Godwin Heights — You can learn a lot about senior Steven Gonzalez from the two four-by-four faces of a cube he illustrated.
There’s the flag of his home country, the Dominican Republic; a cross symbolizing his faith; a sandy beach reflecting his love of travel; layered stars for a design he enjoys; an A-plus representing his commitment to good grades; and a white mushroom with black polka dots in honor of his cousin.
His illustrated cube is one of about 2,000 created by students across Godwin Heights Public Schools and displayed in a mural at the district’s April art show.
Elementary art teacher Dawn Soblesky said she got the idea after seeing a lesson plan inspired by street artist ThankyouX, whose signature work features a series of cubes, each telling its own story.
“The district’s theme this year has been how everyone is a puzzle piece and how those pieces fit together,” Soblesky said. “I felt this project connected perfectly by celebrating individuality while showing how we all come together.”
Each student was given the same assignment: The left side of the cube features the student’s name, while the right side showcases an image representing something meaningful to them.
Soblesky assembled all of the cubes together, arranging them by school and then by teacher so as to make it easier for students and families to locate their cube.
Second-grader Julissa Lucas slowly walked down the hall looking for her cube, which featured an apple tree since apples are her favorite, she said. She also pointed out her brother’s piece, which featured a large two-color cross with four smaller multi-color crosses around it.
Eighth-grader Daveigha Issa chose to feature her favorite animals on her cube: a dinosaur, an octopus and a snake.
“I think it is really cool to see everyone’s perspective and how they express it,” Steven said.
With construction planned across the district following the successful passage of a 2025 bond millage, Soblesky said the mural will be carefully rolled up and stored until a permanent location is determined.
Read more from Godwin Heights:
• Sixth-grader draws attention with art skills
• Across state lines, art students find a shared rhythm
