VOLAR (Voces, Orgullo, Lengua, Amor, Raíces)

In Spanish, Volar means “to fly,” and their acronym in English stands for: Voices, Pride, Language, Love, Roots

Community Need: Building belonging and stronger family-school partnerships.

Target Audience and Location: Hispanic families with K–5 students at Adairsville Elementary School in Adairsville, GA, prioritizing those in the English Speakers of a Second Language program (ESOL).

Vision: Schools build trusted partnerships with Hispanic families, so they feel seen and valued, and every child thrives emotionally, socially, and academically.

Mission: To cultivate belonging and meaningful participation by uniting Hispanic families and educators through trust-building, celebrating cultural identities, and providing bilingual resources that promote student success.

Project Description: Scholar Vivian Reyes and her educator, Emily Thompson, co-founded VOLAR, a school- and community-based initiative at Adairsville Elementary School focused on strengthening relationships between families, educators, and community partners through bilingual engagement. The project brings together students, school staff, translators, and parent leaders to plan and host a series of family gatherings, develop bilingual resource materials, and coordinate culturally responsive events that foster connection and trust. Through consistent collaboration, reflection, and partnership with organizations such as Intercultural Fest, VOLAR centers shared learning, cultural pride, and sustained family–school collaboration.

As a student leader, Vivian is most proud of “how willing everyone on my team is to show up and value real conversations, even when we all come from different backgrounds. They listen, share and care about the families we’re working with, and that’s made our project stronger!”