Memorial High alumni offer mural, memorabilia to preserve Newark school history

Alumni from the Newark Memorial High School class of 1974 asked the Newark Unified School District board on Tuesday to accept a legacy gift that would restore and display artifacts of the district's past and commission a mural by a current student.

At the meeting, alumnus Edson described a 50-year reunion and a desire to make the school—s history visible to current students. "The guy's a jewel," Edson said of Superintendent Dr. Murphy, thanking him for facilitating campus access for the group. The alumni proposed donating letterman jackets, sweaters, banners, a signed reunion banner and a four-by-three-foot trophy case of memorabilia for display.

The group also presented a design for an 18-to-20-foot mural that alumnus Dr. Murphy had coordinated with student artist Sophia Guerrera. Guerrera, introduced at the meeting, created the mural concept and will work with alumni and the Newark Memorial art department on the final installation. The alumni said they are also contracting Vigil Art, an alumni-run metalworking firm, to design a custom metal timeline piece that would accompany the mural.

Board members thanked the alumni for the effort and accepted the offer for staff to follow up on logistics. The board requested that the district and alumni coordinate placement (the cafeteria and library were suggested), finalize donation paperwork, and confirm display and conservation plans so the items can be installed without disrupting campus operations.

What happens next: District staff said they will work with the alumni committee and school administrators to review the gift for acceptance, storage and display standards and to schedule installation. The alumni posed for photographs with the board at the end of their presentation.