DAYTON — Nearly a dozen kids from the Montgomery County Juvenile Court’s HAALO program dedicated hundreds of hours this summer to painting public murals.
The murals were unveiled on Wednesday at Drake’s Downtown Club parking garage in Dayton, according to a spokesperson with the court system.
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They feature portraits of actors Martin Sheen and Luke Grimes and were created under the guidance of artists from the K12 Gallery & TEJAS.
The project aimed to inspire the youth by nurturing their creative skills and instilling a sense of community responsibility.
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“The art of mural painting isn’t simple or easy. It requires extreme concentration to accurately create a shape or line in the desired effect,” K-12 Gallery & TEJAS public relations director Jackson Stanard said.
The HAALO program, which stands for Helping Adolescents Achieve Long-Term Objectives, began the mural project in early June.
The kids spent about 400 hours working on them, according to the spokesperson.
“Hopefully, these murals will be here for a long time, and the youth will have a long-term reminder of how they can truly impact their community in a positive way,” Judge Helen Wallace said.
In previous years, the HAALO program participants have painted murals featuring portraits of Dave Chappelle, Allison Janney, and fictional characters Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed.
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