Isabella Project Co-Chairs and Atticus Ford Reyes, Field Representative for Assemblymember Steve Bennett (AD-38), in front of the brand new mural representing early childhood education at Glen City Elementary Global STEAM² Academy in Santa Paula. Courtesy photos.
SANTA PAULA — The Isabella Project, in partnership with Glen City Elementary School, has unveiled a new mural by locally renowned artist Checkos Martinez.
Located at Glen City Elementary — a STEAM school in Santa Paula — the mural depicts a beautiful lemon tree (as citrus represents the region’s agricultural heritage), and monarch butterflies, which symbolize transformation, growth, hope, and freedom. More than art, this mural serves as a public reminder of the importance of education in the Santa Clara community. It reflects the deep cultural significance of murals in Hispanic and Latinx American traditions.
Abril Estrada leads the audience in a dance celebrating early childhood education at the Isabella Project mural unveiling event.
The event included a brief speaking program featuring community leaders, a land acknowledgment and blessing, and a special dance performance by a local youth performing artist.
The Isabella Project is a pilot initiative to make the highest-quality early childhood education available to 100% of 0—to 5-year-olds in Santa Paula. This group is comprised of over 120 community partners from across Ventura County and sectors ranging from higher education to child care to mental healthcare.
The project is one of the many initiatives of the Early Learning Nation Collective (ELN Collective), a network of local leaders and national partners working to center local voices in early childhood development and education.
Community members, children, teachers, local officials, and Isabella Project Co-Chairs and Steering Committee Members celebrate the recent mural unveiling and enjoy a dance by Abril Estrada and Jade Barth.