“The Next Step” is a celebration of Frederick Douglass Academy by students about to graduate the middle school and enter high school.
 
On one side of the hallway, the team tackled the importance literacy and communication. One student is speaking to another in English while the other hears in Spanish. The open book is the central image that directs the viewer to look above into the city which is a gateway to the world of future possibilities. The faces are a combination of all the participants’ portraits so each one can find a piece of themselves.
 
On the other side of the hallway, the images reflect the student’s inner selves. The youth artists create images that represent themselves as a product of their school and neighborhood. The mural itself is meant to be fragmented, similar to broken glass to simulate bringing beauty to the confusion of their lives. They are teenagers preparing to go to High school.
 
The mural design incorporates school colors within a variety of others. By adding additional colors to the school’s navy blue, white, and yellow, it makes the piece more dynamic and adds a sense of diversity within the school. The mascot was incorporated as well as the Frederick Douglass quote, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men,” included in both English and Spanish to honor the school’s namesake.
 
The final piece of the mural is a welcome sign with the name of the school written next to the main office.