Teaching artist Laurie Downey of Side x Side works with third-graders Mariam Omer, left, and Khayro Abdirahman as the students make panels for a mural at Martel Elementary School in Lewiston on Friday. Students from Longley Elementary and Martel are working together on a “character traits” mural that will be installed at the new Connors Elementary School before the start of the new school year in August. Students will make a panel for each of the traits that they want to bring with them to their new school. Those traits are: bold, hardworking, friendly, creative, caring and brilliant. Side x Side, a Portland-based program that provides hands-on art lessons to students, received a federal grant that allowed the program to expand into Lewiston.

Third-grader Gabby Morneau, 9, works on a mural panel at Martel Elementary School in Lewiston on Friday. Students from Longley Elementary and Martel are working with teaching artists from Side x Side on a “character traits” mural that will be installed at the new Connors Elementary School before the start of the new school year in August. Students will make a panel for each of the traits that they want to bring with them to their new school. Those traits are: bold, hardworking, friendly, creative, caring and brilliant. Side x Side, a Portland-based program that provides hands-on art lessons to students, received a federal grant that allowed the program to expand into Lewiston.