by student writer Becher Mueller
Dolphins Belong is an initiative started by principal Jessica Woody to help highlight the beauty of the many different cultures present at Dogwood Elementary School. Each month, Dogwood explores a culture through books and crafts.
“Dolphins Belong is to unite all our students,” school counselor Brandi Fitchpatric said. “Every grade is doing a different project for February, which honors black history.”
Kindergarten read a book called I Am Enough that encourages love for themselves, and first grade made an astronaut suit with their own faces in it. Second grade painted on rocks and traded them, and each person got one. Third grade made a bio folder about a black history figure. Fourth grade read the Unspoken picture book with no words. They found the meaning between the pictures. Fifth grade made a black history quilt. They read about one woman and wrote five facts about the women. Seeing all of the women in a quilt that honors black historical women was impactful.
The creativity that the Dolphins Belong activities encourage makes students connect more deeply with the culture. They learn to appreciate differences while feeling connected to the broader world.