A Successful Spring 2025 Toolkit Program!
The Spanish poet, Juan Ramón Jiménez, once said, “You are reborn with the roses, in every spring.”
When we think of spring, we think of longer days, greener trees, flowers in bloom, and animals coming out of hiding. The world seems to take on a new start, and we feel motivated to do the same too.
But have you ever thought about how nature works together to make the beauty of spring happen? It's a partnership between the sun, the soil, the plants, and all the creatures that live in and around it.
The trees and plants feel the warmer rays of the sun. Their buds burst open into vibrant new leaves and blooming flowers. These flowers release sweet nectar that attracts buzzing bees and fluttering butterflies. And then pollen is carried from flower to flower, helping more plants to grow and thrive.
You see, the renewal of Spring goes far beyond just ourselves. It’s an exciting time for us to grow together — as family, friends, classmates, and communities. Renewing our connection to others is what this tool kit was all about.
We want to express our gratitude to the 12 schools and community organizations that participated in our 2025 Spring Tool Kit program! I’m excited to give you a quick walk-through of what was in this semester’s toolkit!
This year’s theme: Building bridges of belonging
Just like how spring brings the world to life through connection, we wanted this toolkit to help students reflect on the connections that make their days that much brighter and more colorful.
I’m sure we’ve all felt it before — the motivation to grow and better ourselves when we receive the warmth and support of those around us! This theme emphasizes the importance for children to value social connection as an irreplaceable part of our journey to becoming happier and healthier individuals. These relationships aren’t to be taken for granted. Instead, they’re relationships that we must actively build, nurture, and celebrate.
We know that a strong sense of belonging plays a powerful role in mental health and emotional well-being. But we also recognize that it’s not always easy to feel connected with others and to actively work toward connection.
The activities in this toolkit were designed to guide students through this process, using creativity and reflection to make social connection a fun and meaningful part of their day-to-day activities.
We were so excited to see these activities being put to use in the following schools!
Mission San Jose Elementary School
John Gomes Elementary School
San Miguel Elementary School
Bishop Elementary School
Ellis Elementary School
Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 Community School
Charles R. Drew Elementary School
Moraga School District; Los Perales Elementary
George Washington Carver Elementary School
Mission Valley Elementary School
Family House, Inc.
Town of Colma Rec Center
What’s in this season’s tool kit?
Lifelong belonging comes from learning how to connect with others, celebrating differences, and building inclusivity into our daily habits. But these aren’t always easy topics to talk about in the classroom.
How do you teach someone what it means to belong, or how to step into someone else’s shoes? This is where we wanted the art activities in this toolkit to carve a pathway for understanding.
Our lesson plan brought children through a creative journey that explored three themes:
Understanding what connects us: This lesson helps children lay the foundation for strong social connection by recognizing what brings people together. Students reflect on what they have in common with others, and why these commonalities are something worth celebrating.
Celebrating our differences: This lesson is all about building empathy and understanding. Students learn to explore how different feelings, traditions, and experiences shape who we are.
Elevating inclusivity: In this lesson, students explored what it means to create spaces where everyone feels welcome and included. Through art, they designed their vision of an inclusive world and identified the small, everyday choices they can make to build lasting bridges of belonging.
What is the My Good Brain Tool Kit Program?
Every academic year, we curate a kit of guided resources and art supplies to help students learn about their mental and emotional health.
Our Tool Kits are meant for elementary and middle school students ages 5 to 13. With these art activities, we want to give educators in the classroom and even parents at home resources that can help build:
A proactive approach to managing the social emotional health of students
Fun and safe ways to engage in difficult conversations
Accepting and compassionate communities of students with a shared interest in art
You can sign up to be a part of the Fall 2025 to Spring 2026 academic year here!
