Before about 1,500 students walk into the new Beaverton High School this August, some of them are already leaving their mark on the walls.

Artist Mya Cullipher is leading a community painting effort on an 85-foot-long mural inside the $253 million campus, the flagship project of the Beaverton School District's 2022 Bond program.

The design grew out of lunchtime conversations Cullipher had with students, and the finished piece will greet them when the rebuilt school opens for the 2026-27 year.

The mural depicts Mount Hood, chosen because the peak is visible from the new cafeteria. Hidden hearts dot the painted clouds.

What makes the project unusual is who's holding the brushes. Cullipher designed the mural so people of all skill levels could contribute, then the district sent an email inviting students and community members to sign up for painting sessions.

On the busiest day, 11 people showed up. Most participants have been current or former BHS students, but teachers and counselors have joined too.

"It's like I could paint the whole thing, but it wouldn't be nearly as meaningful," Cullipher said in a BSD video posted Monday, July 27. "It's not about me."

One recent session paired two incoming seniors with four incoming freshmen, giving students who had never met a reason to connect weeks before the first bell.

A teacher and a counselor painted alongside them on another day.

The district has not confirmed a specific first-day-of-school date, but the new BHS is expected to open in August.

The mural is one of several art installations funded through the 2022 Bond; ceramics students also created tactile murals for the building. The bond program is driving construction at more than 16 sites this summer, but the BHS rebuild is by far the largest single investment.

Participants identified in BSD media include student behavior specialist Emily Lux, junior Yousef Jameel, and sophomore Myles Cook. Cullipher herself is identified by the district as an artist, student behavior specialist, and BHS freshman.

No public unveiling or dedication ceremony has been announced. For now, the mural's audience is the small crew of painters who keep showing up, building something together before the hallways fill.