Belonging story flags bridge gap between community and school 

Seventy Roosevelt Elementary School fifth graders have created flags to tell a visual story of belonging.

The flags, which can be viewed here, stem from a partnership with Roosevelt Elementary, the Olympia Northeast Neighborhoods Alliance (ONNA) and local artist Carrie Ziegler.  

Students were instructed to respond to the prompt: “I feel like I belong when,” and then used various art supplies to create their flags.

Responses included “I feel like I belong when my soccer team claps for me” and “I feel like I belong when I hang out with my friends.” 

Peter Guttchen, who sits on the ONNA board, works with other neighborhoods in Northeast Olympia to transform the intersection of Bethel and San Francisco street.

ONNA approached the school with an idea to work on an art project to get installed at the pocket park across the street.  

The project received funding from the city, and also partnered with Ziegler to create an art project that displayed belonging and community.  

“When folks hear about the theme of this, it really speaks to their heart,” Guttchen said. “I think right now, some people are struggling in terms of feeling connected with others, and so we’re intentionally working to strengthen that connection.”  

After some workshops and planning, the students decided on the story flags as something that would be easily displayed, and could be completed in a couple of sessions.  

Ziegler, who has worked on numerous other community art projects, brought in supplies to work with students to create the flags in two, one-hour workshops.

Prior to the sessions, Ziegler met with a smaller group to decide on designs that could be used during the workshops.  

“They just had so many great ideas and so much energy,” Ziegler said of the students. “They always make me think of things in different ways as well.”  

The flags will be on display outside of the front of the school until June 18, when they will likely be moved to the park across the street. Guttchen plans to expand this project next year to include more schools, as well as the community.  

“When I talk to kids and hear what they are really wanting, they want to feel like they matter, and I think that’s true for everybody, not just kids,” Ziegler said.

“This project is an important way to help us understand what makes people feel like they belong.”  

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include a link to view all of the flags.