Colorful Communities®, Education

What happened when we paired the science of color with paint? The classrooms of more than 500 children were transformed through both color and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) as part of a PPG COLORFUL COMMUNITIES^® project.

Several PPG employees’ children who study at the Universidad Anáhuac (UA) introduced us to Mano Amiga School in Querétaro, Mexico. The UA students regularly volunteered and raised funding for the school, which is located in a marginalized area, with few opportunities for private education. Often times, the Mano Amiga students are from families with limited financial or educational resources.

Catapulting success through education

We were inspired by the lead of the UA students and jumped at the opportunity to support Mano Amiga in their mission of breaking the circle of poverty in which their students live and catapulting their success through education.

“When I first met the UA students, I witnessed their drive to pass on their passion and knowledge about STEM to the younger generation,” said Sara Herrea, PPG marketing specialist. “We know the impact a bright, colorful space can make on young minds. Starting with this inaugural STEM Colorful Communities project, we aimed to bring not only color, but the possibilities the science of color holds to the students of Mano Amiga School.”

In the first phase of the project, PPG's technical color team and the UA students developed a full day of classroom activities that taught the elementary school’s students about the anatomy of the eye, primary colors, rainbows and paint production.

Exploring creativity

Next, 30 volunteers from PPG, UA and the community joined together to revitalize the basketball court at the Mano Amiga School’s playground alongside their families. With more than 270 gallons (1,020 liters) of COMEX™ paint, the students now have a bright and lively place to play and explore their creativity.

“The vibrant, new basketball court colors paired with the classroom activities unveiled to our students how science truly surrounds us every day,” said Andrea Rodriguez, promotion leader, Mano Amiga School. “The project was instrumental in bringing our students closer to science and allowed them to envision a better future.