Holy Family School Remembers Victims through Murals

By Mary F. McCarthy
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 9/19/02)

DALE CITY — Led by their art teacher, Kelly Kingett, the students of Holy Family School in Dale City participated in the effort to remember those lost on Sept. 11 by creating several works of art.

Classes 3-6 created the two projects that now hang in the church vestibule. Father Jose Hoyos, parish administrator, was so impressed with the work of the students that he wanted his entire parish to be able to see the murals.

The fourth through sixth grades worked on the mural of the New York skyline. It was inspired by an email that many of the teachers received of a drawing made by an anonymous grade school student.

The sixth grade drew and painted the skyline of New York City. The fourth grade students created the angels that are flying out of the skyline to the arms of Jesus. The angels were made to resemble the smoke rising from the Twin Towers. They represent the people who died rising to Jesus’ embrace. The fifth grade class created the mosaic of Jesus. They created the image as a mosaic to show how every person is just one piece in the body of Christ.

The third grade class created a mural of the Pentagon covered in individual crosses. Each student made their own cross to symbolize that every person is an individual work of art.

Kindergarten students each created a star, and they are displayed in the front hallway of the school. The first grade class made angel cards to send to service men and women overseas. The second grade class is still working on their project of making flags out of tissue paper.

Principal Barbara Mertens expressed how she tried to have the students focused on the ideas of justice and peace, not just on remembering the events that took place one year ago.

Twelve parishioners from Holy Family Parish were related to someone who died in the Sept. 11 attacks.

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