The Hands for Peace mural was created by participants in the Youth Empowerment Solutions for Peaceful Communities at Holmes Middle School in 2005 and 2006. In 2005, the students wanted to get the word out about YES. After getting the owners’ permission, the participants whitewashed the wall of a local convenience store and painted the YES logo.
The next year, the idea to add the “Hands For Peace” section came from an idea to pledge to stay violence free. Students stenciled and painted the “Hands For Peace” message on the wall below the YES logo. Participants, staff and community members painted their hands and put their hand prints on the walls as a demonstration of their commitment to that pledge.
