Manteca High is the green school.

Beyond the school colors – green and white – MHS stepped up its recycling efforts this year while utilizing some of the earth resources. One example of that was the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corp along with the wood shop class working collaboratively on constructing a green house earlier this year using plastic water and soda bottles.

In keeping with “go green” theme, students of the Advanced Art classes and the Color and Design class recently began working on a 75- by 10- foot mural on the outside cafeteria wall.

“The design was a collaboration involving our students,” said art instructor Matt McDonald on Friday. “They started toying around with the idea and later refined it.”

He also provided some input on the mural.

McDonald credited Principal Frank Gonzales for offering up the theme that commemorates all of the “green” initiatives implemented by the school.

The wall space became available with the recent cafeteria remodel. “It’s still a work in progress,” said McDonald, who is expecting this sizeable mural to be completed in the next few weeks.

Altogether, about 80 students working different times during the day have chipped in on the work.

In staying green, the school also received a donation of paint for the project from Vision, a paint recycling company.

“It is great to actually be doing our part to help the environment while conveying that message to the public,” said McDonald.

He and his students maintain the tradition of contributing to the MHS Mural Museum.

Since 1996, the campus has been adding murals by students. Over 200 such murals are featured throughout the school.