Five senior students from Arorangi School were busy this week spreading positivity to the public through the use of hand-painted signs they had crafted in their art classes at school.

The signs, made under visiting artist Jessica Newman’s ‘Journey Project’, were created with the aim of spreading joy and awareness as well as building resilience and improving long-term mental health and well-being for children and adults alike. The year eight students were accompanied by Newman as well as their teacher Rose Benns.

They made multiple stops around the island this week, delivering one special sign to each stop they visited.

They visited the police station, the Tupapa Outpatients Clinic, the Punanga Nui Market, CITC, Raromart and the Prime Minister’s Office where the five students were able to meet Prime Minister Mark Brown in Cabinet and gift him his sign personally, and explain to him the meaning behind their creative initiative.

“The businesses seemed genuinely interested in the students and delighted to be involved in the project. Several of the places: the police station, the Creative Hub at Tupapa and CITC also talked to the students about career pathways in their different fields, which I thought was awesome,” Newman said.

Newman has been in Rarotonga for three months and will soon be wrapping up her time with the students. She said it has been great seeing the progress and change in the students’ attitude towards art over her time with them.

“Most of the students here have had little experience with art and creativity and seemed shy and reluctant at the beginning, but I have noticed their confidence has increased over the last couple of months and they seem increasingly eager to give new things a go.

“I have also seen a growing confidence in the students to participate in group discussions about themes not normally talked about.”

Teacher Rose Benns said: “The signs will hopefully help the students as well as everyone in the community who received one that power of the words we speak.”