Floris Elementary students exercised their creativity by participating in the painting of a giant underwater ocean mantra mural on a wall in the school cafeteria wall. From floor to ceiling, a colorful array of seaweed, coral, fish, and whales make up the mural, all painted by close to 1,000 tiny hands of students at the school.  Observers will see a sunken ship, a treasure chest, and an obscure half-cat and half-mermaid fusion (a.k.a., a “purr-maid”) that students requested be included in the design. To prepare for painting the mural, students learned the mantra “Everything takes practice” during a two-part yoga-art-mural workshop led by artist and former Floris student Sarah Jayne Bleiweis.  The mural design was inspired by drawings the students did on the ocean habitat. The creative community undertaking was made possible by PTA volunteers and school staff members.