McKinney High School students artfully claim their parking spots

Students provide their own paint and elbow grease once their design ideas are approved by school administrators.

2009 McKinney High School parking spots

(Click photo to see entire gallery)

MCKINNEY — Each year, McKinney High School seniors are given the option of reserving -- and painting -- a personalized parking spot that is unique for their senior year.

The high-achieving class of 2010 has outdone itself with this year's painted sparking spaces, the district says. Designs range from irreverent and sassy to fine art and even fool-the-eye fabric-inspired.

Students provide their own paint and elbow grease, and once their design ideas are approved by school administrators, they each brave the blazing sun to create their concrete-canvas masterpieces. With paint rollers, blue tape, chalk lines and lots of encouragement, students work for hours to perfect their iconic paintings.

There are dozens of creative designs, and the concept of senior painted parking spots is now being copied by other school districts.

The MHS parking lot "exhibit" is free and open to the public from now until June 2010, when seniors must paint over their spots in preparation for the next class of parking lot design stars.

Source: McKinney ISD