During spring break 2026, community members are invited to use the digital Spring Branch ISD (SBISD) Art and Literacy Trail map to find outdoor works of art created by student teams at 19 different campuses. The imagery in each mini-mural is inspired by a book selected by the campus’ art teacher from the school’s library.

“Our goal is to find children’s books on which we can base art lessons, and it makes the artwork relative to both our classroom teaching styles and what the students enjoy,” said Stephanie Walton, art teacher at Wilchester Elementary (WCE) and Art and Literacy Trail organizer.

Then and Now

The spring break art display began in 2020 and was initiated by the donation of several large-scale frames from Classy Art, a Houston-based framing company. This also occurred when Covid-19 was causing widespread shutdowns.

“It gave families the opportunity to have an activity they could do as a family without having to come into contact with anyone else along the way,” recalls Walton.  “They were out in the fresh air, on a hunt, to find beautiful student-made artworks.”

The public display of art has evolved into the annual, and much-expanded, Art and Literacy Trail. It has become an opportunity for teachers and students to share the love of reading and the joy of all the illustrations in books today.

“Art teachers in SBISD take this time to encourage the creativity of our students as they create a project that relates back to the book they are reading,” said Walton.

Chaotic and Quirky

Alice in Wonderland is the book chosen this year to be represented on the wood paneled mural by Stratford High School (SHS) student artists.

“We picked Alice in Wonderland because we felt it was a well-known classic that had space for artistic interpretation,” said senior Valerie Warren. “We are depicting Alice’s descent into Wonderland because we wanted to convey the chaotic but quirky nature of the novel.”

Collective Greatness in Action

Producing a group art project is novel experience for some young artists. Coming to a satisfying conclusion as a team teaches the students the value of a Collaborative Spirit, one of SBISD’s Core Values.

Skye Gobbell’s contribution to the SHS mural was to apply the base layers for the main figure along with objects that represent Alice’s journey into Wonderland.

“The most challenging part of creating this piece was combining the different types of art styles and making it a cohesive work of art,” said Gobbell.

Another senior, Harper Taylor, put it this way: “It’s not an experience I have often, so it was new and exciting. I think there is great value in collaborating with others in the art making process.”

How to Do the Trail

• Open the Art and Literacy Trail’s digital map, which be activated starting March 8.
• Click on a school name to see information about the book and author to which the artwork there is aligned.
• Drive to the campus to search for it somewhere on the exterior of the building. Look for hints on the map as to the location of the art at the school.
• Once a painting is located, there will be a QR code near the piece to access a reading from the chosen book, so visitors can look at the art and hear the related story at the same time! Or listen to the narration on the way to see the next mural!
• For more fun: Show your appreciation, comment and give a thumbs up for the artists by posting photos of your family next to the murals at #SBISDArtLiteracyTrail2026

Note: Please do not touch the art pieces so they are in good condition for all visitors to enjoy.

Elliot Hamlin, a senior artist from SHS, plans to visit murals at several other campuses during spring break. “My family and are I are extremely excited to see how each campus interpretated different pieces of literature,” he said. “I think making art that the whole Spring Branch community can experience and see is a positive for everyone.”

The SBISD Art and Literacy Trail murals will be available to find and view March 8 through 15.

Finding 19 murals in eight days will be quite a feat, as well as a treat for your eyes and ears! Is your family up to it? Create a check list and celebrate each find. We hope you will post photos of yourselves with the artworks at #SBISDArtLiteracyTrail2026.

“I love the excitement that goes along with the project,” said Walton. “Whether a student or family plans a visit to one or many pieces of art our district has on display or they accidentally stumble across it during spring break, we get great feedback on the art they see.”