Young Artists Use Murals to Make Their Mark at Local Campuses

It is late spring, but the sun is beating down like it is already mid-July. There is, luckily, a breeze coming from the distant Pacific Ocean, cooling down the hot asphalt of John Murdy Elementary School in the Garden Grove Unified School District. While the campus is nestled in a quiet part of a Garden Grove neighborhood, the bustling sounds of Little Saigon are not far away, along with wafting smells of delicious cuisine from the many restaurants nearby. 

But there is also another scent emanating that tingles the nose and awakens the other senses— paint, and lots of it. People in purple shirts laugh, the current pop icons of Sabrina Carpenter and Addison Rae blast from speakers, and yet, a sense of peace is blanketed among everything.

The activity and all it encompasses comes from the non-profit Young Creators Initiative (YCI), where participants have one task in mind— mural painting. YCI’s mission statement is: “Uniting young artists to serve their communities with creativity and compassion.” Murdy Elementary was YCI’s canvas earlier this month. Students at the TK-6 campus will return for the next school year to see more color and beauty around them, thanks to the group where students are among the painters. 

The Beginning

YCI all started with a mom, her teenage daughter, and a paintbrush in Rancho Palos Verdes. “Sophia [Shin] has been painting with me since she was three years old,” says mother, art teacher, co-founder and Executive Director of YCI Jeannie Kim, talking about her 14-year-old daughter, who began the venture with her.

“As [Sophia] got older, she wanted to use art to [do] something meaningful, with her friends and her community. One day, we were driving somewhere and saw a big mural together, and she went ‘Oh! I think students at our school would love something like this,’” Kim recalled. Through contacting the school’s principal, and then eventually the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Sophia’s school was made a bit brighter with a mural of its own. Sophia is now a co-founder and Youth Leader of YCI.

That was 2025. Eventually, one mural became two; became three; became more and more. The family operation grew with the demand. While YCI is headquartered in Rancho Palos Verdes, it also has a chapter in Orange County spearheaded by Kim's friend, Ashley Noh and Noh’s teenage daughter, Haley.

With the daughters, being in charge at such a young age (14 for both of them, in this case) can come with its challenges, like “getting some of the kids to listen,” Sophia explains. “They think ‘We’re the same age! I don’t have to listen to you,’ you know?” But the team works together to complete the projects at hand, since they “are all friends.” 

Haley continues, saying that leading the non-profit is a big commitment. “It is sort of hard to make time, but that [is] sort of the fun of it. Putting time aside to paint walls with friends and learning about all this different type of [art], is really fun,” she shares, a smile painted across her face. 

YCI has completed four murals in O.C., with Murdy Elementary being the fifth.  The first mural in O.C. was at Gilbert Elementary in Garden Grove. The school contacted the non-profit after seeing their work in the L.A. area on Instagram. Kim then worked with the principal and PTA leaders to design the murals.

“The mural can make a huge impact on schools and communities,” expresses Kim, a twinkle in her eye communicating the importance of artistic spaces in the community. “[Murals] can completely change the feeling of the space. They last for many years. Especially for elementary schools, I truly believe that [a] colorful environment can have a very positive effect on young children."

The Process

According to Kim, the mural-making process starts as a request from the school. “Then, I visit them, or Ashley visits them. They tell us what they want to do. Whether it’s the mascot or their color themes, in nature, or an animal, or whatever. Then we start to build the designs.” 

Specifically at Murdy, the mighty Mustang is their mascot. Kim worked closely with the school’s PTA, and designed a mural that features the mascot, along with rolling hills, flowers, and more, all fitting all the two handball courts in the middle of the playground. “I wanted to create something colorful, fresh, and uplifting that would bring a sense of nature to the campus,” says Kim. “Since mustangs are often associated with open fields and freedom, I imagined the students as young mustangs exploring, learning, and playing freely in a vibrant landscape. The design was intended to reflect both school pride and a joyful learning environment.”

After the design is finalized, next comes prices and paint. YCI declined to give specifics on the cost saying prices vary on a multitude of details, including, how large the mural will be, whether it will be outside or inside, and the intricacy of the design. 

The design by a professional muralist is hand drawn onto whatever the canvas may be, a handball court or a school wall. Then the days of painting can begin. The first day starts with a primer on the entire wall or walls they are covering, along with a UV coat if it is outside. 

Painters are recruited through the school or through social media, where YCI posts a call for volunteers. But many come from the non-profit itself, as there are official members, selected through an application process. For the art projects, volunteers and members are assigned roles based on age and skill set. Kim explains, “Youth, they do basic stuff— like basic coats [of paint.] Then, adults and professional artists, we’re [finalizing]. So, the first three to four days, young kids, they can come over.” Kim and her team design each mural with accessibility to younger and newer artists in mind—meaning it is a big paint-by-number. 

If one signs up to become a member with YCI through their website, they will be placed with one of the four experience levels. From then on, they can grow higher in the ranks depending on experience and how many murals they have helped create. “We take care to teach them,” Kim explains. “You know, a lot of kids learn really fast. A lot of our members, my students, [working] more than one year, they become professionals.” 

Anybody from any artistic background can help out on a mural. At Murdy Elementary, Holden Pham, 17, is high in the sky on a ladder, painting the navy blue background that will help make the mustang pop. Holden is doing such an important job, and yet this is his first time with the organization. “I do not really have an artistic background. This is the biggest thing I have painted,” he said. 

On the other end of the spectrum is Rachel, 23, an art student at Cal State Fullerton, who says she found YCI through Instagram. “It [is] cool to see people caring about the arts, and wanting to make the place we live pretty,” Rachel, who declined to provide her last name, said. Volunteering also helps her with her future career goals of painting, and specifically restoration of murals, as well.

Once the main painting is completed, adults and professionals come in to do the detail-work that is more difficult for newer painters. On-site at Murdy, Orange County-based muralist Tracy Allen is in the lead— but this is not her first rodeo with the non-profit. “I [have] been working with them for about six months now.” 

Allen says the best part of any project is seeing everyone come out to help the community. “I love what YCI is doing,” Allen responds, over the pop tunes of Chappel Roan’s Pink Pony Club. “[They are] merging youth and the schools, and being able to give them an opportunity.” Allen continues, saying that working with the non-profit also “gives her a break from doing her own murals, and an opportunity to work with an organization who is super organized, and great.” 

‘It feels great to know that we are making a difference’

Community is the name of the game with YCI, and that has always been their drive since the beginning. “There’s a lot of commitment involved,” Noh conveys “[But,] seeing everyone come together and finish the work, and witness the transformation makes us feel proud.” 

Volunteers agree. “It feels great to know that we are making a difference and leaving an impact on this school,” says 15-year-old Ashlin Ni, a family friend who has been volunteering with the organization for the past few murals. “Hopefully, these painted handball courts will bring happiness, joy, and a lot of school spirit to the students,” Noh adds.