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Edison Tech Students Building Mosaic Mural Honoring Supreme Court Justice

A group of individuals involved in the Sonia Sotomayor Mosaic build day at Edison Tech High School.

(May 28, 2026) For the third consecutive year, female students at Edison Career and Technology High School are honoring influential women with a mosaic tribute. This year, their subject is Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the nation’s first Hispanic Justice, who is renowned for her determination and public service.

The annual initiative, titled "Ladies, Ladders & Legacies," captures the program's guiding motto: “Building Skills. Honoring Women. Leaving a Legacy.” Born from a desire to provide female students with leadership opportunities in traditionally male-dominated fields, the initiative is cross-departmental. Led by the school’s CTE Construction & Design Pathway in partnership with the Edison Art Department, the project brings together students from multiple programs to design and construct the tile installations.

This year’s mural marks the third installment in an ambitious, 10-year collaboration with UNICON and the local bricklayers’ union. Each year, a different influential woman is chosen as the subject, allowing students to leave a permanent mark on their school community while gaining hands-on experience in design, masonry, construction layout, teamwork, and installation.

On Wednesday, May 27, students gathered for their hands-on "build day" to assemble the mosaic. They worked alongside teachers, industry mentors, and professional female masons from local unions.

“This will be something that I can come back to Edison and look back on and be very proud of,” said Jaymaiyah Ward, an Edison senior. Jaymaiyah created artwork of Justice Sotomayor for the mural, designed the T-shirts students wore during build day, created promotional posters, and designed the tile layout.

Eight talented 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade students collaborated to complete this year's project:

  • Jaymaiyah Ward
  • Amirah Slade
  • Janay Jacobs
  • Gilianna Aviles
  • Darily Perez Rivera
  • Nathalia Marin Candelario
  • Luvazia Futtz
  • Eliana Velasquez

This initiative builds on a proud, growing tradition inside the school’s dedicated Women’s Memorial Hall, where the completed murals serve as a permanent symbol of empowerment, opportunity, and student achievement. Last year, the "Ladies, Ladders & Legacies" project created a mosaic honoring former First Lady Michelle Obama, and the year prior, they honored “The Black Rosies,” a tribute to the contributions of African American female workers during World War II.

This year’s mural is supported by UNICON, the Bricklayers Union of Rochester, Tile Wholesalers, and Tiny Fish Printing, all of whom provided the materials, resources, and mentorship essential to the project’s success.

The community will soon get to see the final product. The mural will be officially unveiled during a special ceremony on Friday, June 12, at 9:00 a.m.