Bright Staircase Mural Joins New School Tech

A big money gift and a bright new mural are heading to a Staten Island school. The school is PS 20 in Port Richmond. A home-grown artist made the mural. A local official gave the school a large grant. The event happened on Wednesday.

The grant was worth $518,000. It was announced by a borough president. The money was for technology and classroom learning. The plan set aside $393,000 for mobile science labs. It also put $125,000 into new iPads and smartboards. Each classroom then received updated gear.

A principal hosted the event. Her name was Amanda Mezzatesta. She said the school wanted to welcome students with kind words each day. She said the new tools would support learning. A freelance artist named Josue Mendez made the mural. He once attended the school. He later returned as a paraprofessional educator. His colorful art appears at the Staten Island Mall, local restaurants, and highway overpasses.

The mural took about one month to finish. It covered a three-story staircase. It showed famous figures and athletes. It had motivational words too. Students would see it between classes. The art joined other projects at the school. It was in the auditorium, the STEM room, and on the front doors.