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Student mural in American Samoa

Students from Wahtonka Community School pose in front of a 38-foot-by-13-foot mural they painted in an open-air high school cafeteria in American Samoa. [courtesy photo]

An April trip to American Samoa by eight Wahtonka Community School students saw them paint a huge mural at an open air high school cafeteria in the island territory.

When they touched down in Samoa and saw the 38-foot-by-13-foot canvas, they were a bit daunted, they told The Dalles Kiwanis Club members last week.

They gave a presentation to the Kiwanis since they helped sponsor the trip.

“We had doubts,” said student Caroline McCowan. “We heard it was small, tiny and we got there and it was not tiny at all.”

But she added, “I think it ended up really, really well.”

The idea for a trip to Samoa was born when Samoan students visited the school last year. Students began fundraising, and Brian Goodwin, principal at the school, had success in applying for grants.

Hawaiian airlines gave the school eight round trip tickets for the students and then the Ford Family Foundation decided to fund the trip, paying for meals, van rental, airline tickets for the adults, and for the artist.

Read more at The Dalles Chronical