Local students partner with artists, SCAAC to bring new life to Heritage Park

About 20 students from multiple Stanwood-Camano schools spent their Saturday at the Heritage Park skate park on May 30, painting a mural that represents aspects of Stanwood's history and local character.

The mural is the result of a partnership between the City of Stanwood, the Stanwood Camano Art Advocacy Commission, local schools and local artists Jeremy Kam and Shogo Ota.

The concept came together this past winter.

Kam and Ota, who have done a variety of other community mural projects, led a student workshop in March during which students learned about different mural painting styles and practiced on a mock wall.

After the workshop, students were tasked with creating designs that represent different aspects of Stanwood.

Kam and Ota took these ideas and created a cohesive, mural-style design for the skate park. After students finished painting designs, the artists would come around to do touch-ups and outlines.

Ota's style includes bright, contrasting colors, while Kam's style incorporates spray paint and is more graffiti-esque.

This style is evident in the "Stanwood" letters spelled out on one of the four ramps painted on Saturday.

The mural incorporates a variety of local elements, including salmon, snow geese, tulips and the Stanwood High School Spartan logo.

"Everything here is a representation of students' designs," Kam said.

Ota stressed the importance of creativity and art at a young age. He occasionally teaches classes to elementary-age students and has done collaborative murals with youth in the past.

SCAAC Interim Executive Director Jason Dorsey said the mural was proposed by the City of Stanwood as part of its beautification efforts.

"They are trying to integrate art throughout the city," Dorsey said.

Lindsay Morishima and Nick Clack, art teachers at Stanwood and Lincoln Hill high schools, were out at the park on Saturday, helping guide the students painting the mural.

"The kids are really coming together and doing some pretty awesome stuff," Clack said. "It's been interesting to see the student buy-in for it."

Clack added that, while some students' designs didn't get chosen for the final piece, they're proud to have a hand in something that will be in Stanwood for generations to come.

He said that the project has been much bigger than something done simply for a grade in a class.

"I like seeing the final result," said Gabriella Ruff, a Stanwood High School freshman who helped paint the letters and color in some other sketches.

Ruff said the mural painting was a fun way to spend a Saturday as opposed to staying inside or doing homework.

Lincoln Hill High School freshman Malia Williams echoed this sentiment, saying she was excited to see the finished product.

Williams and her classmate Lauren Olhava, another Lincoln Hill freshman, worked on the snow geese, Spartan logo and tulips.

Olhava said her favorite part of the mural is the salmon, painted on either side of the "Stanwood" graffiti letters.

The mural was completed with finishing touches from Kam and Ota on Sunday. The public can view it at the Heritage Park skate park.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.