Phoenix, 14, a Year 10 Graphic Design student at Lawn Manor Academy, was chosen to design a promotional poster after a challenge was set by the Old Town Business Association.
Her colourful creation was selected from entries submitted by her classmates, with the winning artwork now helping to advertise the vibrant community celebration.
The festival will take place on Wood Street from 2pm until 7pm on Sunday 2 November, featuring Latin-American food, live music and a street parade.
A public ofrenda will also be on display – a shared altar where visitors can leave photos and mementoes of loved ones.
Phoenix said:
“I wanted to add lots of autumn colours and brighten them up.
“I experimented with a bunch of different skull designs which really made the piece more interesting.
“I also did this because I wanted to highlight the diversity of different skulls, people attending the event and those we will be celebrating at the event.
“I love illustration and really enjoy studying Graphics at Lawn Manor Academy and hope to do this in the future.”
Emma Morrison, Graphics subject lead at Lawn Manor Academy, said:
“This was an amazing opportunity for all of our Graphic Design pupils to take a real-life creative brief and create a piece of work that they feel meets that.
“As a result, this is a fantastic chance for Phoenix to add this to her CV and portfolio, which will definitely help her in her future job prospects.
“I am so proud of Phoenix, she has made a very positive start to her Graphics GCSE.
“She has mentioned previously that Graphic Design is her passion and I learnt very early on that she is a born illustrator with a bright future ahead of her.”
“We’re committed to giving our pupils real-life creative learning opportunities, as well as supporting local community projects.
“To be able to work with Old Town Business Association and see their work displayed in their local streets really helps inspire our pupils and push them to pursue their ambitions beyond the classroom.”
Daniel Jacklin, Head of Aspirations and Futures at Lawn Manor Academy, added:
“It’s amazing to see the hard work Phoenix has put into her poster and even better to see how what is learned in the classroom can be applied to the real world.
“We are always striving to make classroom learning relevant for young people by involving our local community and employers wherever possible.”
Entry to the festival is £1.50 per person and tickets can be booked at www.thisisoldtown.com/events/day-of-the-dead-festival
If any local businesses would like to offer such experiences to our pupils then please email the school on [email protected]
Lawn Manor Academy is part of the Ascend Learning Trust. For more information, visit www.lawnmanor.org
