Zenith Project by KyraP

Poppi the Paintbrush faces insecurity about her body when she goes to a different school and sees other body types. She doesn’t feel equal to the others at her school Kyra Palmbush is a senior attending Mountain View High School and Freestyle Academy of Communication Arts and Technology. She lives in Mountain View, California, with her Mom, Dad, and three younger brothers, who she gets along with... most of the time. When she is not playing volleyball or basketball, Kyra enjoys spending time with her friends, reading, and going to the beach. Kyra loves to travel and wishes to continue exploring new places whenever she gets the chance. She hopes to study education and become an elementary school teacher so she can pass on her love of learning.

Make Your Mark

By Kyra Palmbush

and begins to feel bad about what she looks like. After interacting with some other paintbrushes, Poppi discovers that her worth comes from what she does with her paintbrush, not the brush itself. Make Your Mark presents a positive way to approach body image for kids.

Make Your Mark

By Kyra Palmbush

Dedication I would like to dedicate this story to the people in my life who helped me never question my worth.

Poppi loves to paint,

she paints without constraint.

She twirls, and whirls.

Swooshes,

and whooshes.

Creating beautiful pictures

with dierent color mixtures.

As Poppi shows love to others,

her colors grow brighter,

making her heart feel lighter.

It’s Poppi’s first day at a new school, she hopes the other paintbrushes think she’s cool.

She sees the other paintbrushes and feels a little strange.

There are so many dierent looking ones, a huge range.

Some of them are fast and slim,

some look like they go to the gym.

Some seem smart and at,

some have handles, smooth like a bat.

But Poppi looks at herself and feels bad.

She starts to feel

a little sad.

She thinks the other paintbrushes look better, and feels her face getting redder, and redder.

Poppi goes through her day feeling a little dreary, but then some people make her feel more cheery.

They show her love through their actions, which then causes a chain reaction.

Poppi looks at herself in the mirror.

She begins to see a little clearer.

She looks at her handle,

looks at her brush,

and starts to feel a little rush.

She looks at the color left behind, and feels a ďŹ re spark inside.

She traces her brush strokes in order to ďŹ nd,

throughout her day she had designed,

a beautiful picture with lots of strokes,

connecting her through love to folks.

She said hi to her teachers,

encouraged her friends,

looked at situations through another’s lens.

Poppi goes to school ready to paint.

Knowing in her heart nothing can taint

the truth she knows about herself,

is something

no one can shelf.

Poppi sees that brushes come in all special sizes,

despite what interesting shape arises.

Always remember to keep in mind,

what matters most is the mark you leave behind.

Poppi the Paintbrush faces insecurity about her body when she goes to a different school and sees other body types. She doesn’t feel equal to the others at her school Kyra Palmbush is a senior attending Mountain View High School and Freestyle Academy of Communication Arts and Technology. She lives in Mountain View, California, with her Mom, Dad, and three younger brothers, who she gets along with... most of the time. When she is not playing volleyball or basketball, Kyra enjoys spending time with her friends, reading, and going to the beach. Kyra loves to travel and wishes to continue exploring new places whenever she gets the chance. She hopes to study education and become an elementary school teacher so she can pass on her love of learning.

Make Your Mark

By Kyra Palmbush

and begins to feel bad about what she looks like. After interacting with some other paintbrushes, Poppi discovers that her worth comes from what she does with her paintbrush, not the brush itself. Make Your Mark presents a positive way to approach body image for kids.