McNeal Elementary reveals mural for 'trust' theme

When Gilbert W. McNeal Elementary School announced its theme for the 2022-23 school year would be "trust," Alex Benson probably didn't think it would involve him.

However, the school, indeed, put its trust in Benson, who is the father of second grader Addison Benson, to create a mural to go along with the theme.

"I whipped something up with (students) literally building trust," Alex Benson said about his mural, which shows students building the word "trust" out of wood. "The school had to put trust in my concept. They didn't know me other than I was a parent of a student."

He spent a week working around the heat and rain, finishing the mural so it could be ready for the first day of school Aug. 10.

"Even when I was baking in the sun, it was a blast," said Benson (above in front of his mural). "I wanted to keep it whimsical and fun, so I added ibises."