At Heritage International School we find the hope for the new academic year ahead next month in inspirational art on our campus. Ever since the launch of the “Oak Centre” – a wellbeing place for the Heritage Community, featured recently in the Independent Education Today magazine – we were planning to decorate it with a mural, but now it seemed most fitting as we prepare to return safely to school after the lockdown and months of distance learning.
 
We shared our project with the young artist Andreea Dorin and asked her to come up with an idea that captures our school and hope, relevant and inspiring for everyone at Heritage. So, she painted this beautiful and special picture and then made it into an enormous mural on the side wall of the “Oak Centre”, which looks directly onto the area where the younger children play and the Acorn Centre (the classrooms for our youngest students). Her work has exceeded our expectations.
 
Andreea Dorin, artist: “In the centre we have the ‘Heritage Tree’ - more stylized than the official logo, with the ‘Apple of Knowledge’ shining from the inside. The tree is growing from a book, which is ‘supported’ by two other publications (whose colours match the facade of the main building), expressing the fact that we get our knowledge mainly from books, and it should be supported by many sources. The girl on the right is in the process of learning and happy to see the golden ‘Apple of Knowledge’ – the results of her work. She is wearing the school uniform, which has become a part of her identity, showing that she is proud to be a member of the Heritage Community (the colours also balance well the chromatic composition).”
 
The mural epitomises Heritage’s values and aspirations for our young people and is a key part of the school’s commitment to wellbeing as a centre, surrounded by a wonderful outdoor learning space. Both are going to come in handy this autumn as we return and continue to show that #educationbeatscovid. 
 
Robert Ford, Director of Heritage International School: “This is going to be the most daunting start to an academic year for all of us around the globe in our school communities. If ever there was a time for cool heads and strong hearts, it is now for all educators. We need to provide hope, certainty, leadership, routines and a safe, inspiring learning environment for the trust and confidence of everyone in our learning communities. We are all in this together as we need creativity, adaptability and inspiration more than ever. We all need to play our part in making sure we return safely physically and with hope for our new academic year.”
 
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