An art project inside Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall is helping students build confidence, community and creative voice, one mural at a time. With art teacher Ms. Estela Gama leading the way, students blend storytelling, cultural expression and even AI technology to design murals that transform their classrooms into spaces of pride, identity and hope.

The process begins with conversation, not paint. Ms. Gama starts each mural by asking students what murals represent: identity, culture, resilience, pride. She reminds them that their classroom is a community too, and that their mural can reflect who they are and what they value.

Students brainstorm words that describe their class, then turn those ideas into visual symbols. Every student contributes, and one volunteers as the note taker, capturing the group’s ideas. From there, each student sketches a small version of their vision. Ms. Gama studies their ideas and creates a combined sketch that blends their favorite elements.

Where AI Meets Art

To help students visualize possibilities, Ms. Gama uses AI to generate three design variations based on their discussions and sketches. Far from replacing creativity, she says AI becomes a tool for imagination.

“When they see the AI designs, their reactions are almost always a mix of excitement and surprise,” she said. “They love seeing how their ideas can transform into something polished. We pick apart what we like and what we don’t, and it becomes part of the decision-making—not the final answer.”

Students often add to, replace, or completely rework elements from the AI versions, ensuring the final design reflects their vision.

Once the class agrees on a design, they project it onto the wall, trace it and begin painting. Classes usually include 8 to 13 students, and Ms. Gama sees remarkable growth throughout the process. At first, some students worry about “messing up” or not knowing how to paint. But as the mural takes shape, their confidence does too.

“They start taking ownership,” Ms. Gama said. “Students who barely talked in the beginning end up helping each other, fixing mistakes and leading new students who join the project.”

They develop technical skills: color mixing, creating layers, prepping surfaces as well as patience, leadership and communication. By the end, students take pride not just in the artwork but in the teamwork and patience it took to create it.

The Stories Behind The Murals

• “To Live and Die in L.A.” – This mural reflects the real experiences of growing up in Los Angeles. Students chose imagery like the skyline, palm trees, street art and a Día de los Muertos-inspired face to represent culture, heritage and remembrance. They wanted the mural to feel real, bold and honest, something that truly represents their experience.

• Science and Discovery Mural – This mural celebrates what the class learns with their science teacher, Mr. Moseley. Students included planets, an astronaut, Earth’s layers, a DNA strand and a tree at the center—symbolizing exploration, life, connection and growth.

• Native American Chief – Students wanted something “hard”—their word for impressive and powerful. They gravitated toward the image of a warrior figure in a traditional headdress. The mural became a powerful symbol of strength, achievement and cultural pride.

• “For the Strength of the Pack” – For the Arctic Wolf mural, inspired by their school’s Arctic wolf mascot, students designed a mural about unity and family. They envisioned an alpha wolf, representing their teacher, Ms. Sampson, watching over the pack. The chosen quote underscores their theme: “For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.”

• Gray Wolf on a Cliff – Students in this unit saw themselves in the imagery of a lone gray wolf standing proudly on a cliff. It represents leadership, courage and looking toward a stronger future, qualities they hope to embody.

For Ms. Gama, the murals are more than art projects. “When my students look at their mural, I want them to remember what they’re capable of,” she said. “I want them to see their creativity, their teamwork, their growth. If they look at the wall and think, ‘I helped make that—and I can do hard things,’ then it’s done exactly what it was meant to do.”