Ali Bohn, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

Growing up comes with its share of challenges, regardless of what the world has endured over the last two years. The expectations kids can place upon themselves, the changes they go through as they develop; sometimes it all gets too much and all they want to do is take time out to collect their thoughts.

It’s certainly something Barham Public School’s Shaylah Carter has experienced. Many times, she had felt overwhelmed in class and felt the need for some privacy, and with the only place she knew she could be alone being the school toilet, it wasn’t exactly the most uplifting place to go to recharge.

Dull walls, sterile surroundings, she would walk through the door and sometimes feel worse as she was faced with the gloomy looking and tired bathroom.

The Year 6 student is Barham Public School’s school captain so, with determination and focus, she approached the school committee and called upon the assistance of her artistic grandmother, Jenny Pye, and came up with a solution.

“I wanted to make the bathrooms a nice, bright space to go when you’re feeling flat and I thought a nice mural of flowers would look really good,” Shaylah told The Bridge.

Jenny, who is a member of the Barham Art Group, gathered other members who were only too pleased to get their brushes out and work with students to create the mural. Paint was kindly donated by the Lions Club, and just like that, the mural was completed.

Shaylah is thrilled with the result.

“Now there is a nice place to go when you need time out, it’s much brighter. I’m really happy with it.”

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 16 December 2021.