Peralta Elementary students create unique, recycled art for new facility

PERALTA — Peralta Elementary is home to a variety of unique art created throughout the years that is meaningful to the school community.

Seeking to preserve and build upon some of the art adorning the campus, former Peralta Elementary art teacher Clarissa Otero is creating an art piece to go in the new facility with the help of a sixth-grade class at PE.

The colorful art piece is made out of recycled material, such as plastic bottles the students painted and cut into fun shapes, which Otero will then assemble into a large mobile. She created two of these previously with past students, and was happy to create another at the request of the Los Lunas Schools facilities director.

Once construction at the school is complete, the three mobiles will be permanently hung in the new building in the middle of large halo lights serving as whimsical chandeliers that are sure to brighten the days of students and staff for years to come.

Otero was a longtime educator at Peralta Elementary, so the project is significant to her as she has a deep connection and love for the school. She said it is also special for the students because it’s their last year there, but through the art project a little piece of them will remain.