In May–June, fifth graders at East End Community School participated in a Side x Side program that was a collaboration between teaching artists Leah Cross and Meghan Scribner and art teacher Melissa Maher. During the program, students learned about public murals, composition, and design. Using handmade collage paper, they created visual components to convey empowerment, inclusion, and community, settling on the stars and universe, birds found in the school yard, and the cityscape around them. They then worked together to combine the imagery to create a welcoming banner to be displayed in the main entrance of the school.