By Kelsie Raines

Teacher Dolly Dressman and her students at Jessie Clark Middle School have created a school-wide mural.

The project began as routine maintenance, as Dressman sands and refinishes the work tables every couple of years.

It started off as a way to hide the imperfections in the wood of the tables.

That led to the rainforest display and ultimately the theme “Circle of Life.”

“I’ve always wanted to have a very creative classroom setting,” Dressman said.

She said she wanted to make the classroom more inspiring and motivating to the students to promote creativity and originality.

Dressman said the students decided to branch out and start painting different things, including outer space, mermaids and animals.

“It was called the ‘Circle of Life’ at the beginning but now it deals with fiction or nonfiction,” Dressman said.

During the painting of tables and ceiling tiles, many other ideas were sparked.

Students recently unveiled the ceiling mural for parents and other guests, complete with the special effects of black lighting on the fluorescent acrylic paint and music from “The Lion King” playing in the background.

“It’s a great project that she has done and her students have accomplished,” music teacher Faye Henning said.

The students then started painting stools and cabinets, adding dragons, monkeys and planets.

Dressman said it was a huge hit with the parents during orientation and the kids take such pride in the pieces they painted.

“Even my trash can was painted,” Dressman said.

She said the kids think it is the best room in the whole school.

Dressman estimates around 300 students have put time and imaginative thought into the mural over the years.