’s ecosystem—with its diverse wildlife and sparkling waters—but also delivers a powerful message about the impact of pollution from storm drains. Through hands-on STEAM workshops, students dove deep into understanding how litter, chemicals, and street runoff flow into drains and threaten the river’s health. Eye-catching imagery and bold messages highlight real solutions, from planting rain gardens to reducing plastic waste and properly disposing of hazardous materials, to inspire action and responsibility. By pouring their creativity and energy into this mural, ARJ High School students didn’t just paint a sidewalk—they sparked a movement, proving that young people can make a real difference in protecting their local waterways!
-Mrs. Nicola Brown, ARJ Art Teacher-
“These past few weeks working with Ms. Love on the mural have been so important in making my senior year extraordinary.”
-ARJ Senior Kennedy O’Bannon-
“I am incredibly proud of the artwork we have created for our school—it’s been an amazing experience!” -ARJ Senior Elise Green-
“From the first spark of an idea to the final brushstroke, the journey of creating a mural is pure magic—watching imagination come to life, one color at a time.”
-ARJ Junior Urijah Singfield-
My name is Mrs. Waltower, I work at Jamestown Elementary School. Our school was chosen to take part in this community-paired project. Turning these plain spots into colorful and meaningful art pieces that brighten up our streets and make people think about the environment. As Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” Seeing my art students bring this quote to life makes me proud as their art teacher. Their hard work not only makes our city prettier but also helps them grow as artists and connect more with their community. I’m especially proud to see the skills we’ve learned in the classroom being used outside in such a creative and impactful way.
-Cristie Waltower, Jamestown Elemtary
I love when projects I’m working on end up teaching me something about history, my community, or the world around me in general. This was one of those projects. I feel like I’ve gotten to be a small part of Ms. Lucy Laney’s legacy with this collaboration. It has made me more aware of the strength and resilience of figures like Ms. Laney who stood up and did what they could to empower and heal their communities in that face of great opposition. I’d never given much thought to storm drains before this piece. The goal of the project was accomplished with at least one person because I have a whole new appreciation and understanding of storm drains and the way they connect us to the Savannah River. Working with students who go to her school was such an honor! I was honestly a little frightened by the idea of having children work on a mural that would be attached to my name, but they went above and beyond and showed me how capable they are. Their teacher, Ms. Andrea Scott, was a wonderful collaborator and kept us fed and hydrated through the process while we all painted together. Thank you for including me in such an important project!
A.C. Daniel, Artist assigned to work with LCL