I'm Mr. Harpster. Or just Harpster, if you're a student at McDaniel High in Portland, Oregon.

I teach a wide variety of different mediums and classes at my high school, from ceramics to photography (and even US history and Gov when necessary!), but above all, my favorite subject and unit to teach is Murals.

For the past 3 years, I've built a small mural-making program into my illustration and mixed media courses. It has definitely been some of the most challenging, yet most rewarding, teaching in my entire 20+ years of education. And I think that it's also been exceptionally rewarding for my students and our community.

I think this is not only because we are doing this work free of charge for the businesses and locations, as we get our funds through CTE and donations from either the school or private, but more so because of how it brings my students and the people involved in the 82nd/Roseway/Portland area together! Murals and art have a special way of binding people, and the effort/work that my kids do makes them feel a connection to their paintings that I just don't think comes up in a regular draw, paint, and print class.

So, with that background in mind, and while I have no intention of stopping this work until someone much higher up than me comes to end it, we do run into budget issues. Especially this year. We have multiple clients lined up and plans to do, but we are already over our planned financial line.

My goal is to build a safety net and fund so that regardless of soaring material prices and tools, permits, field trip funds, etc., I never have to worry about not putting together the best product for my student and community, possible.

Funds donated would also be able to be used on rewards like pizza (food!) and rewards that school funds just aren't really allowed to. But mostly, paint.

Thank you for whatever you are able to donate, and I will do my best to give you updates and appreciation that I can!