{"id":15884,"date":"2025-09-29T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/?p=15884"},"modified":"2025-11-13T15:21:39","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T01:21:39","slug":"2025-mural-mo%ca%bbolelo-%ca%bbaiea-high","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/2025-mural-mo%ca%bbolelo-%ca%bbaiea-high\/","title":{"rendered":"Mural Mo\u02bbolelo: \u02bbAiea High"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a senior at \u02bbAiea High School, Richard Wyrgatsch II once got in trouble for spray-painting graffiti on the school cafeteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forty years later, he\u2019s back on campus \u2014 this time with permission and purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Known as OG Slick, the renowned street artist is leaving his mark on the school once again, but with a new mission: to inspire school spirit and foster pride within the \u02bbAiea community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His newest mural is hard to miss. The bold green-and-white artwork spans three outward-facing sides of H Building, which houses the school\u2019s band and dance programs. Completed in September 2025 after about two and a half weeks of work, mostly in the early mornings and late nights to avoid the blazing afternoon sun, the mural loudly overlooks the athletic stadium and the surrounding community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The longest side of the building that faces the field is what Slick refers to as the \u02bbAiea wall. It features the \u02bbAiea name, with the letters \u201cA\u201d and \u201cE\u201d formed by his signature cartoon hands. For the \u201cI\u201d, he used a bright green foam finger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hate doing the letter \u201cI\u201d with the hands. It\u2019s kind of a boring letter for me,\u201d he said. \u201cI chose to do a #1 to show school spirit. When you watch collegiate sports, you see the giant foam finger. So that was the inspiration behind that. I call this logo \u02bbAiea #1\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are three \u201c\u02bbAiea #1\u201d logos on the wall with a large top-to-bottom sized \u02bbAiea \u201cA\u201d logo. In the background, shades of hunter green and kelly green designs of hibiscus flowers and the name \u02bbAiea written in various graffiti-style fonts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wrap around the corner to the west side of the building and you\u2019ll see a giant \u201cAloha\u201d in white, big block text with the \u02bbAiea logo standing in for both of the \u201cAs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI just love the \u02bbAiea \u201cA\u201d. Whoever designed it, it\u2019s a pretty dope little icon,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This portion of the mural faces a road leading in and out of campus, a fitting welcome for students, staff and visitors and a safe farewell as they leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The east-facing side of the mural features another large \u201c\u02bbAiea #1\u201d logo that takes up about two-thirds of the wall. In the bottom left corner, the name of the stadium is proudly displayed: Kiyuna and Wendell Say Stadium \u2014 honoring two legendary coaches in the school\u2019s football history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Principal Wayne Guevara said this is the school\u2019s first mural and marks a huge step in building school pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s for us, it\u2019s for our whole community, our whole school,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot of families will use it as a canvas for pictures. There\u2019s ample area where you can take selfies. I think it will be something that is in the background, but in reality it\u2019s a really important part of our school.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mural was completed just in time for \u02bbAiea\u2019s homecoming celebration \u2014 a full-circle moment for Slick, who graduated with the Class of 1985.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis particular mural is really special, it hits home,\u201d Slick said. \u201cAnd hopefully it can inspire some of the youth out there to chase their dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n