By: Jan Sen Chua and Shayona Chatterjee, Grade 12 

Standing as a vibrant tribute to the decades of history at M'KIS, the completed 30th anniversary mural is a testament to the creativity, collaboration, and spirit of M’KIS. Through months of planning and dedicated effort, we turned our vision into reality.

From Vision to Reality 

Last May, as National Honor Society (NHS) president, I was inspired to create a mural reflecting our school’s history and values. I pitched it to Shayona, my close friend and the National Art Honor Society (NAHS) president. After emails and discussions, we were in.

Shayona envisioned a triptych—three towering panels, each capturing a decade of M'KIS history. But first, we had to convince Mr. Cody, the Head of School, by presenting our proposal and convincing him to see our vision for the mural. Once we secured approval from the Board of Governors, we dove into research for the landmarks to include in the mural.

In the M'KIS library, Shayona and I pieced together key events with the help from Ms. Gin Tan. Pinterest boards overflowed as we selected three designs that were both appealing and manageable. After I secured funding for the mural’s materials, we created a rigorous schedule to finish before mock exams.

There were three stages: Brainstorming, Illustration, and Coloring. In the brainstorming stage, NAHS and NHS members sketched key events, and a group of us selected the best drawings. 

In the illustration stage Ms. Kelli, Michelle, Adeline, and Shayona drew the sketches onto the canvases.
 

Finally, both clubs worked together on the coloring stage, where we divided up the responsibility. NHS painted broad strokes (backgrounds, the tiger tail, large symbols), while NAHS tackled the finer details: tiny symbols, expressive faces, and tiger stripes. 

Unveiling the Mural
On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, we unveiled the mural. After brief remarks from Mr. Robert Cody, the Head of School, Ms. Kelli Cody, the NAHS advisor, and Ms. Shannon White, the NHS advisor, we unveiled the mural! 

A Mural That Speaks

The mural’s minimalistic, animated, and bold style captures MKIS’s vibrant journey. The left panel begins with “Start,” marking the school’s founding, and features a looping tiger tail symbolizing MKIS’s journey. Key milestones include the representation of 56 nationalities, the first graduating class, Model United Nations, Madeline’s Children Fund, and the school’s first computers.

The middle panel highlights achievements like the creation of Chemophant, a student-authored book raising cancer awareness, the first Habitat for Humanity house build, the school’s first SEASAC championship in girls’ volleyball, the marching band debut, and Turtle Week, where students raised over RM10,000 for sea turtle conservation.

The final panel highlights recent accomplishments: a student-led documentary on Third Culture Kids, the U15 Football AIMS victory, the opening of the tennis court, and a fundraiser by Adam Dillion, a former student, that raised nearly RM6,000 for families with autistic children. As we reach the end of the mural, it’s clear that MKIS’s journey is far from over. The “More to Come” is a reminder of MKIS’s ongoing evolution and limitless potential to achieve great heights as a close-knit community.

Reflection from the contributors

"This mural was one of the toughest but most rewarding projects I've worked on during my time in M'KIS. I can't believe it's finally complete! I hope our hard work lasts long and can be seen for many years to come in the school, and I hope it inspires a lot of future artists in M'KIS." — Michelle Angelina Purnama, Grade 12, NAHS vice president.

"After nearly a year of hard work, the mural celebrating the 30th anniversary is now complete! The mural depicts M'KIS's development, diversity, and spirit over the span of its three decades. Seeing the colorful artwork come to life has been an amazing experience for me and all of the contributors to this mural. I'm sure that when each brushstroke is painted, memories of MKIS's 30-year journey flood us. It's incredible to see how art unites a community in remembrance of our shared objectives and history, giving honor to the past while motivating the present." — Meiyan Liu, Grade 12, NAHS and NHS member.

Coming together as NAHS and NHS, students and staff unite their creativity to honor 30 years of excellence at M'KIS. This mural is more than art, it reflects our shared history, values, and vision for the future. Being part of this project has been a meaningful and enjoyable experience, allowing us to connect, create, and celebrate this milestone as a community. — Kelli Cody, NAHS supervisor 

“Painting this mural has been an amazing experience! It’s been great to be part of something meaningful to the NHS and bring some color to the space.” — Ariadna Perrez Garrido, Grade 11, NHS member

This project has developed a sense of unity between the highschool students, both from the NAHS and NHS. I would like to thank the willingness of the high school students in aiding the project. Knowing the busy schedules of IB students and teachers, I'm happy that we still managed to band together and collaborate to create a wonderful piece of art that showcases M'KIS' colorful history! Student involvement and collaboration is a prominent recurrence in M'KIS' achievements, and this mural--down to the planning, sketching, lining and painting--comes from each and every person involved in the project. Knowing that many people had a hand in the creation of this mural, no matter how big or small, makes this project all the more special to me. — Gabriela Adeline Purnama, Grade 11, NAHS member