Reminders of the rich history and tradition in the Puyallup Valley, including the Meeker Mansion, fairgrounds, family owned farms, and Puyallup High School, are highlighted in a new student-designed wall mural in the school library.

Puyallup High eleventh grader Savannah Jarrett worked with her art teacher, Dorrie Coleman, to paint the 7-foot by 16-foot acrylic mural on a wall just inside the library entrance.

Nearly 30 people, including Superintendent Tim Yeomans, Puyallup High educators, and her family and friends attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony this fall to dedicate the colorful new artwork.

The main Puyallup High classroom building is prominent in the center of the mural, and large bold purple and gold letters spell out ”Puyallup High” above the school.

Surrounding the high school building are images of the front of the historic Meeker Mansion; the Puyallup Library and clock tower; Picha Farms barn and fields; and the Extreme Scream and Ferris wheel rides at the Washington State Fair.

The images are set against a backdrop of clouds, sun rays, and trees, as well as a single yellow daffodil in the bottom corner where Jarrett and Coleman signed their names.

“I wanted it to look like a postcard of our area and capture what Puyallup has to offer,” Jarrett said. “I also wanted to paint something bright and happy.”

Jarrett began the project with Coleman last spring after school Principal Jason Smith approached the art department and said he thought a mural would be a welcome addition in the library.

The student, who is taking advanced High school mural depicts Puyallup history drawing and painting classes this year, first traced her design on paper. She then submitted the drawing to the principal and, once approved, used a projector to cast the images onto the wall in an enlarged format.

She and Coleman used acrylic paint to fill in the designs, then added a clear coat finish to protect the art from marks or fading. Jarrett estimates the project took 42 hours from start to finish. All the work was done before school let out in June.

Superintendent Yeomans praised Jarrett for her hard work and talent.

“Thank you for the gift you have given to all of us,” Yeomans said at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

The eleventh grader has been taking art classes since she was in ninth grade at Aylen Junior High. She has entered her work in several local art contests and won competitions sponsored by organizations such as the Washington State Fair and Puyallup PTA Reflections. Her career plans include majoring in art or creative writing in college and becoming an animator or illustrator.

Librarian Beth Watts, whose office faces the mural, said she couldn’t be happier with how the mural looks and the pride it represents for Puyallup High School.

“Puyallup High is at the heart of our valley and has been at the heart of the valley for many years,” she said. “The nostalgic feel to the mural just fits.”