Walls covered by murals. Vibrant colors shouting. The more you look, you can see the detail of the paint staining lively quotes on the classroom walls. Quotes that bring the room to life, reminding students they are more than just another number in this world.

Senior English teacher Debbie Palmer’s wall decorations started off with one student’s idea. The tradition spread like wildfire. Students began to make it a senior ritual to “make their mark” on the walls and impact the next senior class.

“I had a student who started everything off,” English teacher Mrs. Palmer said. “Once she did it, I had students asking, ‘Can I paint over here,’ and then it just started snowballing.”

The quotes and paintings chosen are not meaningless; each quote captures who Palmer guided the students to be.

“Now students ask, ‘How do I get to be up there?,’” Palmer said. “All it has to do is say something that motivates somebody else.”

As soon as seniors enter the room, the atmosphere changes. The paintings on the walls ease the students’ nerves and allow an instant connection with the teacher. These quotes touch students deeper than anything else may be able to and allow them to think about their life and themselves.

“For the majority of my students it’s positive because the quotes are positive,” Palmer said. “They have to have meaning because it’s permanent.”