Photo courtesy of Sharon Bridges
Middle school bathrooms are the last place most would look for beauty, but neighbor Sharon Bridges has made it her mission to make the stalls at J.L. Long Middle School more inspirational.
Bridges saw an article about painting motivational messages on bathroom stalls at a school on social media, and she shared the idea with her parent group at J.L. Long. The principal and a crew of volunteers jumped on the idea, and 19 days later, several of the school’s restrooms were transformed.
“This is a place that some kids go to hide… and this might remind them that we see you, we love you… step back out there with your head held high,” Bridges told NBCDFW.
Messages in both the boys and girls restrooms include “She believed she could so she did,” and “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
With the help of 10 other volunteers and the art teachers at Long, she used the project to launch a welcoming hashtag for the school, #youbelong.
Photo courtesy of Sharon Bridges
Bridges is a former teacher herself, and had a list of messages from the quote of the day she used to put on her board at school. She has a son at Woodrow, a daughter at Long and two more children at Lakewood Elementary. She still has 6 more restrooms to paint at Long, but knows that the popularity of the inspirational bathrooms will mean projects at many more schools.
“It’s been fun, and I am excited to keep going,” she says. “We are going to need more help.”
If you would like to contribute to the cause or volunteer to help, give Bridges a call at 214-766-6970.
Photo courtesy of Sharon Bridges
