Triton senior leaves message from Class of 2019 in a mural

Karissa Otterbein says she has been drawing since she was a little child. “Since I could write I’ve been
drawing,” she said.
While she hasn’t taken an art class since ninth grade she has continued to draw, has been a member of
the Triton Art Club and is capping her high school career by designing and painting the 2019 Class Mural
on a wall outside the office.
Each year a senior student does a mural on one of the walls in the high school and Otterbein explained
she knew she wanted to do the one for her class.
“I asked to do it last year,” she said, “so I would be sure I could do it.”
Principal Craig Schlichting asked if she could do a quote that everyone could relate to and she found one
she felt fit. She showed it to him, she said, and got the okay. From there she went on to design a mural
that also included flowers and mandalas which she enjoys.
She explained she started the mural in February covering the wall with two coats of green pain. For
about two hours every day she worked on the mural, Otterbein said, including during her study hall. She
said she sketched her design on paper but did not sketch the pattern on the wall.
Outside of her artwork, Otterbein said she is a member of the Triton Concert Choir and performed a
solo, “Part of Your World,” during the recent Spring Pop Concert.
“I love to sing,” she said. “I want to get my music out there.”
Despite having interest in both art and music, Otterbein said she is not looking at either area as a career.
“I decided I want to be an EMT with a side job of tattoo artist,” she said. “I don’t exactly know what I
want to do but I think it’s a good fit.”
She has been accepted at Rochester Community and Technical College where they do have an EMT
program. “I honestly don’t know,” she said when asked about training for tattoo artists.
She said she would encourage the underclassmen to “just be open to meeting new people.” Don’t judge
when you don’t know them,” she said, and “just be friendly.” And, do not procrastinate.
Perhaps she expressed it best with the words on the mural.
“Some kids are smarter than you.
Some kids have cooler clothes than you.
Some kids are better at sports than you.
It doesn’t matter.
You have your thing too.
Be the kid who can get along,
Be the kid who is generous.
Be the kid who is happy for others.
Be the kid who does the right thing.
Be the nice kid.”