Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Janelle Frese. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Janelle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project I have worked on to date is the CITYarts Peace Wall at Gilbert High School in Anaheim. In my 35 years as a public school educator, I have enjoyed working on all kinds of creative endeavors, leading civic engagement activities, participating in innovative opportunities to bolster student achievement and raise awareness for important causes, but it is the CITYarts Peace Wall that has made a deep and lasting impact on me and the students who participated in this amazing and most important creation that is a part of the CITYarts 50 States of Peace initiative.

It all started in the fall of 2022, when my students began a research assignment in our ethnic studies classes. Students became very passionate about the social justice issues they were investigating, including the case of Leonard Peltier, an American Indian artist, which was presented to them by the CITYarts Kids for Justice program. Many students developed strong opinions and took action by starting a social justice club on campus. Some wrote and delivered “Soapbox” speeches, many sent letters to the President and published news articles in our school newspaper, The Gladiator Times, www.gladiatortimes.com and reached out to community-based organizations for deeper learning.

The non-profit arts organization in New York known as CITYArts.org was so impressed with my students’ activism, that they invited us to participate in their peace initiative they called 50 States of Peace. The driving question students had to answer was: “What does Peace look like to me?” A CITYarts Pieces for Peace exhibition with student art works followed, and we were soon an integral part of an international peace movement, the CITYarts Young Minds Build Bridges program. It was such an honor to accept the invitation to represent the State of California in this peace initiative project.

A professional muralist, the amazing Jamie Kough, worked with my students to finalize their design, and with consultation and guidance from CITYarts Founder, Executive and Creative Director Tsipi Ben-Haim, we completed a beautiful public art mural that represents our students’ vision of peace. We are planning a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the fall when we return to school for the upcoming school year.

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As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that, can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

Teaching is a creative industry. Teachers are innovators with a tremendous responsibility to care for and tend to the needs of young people. Like all teachers, I began my career as a student who loved learning! As I continue to love what I do, I try to inspire my students to take pride and find purpose in their learning too. Come see the mural. It is evidence that learning is and has been taking place.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I am so proud of Gilbert High School and the good work we do there. I especially love and respect the creative vision my students have shared through their hard work on the mural. I hope to see the messages in the mural live, grow, and inspire peace, hope, and respect throughout our community. Come see the mural! I promise you will be impressed.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

There are so many rewarding aspects of being a teacher. I have always enjoyed my students, especially seeing their successes. I love running into former students who remember their experiences in our classes with joy and gratitude. The creative challenge for all teachers is to create an inspiring human experience that elevates and motivates young people, and all people, to do the very best we can to make a positive difference in an ever-changing, ever-challenging world. Our Peace Wall is a beautiful example of what kids can do when they feel that they CAN make a difference. And that has made all the difference.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://x.com/CITYartsInc/status/1804152549068452280
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087424317042
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/U1Z2THWhL8g

Image Credits

Janelle Frese