During this pandemic, it feels like many things that people look forward to doing for the holidays have been canceled or are being postponed. Every year right before Thanksgiving, groups of Bellefonte High’s art and Senior Institute students come together to paint storefronts all throughout downtown Bellefonte. This year, although the circumstances were a little different, these students were still able to spread their holiday cheer throughout not only downtown but also the high school itself. 

Senior Institute students took the final school day before Thanksgiving break to paint the halls and windows in the high school. Students painted creative holiday displays to decorate the school.  

“I loved painting the windows because it brightens up the school with holiday cheer,” senior Kira Watson said. “It was so fun to be able to spend all day working hard on our holiday window paintings with my friends.”

Students started with only a rough draft of their painting idea and used a marker on the windows in order to help them outline their drawings before applying the paint. A majority of these paintings were freehanded, which showcased the talent of many of these students.

“Painting the windows was kind of difficult,” senior Nathan Taylor said, whose painting location was in the library. “The paint didn’t want to stick to the window and there were just so many windows.”

Even though the painting was difficult, the students persevered and were able to fill the school with holiday cheer through their paintings. 

Some students even chose to spend the first day of Thanksgiving break window painting downtown Bellefonte. They painted at several locations around town including Cool Beans, the YMCA, SpaU2.0, and many others. They were able to continue the tradition on their own time.

“I made memories that will last a lifetime,” Kira said. “I wasn’t sure how great the window painting would turn out since this was my first time doing it, but I’m so proud of how it all looks and everyone’s windows are so incredible. Everyone did a fantastic job creating winter scenes all around the school and they all bring so much joy.”