You are going to want to see this Hewlett student's artwork

Hewlett High School student Christopher Mendoza has a special ways of letting people know what’s on his mind: his art.

The sociable 20-year-old Mendoza, who is on the autism spectrum, discovered a love of art as a student in Deirdre Chambers’ class at Woodmere Middle School. He has since created a portfolio of artwork comprising comic strips based on characters he created, called the Truffles.

“Very social, very smart,” said Chambers, who is now teaching Mendoza in her studio media class at the high school. “So much of him I didn’t see in middle school. He has transformed into a fine young man.”

He also is sharing his artwork through a YouTube page, called The Incredible World of Mendoza Network, which has nearly 9,000 subscribers.

His versatility in art, which eventually became an extracurricular activity for him, gained the attention of Michelle Kinhackl, the high school’s transition coordinator.

The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act allows Mendoza and others with disabilities, ages three to 21, to receive educational services through their public school district.

Kinhackl discovered a way for her student, whom she has known since he was 14, to potentially find an art career when he “ages out” of school.

“I’m a firm believer in the sky’s the limit,” she said. “There are a lot of things that are popping up, that possibly he could put his artwork out there and maybe make some type of business of some sort.”

Last school year, Kinhackl reached out to Andrew Fund, the Hewlett-Woodmere School District’s director of art and music, for an opportunity for Mendoza to further pursue his love for art and build his portfolio.

Mendoza was invited to create a mural in the basement outside the cafeteria at the Franklin Early Childhood Center in Hewlett, relating to the theme of the book, “The Forever Tree” by Tereasa Surratt, Donna Lukas and Nicola Slater.

Mendoza used a paintbrush, acrylic paint and a cup of water to create the mural, which took between five and six months to complete, working three days a week.

Half the mural was based on the book, highlighting the tree that the animals and humans gather around, and the other half added a signature touch of Mendoza’s creativity with his Truffle characters having a picnic by the tree.

Mendoza said FECC students reacted positively to the mural, and he was invited to create another one based on the book, “This Is a Story” by John Schu, which follows a young girl whose love for seahorses leads her to the local library, where she meets a librarian that looks like her. That’s where she finds other people who share an interest in reading, and the book shows how words lead to human connections.

Mendoza recently visited the FECC cafeteria, where the mural will be hung. While being interviewed, he drafted ideas on the message and art he had in mind for his project for students at the early childhood center.

“It’ll (make) them want to read,” Mendoza said.

A collaboration between the school district and Cedarhurst-based Kulanu Academy provides services for Mendoza with its high school academic development program, helping students develop potential skills and knowledge to perform in school and then professionally in a workplace.

Mendoza is gaining some of that experience working part-time at the E Magine Toys store in Oceanside.

“He’s a talented guy,” said Stephen Krown, Kulanu Academy’s job coach, who works with Mendoza. “Chris has mastered his art and is continuing to grow and develop.

“The challenge, and that is for all artists, with disabilities or not, is how to convert that into something that is going to help him or find a career path.”

Mendoza’s art has been evident throughout the high school, including his comic strip in the school newspaper, the Hewlett Spectrum.

The comic strip’s theme, “A policy for cell phones in Squinkie School,” highlighted teachers prohibiting the use of cell phones during class and the consequences a student faces if the policy is violated.

The Mental Health Awareness Club, led by school psychologist Stephanie Carpenter, was seeking a poster to attract new members during the school’s club fair earlier in the year, and Mendoza created one.

“It’s amazing,” she said. “It was so kind for Christopher to share his artwork and really put in the time to help me to draw students to this club. I think it really paid off . . . Christopher maybe helped a lot of students.”