Spray paint is being added to a large wall by elementary school students at Ladera STARS Academy in Thousand Oaks, under the watchful eye of artist Jonathan Martinez.
He’s creating a large-scale mural featuring the famous P-22 mountain lion and other local native wildlife and plant species.
"The goal is to raise awareness and to teach our youth about protecting our wildlife, especially locally," said Martinez.
It’s part of a creative partnership with the National Wildlife Federation’s Save Cougars Campaign.
"The P-22 is an original resident of this area," Lauren Gill from the Wildlife Federation told KCLU.
She says it’s a way to engage local young people with the world’s largest wildlife crossing, being built only a few miles away, across the 101 freeway.
"He's a child of this area, just as they are," she said.
As some of the students here have the opportunity to paint parts of the mural project alongside Martinez, the school’s principal Lorri Wall said it's a way to engage them with the curriculum in another way.
"Things that happen around us in nature are a big part of our curriculum and we wanted kids to engage with that information in another way," she said.
Those youngsters adding their artistic flair certainly had fun getting to spray parts of the mural.
"I think it's very nice. He's looking at the sky and the stars. I don't know what he's thinking...maybe he's thinking how bright they are," one student told KCLU.
"I think it's really cool and beautiful and represents the animal crossing," said another.
"I think it's lovely, from the details it's amazing," said another student.
And they can spray paint the school walls…without getting into detention.
