METRO and Local Schools Team Up to Create Art That Moves People

 

The humble bus shelter is often overlooked as a small detail in the larger community landscape. However, a recent collaborative partnership between METRO and local schools is proving that shelters are an essential part of the local fabric.

A bus shelter provides not only a service but can also serve as a canvas that reflects civic pride and creates a sense of belonging. METRO’s School Bus Shelter Program allows local schools to showcase their creative voice while creating a more inviting space for transit users.

In April, METRO celebrated ribbon cuttings at two Houston-area high schools. METRO Board Chair Sanjay Ramabhadran said the community-based collaborations are an opportunity to invest in the future.

“What better way to empower our children than by giving them opportunities to make positive, real-world changes by taking on a project from conception to completion?”

METRO President & CEO Tom Lambert added that encouraging young people to tackle local challenges instills a sense of purpose and the knowledge that they can do big things.

“This is more than a material investment in our community. It’s also an investment in people — in an engaged citizenry who will care about the greater good of their neighborhoods,” he said.

A Symbol of Tiger Pride

At Sam Houston MSTC High School in Houston’s Greater Northside Community, Tiger Pride was on full display as students and administrators unveiled a revamped bus shelter at the intersection of Tidwell Road and Irvington Boulevard.

Created by Sam Houston students Sebastian Barron, and Sofia Zamarripa, the colorful mural follows a Folklórico theme depicting a dancer with a flowered headdress and a mariachero. At the center of the display is a tiger’s head, a symbol of the school mascot.

Sam Houston MSTC Principal Dr. Diego Linares said the project is a beautiful representation of the surrounding neighborhood.

"We are students. We are faculty, and we are people who really care about the community and its beautification," said Linares. "Let's continue this partnership for students and residents."

Created by students Sebastian Barron, and Sofia Zamarripa, Sam Houston MSTC High School's colorful mural follows a Folklórico theme depicting a dancer and mariachero. At the center of the display is a tiger’s head, a symbol of the school mascot.

We Are Waltrip

Less than 10 miles away in the city’s Garden Oaks/Oak Forest neighborhood, Waltrip High School’s “Ram Nation” revealed its own METRO bus shelter.

The shelter on 34th Street, between Ella Boulevard and Oak Forest Drive, features the work of 10th-grader Veronica Fonseca, showcasing the school's bold red, gray, and white colors, ram mascot, and various Waltrip programs. Fonseca said the focus of her boldly colored design was “inclusivity.”

"We chose the bucking ram to symbolize strength and pride in our school," said Fonseca. "It was also important for me to feature clubs, programs, and organizations often overshadowed by mainstream interests,” she added.

Waltrip Principal Rhonda Honore said the METRO School Bus Shelter Program is a win-win for everyone.

"This was an exciting opportunity for Waltrip," said Honore. "Students need to see themselves represented in the community, and this METRO project fosters that."

"We chose the bucking ram to symbolize strength and pride in our school," said Waltrip sophomore Veronica Fonseca. "It was also important for me to feature clubs, programs, and organizations often overshadowed by mainstream interests.”