More than 150 5th-graders at Cayce Elementary have added a personal touch to the school.

A mural painted by the students was unveiled Wednesday.

“It gives the students ownership,” said CES Assistant Principal Allyson Long. “They are a part of something. It’s their school. A part of them is here.”

Artist-in-residence Michael Geddings of Lexington oversaw the art project. It was sponsored by House of Raeford.

“I love it,” said Chuck Underhill, of House of Raeford.

“It’s incredible. Better than anything we expected.”

The mural is part of the school’s Leader in Me initiative, highlighting Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The program seeks to develop each child’s leadership qualities, with a focus on the 7 habits: Be Proactive; Begin With The End In Mind; Put First Things First; Think Win-Win; Seek First To Understand, Then To Be Understood; Synergize; and Sharpen The Saw.

In January, House of Raeford’s non-profit organization, FLOCK, donated 900 pairs of headphones to CES. It was enough to provide a set of headphones for every student.

The 8-foot mural will hang in the school’s main hallway area.