In 2023, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control (ACC) embarked upon a two-phase renovation—first, to bring the shelter up to code and then to renovate the lost dog, adoption, and treatment kennels. With change in the air at ACC, so was the opportunity to integrate Charlotte Latin School as an artistic and volunteer service partner. 

Jen Wouters P ‘26, an ACC volunteer and CLS parent, collaborated closely with the shelter’s director to brainstorm ways in which Latin students and volunteers could help brighten the new space. She proposed the idea of transforming the cinderblock surfaces into a beautiful mural that would uplift the spirits of both the volunteers and the animals they served. 

Mrs. Wouters came to Kaila Gottschling, Department Chair of Visual Arts, to solidify how they could involve the full school community in this effort. Together, they explored the possibility of incorporating the mural project into the students’ education, providing them with an opportunity to learn about the shelter’s mission and contribute personally. Mrs. Gottschling created several mock-ups to convey the importance of adoption and the impact it has on the animals at the shelter. 

Mrs. Gottschling and Mrs. Wouters worked with key ACC partners to develop the two-part plan to add color to the shelter. The first? A hand-painted outdoor mural to serve as the main social media backdrop when a family celebrates an adoption from the shelter. The second? A mural at the front entrance of ACC to reinforce and reinvigorate the ACC brand and to affirm the instrumental role this nonprofit plays in the Charlotte community. 

Next, Mrs. Gottschling and Mrs. Wouters brought the opportunity to our Latin Arts Association and asked the parent group to fund the project. With a unanimous “yes” vote, Charlotte Latin’s work at ACC was up and running. 

Making sure the opportunity was accessible for students and that CLS would be represented in the best light possible, Mrs. Gottschling spent several hours on-site to sketch and design the mural. She also collaborated with Dr. David-Aaron Roth, Director of Student Leadership Development, to ensure student-volunteers had a real service learning opportunity as part of the ACC shelter mural project. 

A special thanks goes to Elizabeth Wolff ‘27, Ellie Wouters ‘27, Anna Wasko ‘24, Hannah Hurden ‘25, Hope Gottschling ‘24, and Nicole Isotov, one of our German exchange students, who volunteered their time on several weekends this fall to paint the mural. 

When they weren’t hand-painting outside, they took a tour of the shelter inside with ACC’s volunteer coordinator, where they got a deeper understanding of ACC’s true impact on our community. While Elizabeth Wolff (and parents, Mary and Kent Wolff) walked away from the experience with foster kittens, all gained a new appreciation for the animal rescue world.   

The project received overwhelming support from students and adults within the broader CLS community. Shelly Magno, Lower and Middle School art teacher and fellow ACC volunteer, played a vital role in the project’s continued development. Shelly not only assisted with the painting process, but also took it upon herself to raise awareness about the project among Grade 4 students through a special art project that encouraged empathy and compassion towards animals in need. 

Next up: We will be assembling a new group of student and parent volunteers in April to paint the mural found at the front entrance. Anyone in the Latin community will be invited to help, as there will be opportunities for artistic and non-artistic levels to join this service opportunity.