Unity in the Stream

A Student-Created Mural Project

St. John’s Orthodox Christian School – Class of 2024

  • This 20-foot mural is a joyful reflection of who we are as a school: a community rooted in faith, compassion, and connection. Each fish was painted by a student at St. John’s, from our youngest learners to our graduating 8th graders. Together, their artwork forms a vibrant school of fish — each one unique, yet all swimming forward together.

    The mural is more than just beautiful art. It represents months of thoughtful work, meaningful classroom conversations, and opportunities for personal growth. Each grade level explored a specific core value of our school — choosing symbolic imagery, colors, and design elements that reflect what that value means to them. This project encouraged students to consider how we live out our values each day, both individually and as a community.

    Designed and assembled by Rachel Arlington and Kati Rehm, this mural would not have been possible without their creative vision and tireless effort. 

    This project was generously funded by a grant from the Alaska State Council on the Arts.

    We are also deeply grateful to Monica Johnson and GEICO for their additional support.

    With special thanks to Matushka Xenia, whose encouragement and imagination helped spark this project.

  • 1st Grade – Safe Environment

    Value: Protecting childhood innocence, with love and care for every student

    Symbols: Hearts, shields, sunshine, smiling faces

    Colors: Light blue, pink, and yellow — gentle, comforting, childlike

    2nd Grade – Respect

    Value: Listening, kindness, and mutual respect between students and teachers

    Symbols: Ears, eyes, helping hands, peace signs

    Colors: Orange and teal — warm, friendly, balanced

    3rd Grade – Strong Academics

    Value: A joyful pursuit of learning through reading, writing, math, and more

    Symbols: Books, pencils, light bulbs, stars

    Colors: Red, navy, and gold — vibrant and energetic

    4th & 5th Grades – Freedom, Curiosity, and Creativity

    Value: Exploring big ideas, asking questions, and expressing original thoughts

    Symbols: Butterflies, rainbows, question marks, paintbrushes

    Colors: Purple, green, and turquoise — expressive and bold

    6th Grade – Orthodox Christian Ethos

    Value: Living with love, patience, honesty, and forgiveness

    Symbols: Crosses, doves, halos, olive branches

    Colors: White, soft blue, and gold — pure, peaceful, faithful

    7th & 8th Grades – Nurturing Community

    Value: Belonging, collaboration, and caring for one another like family

    Symbols: Trees, roots, circles, open hands, houses

    Colors: Earth tones, deep greens, burgundy — grounded and warm

  • (Gallery coming soon! You’ll see students in action — painting, collaborating, and installing the mural together.)

This is art with meaning. Each fish tells a story — of childhood, growth, belonging, and the values we hold dear at St. John’s.

We invite you to pause and reflect:

What would your fish look like? What value would it represent? How do we move forward — together?

🔄 Scanned from our mural plaque — thank you for visiting!

Learn more about our school at www.sjocs.org