Spreading Messages of Care and Kindness: The Heartfelt Collaboration between NVUSD Schools and Pro-Inclusion Napa

 

In the heart of Napa Valley, something beautiful is happening. A group called Pro-Inclusion Napa is working to make “everyone feel included, safe, and accepted,” as stated by the organization. They believe in being kind, accepting everyone, and understanding each other.

Community leaders  Joanne Sutro, Laura Keller, and Robert Solomon came together to start Pro-Inclusion Napa. According to the group, the idea behind their first big project is to “provide poster boards for the students who will each create their own artwork reflecting one of our three key values words: Acceptance, Kindness, and Respect.”

“The project is amazing,” shared Principal Meschach Osborne! “They want to fill our community with messaging around ‘Acceptance,’ ‘Inclusion,’ and ‘Respect,’ which align with the culture we seek to foster here at Browns Valley.”  Principal Meschach Osborne, along with teachers like Melissa Newman, Kim Mattei, Suzanne Holliday, and volunteer Megan Dominici, all played a key role in starting this project. Although the project started with Browns Valley Elementary School, other schools soon joined the effort. Valley Oak High School staff members Stefanie LaMarca, Ryan Strole, Evrim Cakir, Stephen Federico, Angie Markle, and Alex Tellez Soon began implementing the project at VOHS. 

The project matches our district's desire to create Ecosystems of Cariño. The project sets high expectations for students by encouraging them to make meaningful contributions to their community. At the same time, the students’ work is to share important messages of love, kindness, respect, and acceptance. This is the other value central to our Ecosystems of Cariño.

On January 12, students from both schools got creative. They drew their ideas of a kinder world on poster boards. These posters, full of hope and respect, were later displayed at Justin-Siena High School during Napa’s Celebration of Our Beloved Community on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This volunteer-led event and the posters displayed provided volunteers and attendees with messages of love, kindness, and respect. Some of the students from Browns Valley School also turned out to volunteer, as shown in the picture below.

This project is more than making art. It helps students see things from different points of view. It teaches them how powerful words and actions can be. It shows everyone that we all help make a community where everyone feels like they belong.

Pro-Inclusion Napa’s Positive Posters Project is more than a campaign. It's proof of how we can come together to spread love, understanding, and respect. When we work together, we can make our world a place where everyone feels valued and accepted.

The group loved the posters from Browns Valley and Valley Oak students and hopes to work with more schools in the future. Got questions about the project or want to learn more about Pro-Inclusion Napa? Email them at proinclusionnapa@gmail.com.