When walking into West Albany High School, you’re welcomed by the modern design of the Blue building, the newest addition to the school campus, which was finalized in 2021. You walk through the halls, see the nice greys with the accents of blue and yellow, but then you stumble upon the back of the building, and see a large black and white mural.
The mural itself is two stories high and spans the majority of the north wall. It’s coated with various sports pictures from the past; some as recent as ten years ago, some as old as 70 years ago. The true vision behind it, hiding in plain sight.
“I hope people feel like they’re part of something bigger,” Video production teacher Matt Boase said. Boase’s role in the creation of the mural was organizing the photos to fit on the layout of the back wall. “It really represents the tradition at West, which is unique.”
“We were trying to incorporate a lot of athletics, but that space isn’t just for athletics,” Principal Rich Engel said. Engel was part of the beginning of the plan; he helped choose photos for the mural alongside previous athletic director Pat Richards and previous principal Susie Orsborn. “There are [photos of] athletics activities, students at pep assemblies, and some marching band too.”
The idea itself began with the beginning of the Blue building. Orsborn was a fan of tradition, and she wanted to make sure the history of West Albany was still shown even in the newest parts of it.
“She was really big on honoring the past,” Engel said. “It was all her idea.”
One of the more important parts of a visual mural is making sure you get the right photos. Orsborn, Richards, and Engel spent time flipping through yearbooks, stretching as far back as the construction of the Gold building, built in 1953. The trio was very particular about the pictures chosen and wanted to make sure they hit certain boxes. They wanted to make sure they had certain people, certain decades, and certain moments.
“We wanted to make sure we had all the decades covered [since] the campus opened,” Engel said. “[And] we wanted to highlight key figures, like some all-time athletes.”
Boase enjoyed being part of the experience and was glad he was asked to help be a part of it.
“My favorite part was my involvement in general,” Boase said. His classroom has a perfect open window view of the mural, which serves as a reminder of something he got to be a part of the creation of. “I like that it’s subtle, but still shows alumni. It’s nice [to] have a bunch of people part of West’s history,” Boase said.
“It’s all about where we’ve been, and where we are,” Engel said. He hopes the mural encompasses the celebration and the spirit of the student body. Whether it’s the student body of today or the student body of 50 years ago.
The purpose of the mural is to show those who visit how much the school values its students, showing how great the student body can be when united, and that those who return feel welcomed and nostalgic about their time at West.
“[I hope] it gives them a place to relive their old memories,” Engel said. “And for them to feel honored that their time here was acknowledged, and will forever be here.”
