Franklin Elementary principal Daniel Knibbs shares the school community’s experience working with artist Jerry Whitehead and the meaningful learning that grew from it.

In the fall of 2025, a beautiful new mural took shape at Franklin Elementary. The school partnered with renowned Indigenous artist Jerry Whitehead to create a design that reflected our school’s commitment to truth and reconciliation. 

This project was a collaboration between Franklin Elementary’s school community, the Vancouver School Board, and the Indigenous Education Department.

Jerry Whitehead, a respected Cree artist from Saskatchewan, brought decades of artistic experience and cultural knowledge to the project. Known for his vibrant storytelling through visual art, Jerry’s work often reflects themes of family, identity, land and Indigenous ways of knowing. 

His murals and paintings can be found in schools, public spaces and communities across Canada, where they serve as both artistic expressions and educational tools that honour Indigenous perspectives and histories. 

His approach blends traditional teachings with contemporary techniques, making his work accessible and meaningful to diverse audiences. 

As Jerry shared during his time at Franklin, “Art is a way of telling our stories – of honouring where we come from and helping young people see themselves as part of something bigger, connected to family, culture and the land.”

Jerry’s mural concept beautifully captured the heart of Franklin Elementary. It features dancers representing parents, children and grandparents – symbolizing the strong intergenerational bonds and the importance of family in our community. The design also included Polar Bears and the Northern Lights, celebrating Canada’s Arctic and highlighting our school’s connection to the North.

The mural proudly displayed our school logo and mascot, reinforcing our shared identity and school spirit. Beyond its visual impact, the mural served as a meaningful learning tool, inviting students to explore themes of family, culture and nature through classroom discussions, art projects and storytelling inspired by the work.

As the mural progressed, Indigenous education worker Suzie Bekkattla recognized an excellent opportunity to deepen student engagement and amplify student voice. She arranged for three Indigenous students – Max Sutherland (Grade 6), Cavalli Daniels (Grade 7) and Jailen Carpenter (Grade 5) – to interview Jerry Whitehead and document the experience on film. Suzie worked closely with the students to develop thoughtful questions and supported them through practice, helping them build confidence and prepare for this meaningful exchange.

The students embraced the opportunity with enthusiasm and reflection. Jailen shared that when Ms. Suzie approached him, he felt excited and interested in being part of an interview. Through the experience, he learned that if you work hard enough, you can achieve your dreams. Cavalli recalled feeling excited about what he described as a “cool opportunity,” and said he learned about the process of painting the mural and how Jerry developed his ideas. Max also described feeling excited to participate, and explained that he gained insight into mural painting, its significance and the importance it holds within the artist’s culture and work.

Together, the students came to understand that painting can be deeply meaningful to individuals, culture and community. They also developed valuable skills in interviewing and storytelling, strengthening their voices as learners and leaders.

Completed at the end of October 2025, the mural became an inclusive and culturally responsive work of art that ensured every student felt seen and valued. It stood as a powerful representation of who we are and what we stand for – community, connection and respect.

This project would not have been possible without the generous support of our parent advisory committee, who championed the mural from its earliest stages. Their commitment to this vision helped bring it to life, and we remained deeply grateful for their ongoing partnership.