This past November, a group of Grade 5 students from Island Pacific Academy (IPA) had the rare opportunity to contribute to a national art project that will culminate at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. IPA was one of only three schools in Hawai‘i selected to participate in the National Scrollathon®, a large-scale collaborative art initiative founded by brothers and artists Steven and William Ladd.
Now, months after their creative contributions, the scroll created by Hawai‘i participants has returned to IPA, where it will be proudly displayed on campus for three weeks. The installation, a vibrant tapestry of fabric scrolls and student stories, is a powerful reminder of the impact of collaboration, creativity, and community.
The National Scrollathon® is a nationwide initiative engaging over 250,000 people across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Each participant contributes a fabric scroll—one to keep as a personal memento and one to be included in a larger collaborative work. Through this hands-on process, participants reflect on themes of democracy, unity, and identity.
As described in the official National Scrollathon® press release, artists Steven and William Ladd shared, “Knowing that these efforts will culminate at the Kennedy Center in our capital is a thrilling finish. The act of creating the scroll—one person’s perspective and truth linking with that of thousands of others—results in a profoundly original collage and message.”
IPA’s Grade 5 students created their scrolls alongside the artists and team from Downtown Art Center (DAC), Hawai‘i’s official Scrollathon partner, during a special workshop in November.
The project provided a perfect lead-in to their upcoming study of the American Revolution, prompting students to reflect on their own values, identities, and hopes for the future.
After the workshop, the three Ladd brothers visited the IPA campus to meet with Elementary and Secondary art teachers and speak with the Grade 5 students about their experiences and artistic inspirations.
For Everlee Levitt ’31, the creative process was deeply personal. She shared, “My favorite part of creating the scroll was that we could choose the color and the name of the scroll—it makes friends, family, and teachers know your personality more. I liked being a delegate and a representative for Island Pacific Academy. Teamwork was a big part of making the scrolls; we all had to help each other.”
Wyatt Doney ’31 reflected on the lasting impact of the experience. “My favorite part was coming up with a story behind our personal souvenir scroll, because I can take it home and look back at it and feel comfort or pride,” he said. His scroll commemorated the moment he scored his first goal in hockey, a moment of pride and perseverance.
“This inspires me to not procrastinate for the American Revolution museum,” he continued. “I almost couldn’t go to Scrollathon because I didn’t have my Great American Award requirements done in time. I think I saw growth mindset the most.”
Mila Koncarevic ’31 was struck by the unity the scrolls represented. “While each individual scroll was unique and beautiful by itself, when they were put together, they created something more beautiful and powerful. This taught me the power of teamwork.”
She also recognized the values of ingenuity and perseverance, hallmarks of IPA’s core values.
“When the scrolls would sometimes unravel, you had to keep trying different techniques until you got them right,” she explained. “I also experienced the value of ingenuity because when we started to create the scrolls for ourselves, we had to think creatively in order to share a story or something about us with color and patterns.”
Students were not only invited to create art, but also to consider the question: “What does democracy mean to you?”
Their responses, along with photographic portraits, were incorporated into the installation, which was displayed at DAC in Chinatown and will eventually be part of the national exhibition at the Kennedy Center in 2026.
The scroll now on display at IPA stands as a powerful symbol of collaboration, not only between schools and artists, but across generations and geographies. It is a visual representation of what Steven and William Ladd call “the American story in all its beautiful complexity.”
As Everlee reflected, “There was lots of kindness happening. They [the Ladd brothers] were very helpful to us. It felt really good to be part of something bigger.”
The scroll will be on display at Island Pacific Academy through the end of May. Visit scrollathon.org to learn more about the project and its journey to the Kennedy Center.
