Former Gulfport Resident Robert Stepro Donates Artwork to Centreville School

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Pictured from left are William Winans Middle School Principal Curtis Ross, Robert Stepro, and Latoya McPipe, secretary for the middle school. 

WOODVILLE, Miss. -- Robert Stepro, a former Gulfport resident, recently donated a piece of his artwork to William Winans Middle School in Centreville. Titled, “Every Life Matters,” the piece is a banner done in paint and marker. He originally created the work for a Martin Luther King Day display at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF).
 
Stepro is a 1982 graduate of Biloxi High School.
 
Principal Curtis Ross and Latoya McPipe, secretary of the middle school, were on a tour of the facility in February when they saw the banner in the Hobby Crafts/Arts classroom, where Stepro works as the orderly.
 
They appeared moved by the work which depicts children of several different races together, with a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “…They will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
 
McPipe immediately asked if they could have the banner. “It depicts every shade not just one,” she said. “Our school has a mix of Hispanic, black, and white. Our school is all about unity. It caught my eye and we wanted it.”
 
McPipe said it would be laminated and placed in the entryway of the school where everyone can see it.
 
Stepro seemed touched by the request. “I was really surprised that they wanted it,” he said. “I was totally shocked. I hope the children and the parents who see it get the message that Dr. King shared to look past skin color and see people for who they are.”
 
Recreation Specialist Emily Guth supervises the Hobbycraft program. “I’m very proud of Stepro’s work on the banner,” she said. “I am very happy and thrilled that he is able to give something positive to the community.”
 
Warden Scott Middlebrooks said, “We are really proud of the work coming out of our art class, and especially Stepro’s work. He has contributed to a lot of projects for us.”
 
Stepro has worked in the Hobby Craft/Arts class for the past year. Prior to that, he was a GED tutor for 16 years. He said that he went 26 years without doing any art before taking the current job.
 
WCCF is managed by Management & Training Corporation or MTC of Utah.