Recap

March 5th

Welcome to the JoyFirst Movement

Check out our 3-minute recap video, a great snapshot of the energy and Joy from March 5th.

We hope it brings a smile to people’s faces.

Did that hit you too?

The joy, the surprise, the spark — that moment when a student feels seen, something opens up inside them, and a teacher’s impact carries forward long after the classroom — and the sideways-growing sunflower that somehow said exactly what so many students and educators are living right now.

That story is growing into Lessons from the Sunflower — a new classroom resource built around one powerful idea: resilience is not always about bouncing back. Sometimes it means learning how to grow sideways.

Come meet Sebastian the Sunflower, who gets knocked off course but refuses to stop growing; Samantha the Squirrel, the fast-talking believer who planted the seed and keeps the energy high; and Billy the Blue Jay, who sees patterns, perspective, and possibility from above. Together, they bring this lesson to life in a way that feels honest, hopeful, memorable, and ready for classrooms.

See What We’re Growing!

Please take a quick look at the microsite and help us shape something that could become a real movement for students, educators, and schools. We’re not asking for funding or commitments right now — just your voice, perspective, and curiosity.