(June 13, 2025) Students at Edison Career and Technology High School unveiled a striking mosaic this morning honoring former First Lady Michelle Obama, celebrating her enduring impact as a leader, role model, and advocate for education.
The installation, titled Becoming Legacy: The Michelle Obama Mosaic, is the second in a series of tributes by students in Edison’s Construction, Architecture, and Design Pathway honoring influential women.
The mosaic was assembled on Thursday, May 22, during a hands-on build day that brought together Edison students and local female masons. Working side by side, they transformed student-designed concepts into a permanent work of art that now graces the school’s Women’s Memorial Hall.
“We were able to all work on this together as classmates, and it has brought us closer to the construction field,” said Jaymaiyah Ward, an 11th-grade student at Edison. “This will be here long after we graduate and hopefully inspire more girls to do this type of work.”
“These students transformed raw materials into a bold statement of identity, pride, and purpose,” said LaCassa Felton, Principal of Edison Career and Technology High School. “They showed us what happens when young women step into spaces where they are not just seen but celebrated.”
In the weeks leading up to the unveiling, 10th-grade students visited Edison’s maker space classroom to observe the work in progress and gain inspiration to join the program in future years.
This year’s project was supported by Unicon and the Bricklayers Union of Rochester. It follows last year’s creation of The Black Rosies, a mural honoring the contributions of African American female workers during World War II.
