Arizona student starts positivity movement at school
PHOENIX, Ariz. (CNN, KYMA/KECY) - Students at a school in Phoenix have worked for months to inspire positive messages to their classmates. This happened after a sixth grader's friend died by suicide last year.
She was motivated to take action so others might not suffer the same fate.
In the midst of the everyday, Keely Lotz, a sixth grader at Vista Del Sur Accelerated Academy, wanted color, inspiration, and positivity at her school.
"I want to make sure that everybody feels safe here. Because I knew that's where a lot of people went to cry," Lotz explained.
That could make a difference
Keely as part of a service project, as an ambassador for the Uvalde Foundation for Kids, searching for the right words, alongside art club students, that could make a difference.
This has been done by painting them on the wall and on the stalls in the boys and girls bathroom.
"I feel like being able to see positive images like just when you're going to the bathroom, like it'll really help kids feel better about themselves," said Megan Garis, an eighth grader.
This is done in hopes to help with prevention, and this is very personal for Lotz.
"I lost my friend Kailia in May. It was heartbreaking and it was all over the pageant community. We did the Naomi walk in her name," Lotz further explained.
Kailia died by suicide.
"I didn't know why. And I wanted to make sure that it wouldn't happen again," Lotz explained.
"It has had the impact that it was intended for"
The school has changed, and Jessica Epacs, principal for the school, has noticed.
"It has had the impact that it was intended for. The positive self talk, the positive phrases to be uplifting. It's happening. We get to see it in our kids and that's been the biggest reward of all," Epacs spoke.
Believing what's here is changing the voice students hear in their heads every day.
"I feel like if we make that a safe space for them, I feel like everything else after that will kind of become easy," said Joumana Abas, another eighth grader.
"I just want to make sure that kids know that it's going to be ok," Lotz expressed.
