Following a Middle School meeting on Tuesday where Lower & Middle School Director Dr. Zanita Kelly led students and teachers to connect the strength, compassion, and resilience of the Westridge community to the phoenix as a symbol of rising from the ashes and renewal, Dr. Kelly tapped on 8th grader Rebecca G. to create artwork based on the metaphor.

Rebecca, who evacuated due to the Eaton Fire, told us she wanted to channel her feelings and process what she was going through in a healthy way—so she turned to art. For this phoenix piece, which she created in two hours, Rebecca said she wanted to show an emblem of hope in times of darkness. She thought of the many people who helped her family while they were evacuating.

"I didn't name the piece per se, but I thought that our motto—We Strive to Rise (Surgere Tentamus)—fit the piece because we rise after even the worst things happen," said Rebecca. (Be on the lookout for posters with her beautiful phoenix around campus soon!)

The eighth grader added: "People glamorize resilience… where right after something happens, you should be able to move on quickly. But actually, I think it's important that while there are things happening to wallow in that emotion a little bit, indulge in it… and then leave everything that's out of your control behind to instead try and find what you can do to support your community, household, or anything that you're going through and move forward."