Senior Art Seminar spreads love through notes to students

Seniors+Sammie+Bluhm%2C+Maya+Edstrom%2C+Mackenzie+Kuller%2C+Ella+Matticks%2C+and+Maria+Perkkio+set+out+to+spread+positivity+on+a+day+when+many+St.+Paul+Academy+and+Summit+School+students+were+feeling+hurt+post+election.++We+just+thought+that+posting+those+small+notes+would+allow+us+to+try+to+bring+hope+into+our+community+regardless+of+peoples+political+affiliation%2C+Matticks+said.

Emily Thissen

Seniors Sammie Bluhm, Maya Edstrom, Mackenzie Kuller, Ella Matticks, and Maria Perkkio set out to spread positivity on a day when many St. Paul Academy and Summit School students were feeling hurt post election. “We just thought that posting those small notes would allow us to try to bring hope into our community regardless of people’s political affiliation,” Matticks said.

Love unites us all. We will overcome. Love shall prevail. These are just a few of the positive messages that were posted on the lockers of students at the end of the day on Wednesday Nov. 9.  These notes were posted by the photo students in Senior Art Seminar. Seniors Sammie Bluhm, Maya Edstrom, Mackenzie Kuller, Ella Matticks, and Maria Perkkio set out to spread positivity on a day when many St. Paul Academy and Summit School students were feeling hurt post election.

The goal behind the notes was simple: to cheer up the SPA community. “We were sitting around discussing the hurt and pain we saw [around the school] and how hopeless we all felt, and we just thought that posting those small notes would allow us to try to bring hope into our community regardless of people’s political affiliation,” Matticks said.

And it did just that.

The notes brought a ray of light to the days of many. For senior Soph Lundberg, they reminded her of the values that the school and community prioritize. “I really appreciated it. I think it was important to be reminded of the values this school and the majority of the people at this school hold dear. It reminded me that people take care of each other and that we have to recommit every day so that we can make progress,” Lundberg said.

The notes left a lasting impression on students that stayed with them for the rest of the week, and will hopefully be a reminder of the support students have surrounding them.

“It was so sweet. I thought it was really awesome and it made my day and the following days,” junior Nik Elsaesser said.

In hard times, it is important to remember that people have each other to lean on, and regardless of ones beliefs, spreading positivity and love is an easy way to make the world feel better.