Stephanie Arguera of UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School helped to coordinate two mural painting projects at Isla Vista’s St. George Youth Center (SGYC) in Estero Park; the murals had their ribbon cutting ceremony Friday, June 21. As a graduate student from the Department of Education, Arguera has been working with the Center for the past four years on a project that grew from a traditional maker space project into a community involvement project.
These are the third and fourth murals Arguera has coordinated at SGYC. After nearly four months of planning and prepping and then meeting nearly every week since Spring Break, the youth participants brainstormed and voted on final mural themes, then conceptualized various drafts before deciding on the two separate murals—one led by junior high-ages and younger, and the other led by high-schoolers. After receiving approval from the IV Parks & Rec Department Board on June 13, the youth were excited to have such a large and fun project to take on during their second week of summer vacation.
“Although this began as a park beautification project, development and painting of murals has centered on welcoming the diversity of our community, as well as reclaiming space as community members who are also learners,” Arguera says. “I feel it is imperative for the youth living in IV to constantly feel supported by the university that impacts their lives in both positive and negative ways, and the summertime is often when that support is most needed, since that is when everyone leaves. I hope that this is one small way they can continue to feel that support.”
St. George Youth Center has been serving Isla Vista and Goleta youth and families since 1998, providing a safe, fun, alternative space for teens during the high risk after-school hours.
The youth center is open to young people in grades 6 -12, and we support the strength and achievement of youth and their families through a variety of educational, recreational, cultural and leadership opportunities.