HJ291: Commending Bellen Woodard.

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 291

Offered February 20, 2020
Commending Bellen Woodard.
Patron-- Subramanyam

WHEREAS, Bellen Woodard, a young student in Loudoun County Public Schools, has raised awareness of diversity and worked to increase inclusivity in the classroom through her More than Peach Project; and

WHEREAS, the only African American student in her class at the time, Bellen Woodard created the More than Peach Project in 2019 after frequently hearing the peach-colored crayon referred to as the “skin-color” crayon; and

WHEREAS, Bellen Woodard’s More than Peach Project started with an idea and grew into a movement to enhance classroom culture by providing diverse art supplies throughout local schools; and

WHEREAS, Bellen Woodard, who is a straight-A student and a competing gymnast, used her own money to launch the program and has since received sponsorships from the Loudoun Diversity Council and Crayola, which donated items from its multicultural crayons line; and

WHEREAS, Bellen Woodard created Palette Packets, art supply packets containing sketch books and boxes of regular and multicultural crayons, for distribution to preschool students, elementary school classrooms, and middle school social studies and art classrooms in Loudoun County; and

WHEREAS, under Bellen Woodard’s leadership, the More than Peach Project has donated more than 1,000 items and received local and national recognition; and

WHEREAS, Bellen Woodard has successfully enriched the learning experience in Loudoun County Public Schools and empowered students to be more understanding and inclusive; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Bellen Woodard for her work with the More than Peach Project; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Bellen Woodard as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for her visionary leadership and accomplishments on behalf of her fellow students in Loudoun County.