ROCK HILL For Adelinne Buchanan, there just aren't enough years of high school to take all of the classes that interest her.

The 16-year-old rising junior daydreams about all of the cool courses she could take, like photography, video production and welding.

"I love learning," she said. "I personally like taking classes just to know stuff."

She hopes to convey that love through a massive mural she's painting at the Rock Hill schools' Applied Technology Center.

This summer, Buchanan has spent $150 and more than 85 hours on the painting, which spans 14 feet along a wall on the tech center's main hallway.

It depicts a student sitting at his desk, head in hand, surrounded by images of all the options he has on campus - from culinary arts to automotive technology to cosmetology.

Above his head are the words: "ATC trains you for the future."

The work is Buchanan's final Girl Scout project and the most challenging artistic endeavor she has attempted.

"I'm not pretty impressed, I'm very impressed," said Tech Center Director Don Gillman.

Students like Buchanan give Gillman hope.

"So often, I hear old people like me say the world is going to pot," he said. "There seems to be a lessening of confidence in the younger generation.

"But I'm fortunate enough to work with that generation every day, and I'm convinced that the world will be a much better place as a result of them taking charge."

Students from Rock Hill's three high schools attend ATC for hands-on courses.

For Buchanan, completing the mural will earn a Gold-Star Award from the Girl Scouts, the group's highest honor, which could lead to college scholarships.

For the school district, her gesture is quite a deal considering professional muralists often charge several thousand dollars for such work.

Buchanan said she's happy to do it.

It's given her a chance to tackle a major art project and work with friends.

One of the Gold Star requirements is to recruit others to help on a project. Several of Buchanan's friends have joined her at the wall.

Buchanan has been an artist for years, even before she began taking art classes in seventh grade.

"Her teachers used to complain about the doodles she made on the side of her papers," Adelinne's mom, Constance, said.

In her free time, Adelinne focuses on digital design and dabbles in photography. She plans to pursue a career in graphic arts.

Adelinne is attracted to art as a form of expression. She sees it as an opportunity to tell the world something about herself.

Asked what she's saying with the mural at ATC, she replied: "These are all the classes I want to take, but there's not enough electives. It kind of makes me wish there was another year."