Photo courtesy of Kamau Kegler ’27
A beacon of brightness in the basketball court outside of the Athletic Center, the Thunderdone mural has been a large part of EA’s senior experience and student culture for years. With the goal of bringing the senior class together and giving students the chance to leave their mark on EA, the Class of 2027 recently finished the newest mural. This year’s painting features the chapel along with yellow graffiti style text, an eye-catching piece that will become a staple of EA’s campus this year.
The senior behind this year’s mural design, Annabel Zahralddin ’27, says that “the mural represents unity and school spirit.” Students from different departments of the school worked together, whether that’s students from the arts, student council, or athletics. This overlap is one that’s hard to find in other areas of EA, making the mural an especially unique tradition. Each group contributes something different to the process, whether it’s creativity, organization, or school spirit. When all these groups work together the mural is more than just artwork, it is a shared project that represents the entire EA community, and the love that is shared for the school.
One of the students who helped paint, Darcy Mackenzie ’27 says, “the mural is a great opportunity, but I wish more students knew about it.” She explains that only four people showed up to the first meeting to start painting the wall before school started in September, after an interest form was sent out to the entire class including times and dates. Mackenzie notes that she hoped the school would do more to get students to engage in this group project, creating more of the collaboration expected on the piece.
2027 Class President Shepherd Buccini ’27 was the student leading the group painting the mural. He states that “the painting process was especially fun because I was able to connect with many different people in our grade.” His firsthand experience displays the importance of the mural, and why so many students love the tradition it has become.
Michael Letts, Head of Upper School, mentions that “the mural designs typically reflect the class’s excitement for the fall season and the success of the athletic teams.” Seniors have many things to look forward to as the year kicks off, with fun events planned for their final year, and, what many students are most excited for, AIS/Haverford weekend. The Thunderdome is known to be spirited during that weekend and the week leading up to it, represented in the lighting graffiti lettering in the mural.
One of the most special parts about the mural is that it provides students with an opportunity to be creative outside of the classroom allowing for the arts to hold a clear space on campus. Painting such a large piece is no small feat, but the senior class has clearly shown they were able to overcome these difficulties and make something beautiful. The finished mural is not only decoration, but something students can remember after they graduate, a tradition they participated in that has spanned over the years, and will continue on after their graduation from the school they love.