On June 10, Madera Elementary School celebrated the opening of a mural dedicated to Calvin on the side of his kindergarten classroom building. The mural is the result of a collaboration between art teacher Rochelle Johnson, this year’s sixth-graders, and muralist Shawn Gibson. Many, if not most, of the sixth grade students had Calvin as their kindergarten teacher.
In the lower right, Calvin can be seen riding his bicycle with a “Mr. Bones” attached to the back. Calvin had a Mr. Bones costume that he used to help his students learn body parts, as well as integrate song and dance into his instruction. Calvin made the following video during the COVID distance learning period so his students could learn the dance at home.
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The plaque honoring Calvin mentions “Play happily daily.” which was his tongue in cheek reference for PhD.
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The banner at the top of the mural has the following lyrics from one of Calvin’s favorite songs, Kindergarten Wall, by John McCutcheon. John McCutcheon came almost yearly to the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, and Calvin could frequently be found in the audience, singing along.
Remember the seed in the little paper cup:
First the root goes down then the plant grows up!
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June 6, 2025, Facebook post by the El Cerrito Wire
Work is nearing completion on a mural on the portable kindergarten classroom at Madera Elementary School. The mural will be dedicated to the late Calvin Trampleasure, an avid and one-time competitive cyclist. The Madera portable was the last of many classrooms across the West Contra Costa Unified School District in which Trampleasure, who died in June 2023, taught. Trampleasure had expressed interest in having a mural on the side of the classroom with a nature theme. The mural also pays homage to children’s author and illustrator Eric Carle. The artwork is a collaboration of art teacher Rochelle Johnson, this year’s sixth-graders, and muralist Shawn Gibson. A plaque dedicating the mural to Trampleasure will be added as well as the signatures of the sixth-grade artists.
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Photo credits: Photos on this page are from Betty Buganis and Elaine Mariole.