Sensory room painted in jungle theme

Room shows collaboration between special needs and art classes

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With the help of faculty and student artists at El Dorado High School, students with autism are now able to feel comfort whenever frustration or agitation kicks in.

The walls in the “sensory room”, which were once plain and white, are now covered in vibrant paint in a jungle theme.

“The jungle theme came from a little bit of all of us, and we started collaborating,” said special education teacher David Bustamante, who was also named 2019 Teacher of the Year for the campus.

Diego Martinez, a special needs teacher at El Dorado, who is also a local artist, was given the opportunity to combine two of the things he loves. He was able to use his knowledge from both areas to create a place for kids on the spectrum to feel at ease. Martinez had the help of one of his friends when adding galaxy art to the walls of the sensory room.

“Since I work so closely with the kids, giving a part of me every day working here, and then combining that with the art I love – that’s a good combination,” Martinez said.

Since I work so closely with the kids, giving a part of me every day working here, and then combining that with the art I love – that’s good combination.

— Diego Martinez

Some of the animal designs displayed on the walls were already sketched out by a few of the special needs students. Other students, who are enrolled in art classes, have given color to the sketches and added in their own touches to the four walls.

“I can only imagine being isolated in a white room, and having nothing to look at, now they have something to look at,” said senior Andrea Vasquez, who helped to paint the sensory room.