Martin Luther King Jr. Continuation High School is known for its close and supportive community. When students leave, it’s a cause for celebration but also mixed emotions, as students and teachers develop strong bonds and it’s tough to say goodbye. The King Grad Posters are one part of that culminating process since the posters are a physical symbol of so much - a journey, trials and tribulations, relationships created, personal growth, and the achievement of earning a high school diploma.

Wes Ruff, King High Art Teacher, takes the lead on supporting students with the design and execution of their Grad Posters. Mr. Ruff poses three important questions to soon-to-be graduates: 1) Who have you become as a person? 2) How do you want to be remembered? 3) How has King HS helped you thrive? Students are then encouraged to unleash their creativity and innovative ideas to create a physical representation of their ideas on a rectangular canvas using a variety of media, including acrylics, pen and ink, pastels, collage, and spray paint. Students take weeks, exploring multiple possibilities to represent their ideas. With input from teachers, peers and family, they build upon creative ideas. They continually improve processes and products to ensure they have a finished version that is ready to hang on the King High walls for the following year, to inspire the next generation of King Grads. __________________________________________________________________________

 "One of my favorite parts of King is watching students work on and complete their posters. For so many of our students graduating is the culmination of a long and often bumpy road and it’s their chance to celebrate themselves and leave an imprint on this school. Wes helps each student design their own unique representation of their journey and time here. Students are guided through a process that gives them agency but also ensures that what they display is something they can be proud of. The sheer diversity of posters on the wall is a testament to Wes’s process and the diversity of talents and interests of our students."
- Nicholas Goelz (Science and Career Teacher)
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"I love getting to work with Wes.  I enjoyed getting the creative freedom and support to make a poster that I am really proud of and that I feel really represents my time in high school."


- Beatrice Carvajal (2025 Graduate)

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"The graduation poster has been a tradition for generations of King students and Wes has done great work in supporting students in making the posters personal and creative. The posters are all really great, and some of them even get kept around the campus past their time as excellent examples of the amazing individuals that have made their way through King. I’m proud to keep a few of the posters around as historical artifacts of past students and their excellent work."

- Blair Howard (Social Studies Teacher)
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