Last month, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon team members, students and staff from the Central Visual & Performing Arts High School, and members of the St. Louis Public Schools Board of Education gathered for the dedication of a mural on the side of the SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Pediatrics office in the Tower Grove neighborhood. The mural, which faces Kingshighway Boulevard and CVPA High School, projects a thoughtful message of joy and hope for the community.
Students Jovi Vaughn and Micajah Carr, alongside CVPA Art Teacher Evan Wagman, designed and painted the mural on the side of the pediatric outpatient clinic as a symbol of SSM Health’s commitment to supporting the children and families in the St. Louis community and beyond following a school shooting. The mural reads, “Our health is worth the effort.”
Speakers at the event included SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital President Dr. Hossain Marandi, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Pediatrics Physician Dr. Joshua Arthur, St. Louis Public Schools Board of Education Superintendent Dr. Millicent Borishade, CVPA Principal Dr. Amy Phillips, and CVPA art teacher Evan Wagman.
In their remarks, each speaker reflected on the importance of the relationships SSM Health continues to build with families and organizations in the St. Louis region.
“We chose to have this mural facing the classroom windows of Central Visual and Performing Arts High School so that each student who looks upon it is reminded of the joy it represents and our unwavering commitment to nurturing every child and family in our community,” explained Marandi. “We gather today to not only to honor the talent and strength of the students here with us today, but also to reaffirm our deepest commitment: to be present, to provide healing, and to offer hope—always.”
Arthur, a pediatrician at the clinic, elaborated on the unique connection between CVPA and the clinic in Tower Grove. “When I first saw this mural, it inspired me to reflect on the partnership between both CVPA and SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Pediatrics, two entities which shape both the bodies and minds of the children and the community,” said Arthur. “Where CVPA serves our children through the pursuit of knowledge, so too does SSM Health Cardinal Glennon care for children through both mental and physical health care. Our collaboration is an embodiment of holistic care for the mind, the body, and the spirit.”
Wagman, the final speaker at the dedication, closed by stating, “Originally envisioned as a visual commentary on the spirit of the community at Danis Pediatrics {the name of the center], this mural evolved into something even greater: a daily reminder that beauty can rise anywhere. That we are stronger together. That art has the power to connect, to uplift, and to heal. May this mural continue to inspire every passerby young or old to pause, to reflect, and to cherish each moment.”
