Bristol Statehouse
240 High Street
Bristol, RI 02809
Phone: 401 253-4627
Fax: 401 396-9364
Email: director@mosaico.necoxmail.com

Sense of Pride - 2010

The 10th annual Sense of Pride program is underway with the History and Architecture classroom talks taking place in the coming weeks.  Lane Sparkman, the new Coordinator for Sense of Pride, is giving the History talks and Lombard Pozzi and Rick Greenwood are giving the Architecture talks.  Walking Tours and Community Service projects will take place later in the spring.

We have had a wonderful response in Warren to Sense of Pride’s expansion to Hugh Cole School.   Many members of the community, including preservationists, historians, conservationists and teachers past and present, have offered their expertise to support the program in a variety of ways.  We’re still working with the town of Warren, the Hugh Cole PTA and the Kickemuit River Council to fine tune the Community Service project for Warren, and are hopeful that it will result in some sort of community garden that can grow food for Hugh Cole’s Food Pantry.

In the coming weeks Lane will be appearing before the Bristol and Warren Town Councils and the Warren Rotary Club to explain this year’s program and to raise awareness generally about Sense of Pride and its goals.

We could not do this program without the generous support of our sponsors. Please take a look at this year's list of sponsors and, when you can, please make an effort to tell them how much we all appreciate it.

2010 Sponsors

Sense of Pride - 2009

This spring the fourth grade students of Bristol have been busy learning about their town and getting involved.  In a partnership with Mosaico CDC, the students participated in the Sense of Pride program. This successful program encompasses interactive presentations about our town’s history and architecture, a downtown walking tour and community service projects that demonstrate how students can make positive impacts on their environment. 

On May 19th, Colt Andrews school students traveled to the Rhode Island Veterans Home for a morning of service and learning.  With sunny skies above, they worked with URI Master Gardeners, Save Bristol Harbor volunteers, and Veterans Home employees to transfer mature plantings to a newly established garden.  The students then toured the Veteran’s Home and met with residents.  They were awed at the residents’ stories and marveled at the Home’s amenities.  One resident was overheard saying, “You made my day,” as the students passed by. The last spot in the activity rotation was Save Bristol Harbor’s Watershed Model. Using the model, the students learned about the effects of pollution on our waterways.

Later in the week, on May 21st, Rockwell School students engaged in their community service project. The morning began with two in-school presentations. One was the Watershed Model with Save Bristol Harbor and the other was with Steve Patterson, Coordinator of OGRE (Oyster Gardening for Restoration and Enhancement).  Mr. Patterson explained the role oysters play in purifying our local waters and how his organization, along with Roger Williams University, has made it their mission to repopulate oysters in the area.  After the presentations, the students traveled to the Marine Lab at RWU. There they toured the lab and observed where and how the oysters are grown and saw other marine life too. Additionally, they did hands-on work to relocate numerous bags of shells that will eventually make their way back to our local waters as habitat for the oysters growing in the lab.

Coming up on May 28th, the fourth graders at Guiteras School will have their community service day.  Barring poor weather, the students will be next door working alongside the members of the Bristol Garden Club to help clean up and beautify Mrs. Perry’s Garden.  Additionally, they too will learn about pollution and our waterways with Save Bristol Harbor. 

Mosaico CDC recognizes that revitalizing a community is more than just physical improvements; it is also about the people that live, work and attend school here everyday. New programs have been added as we partner with other non-profits to provide additional services for our community.

Sense of Pride - 2008

Each year students from the elementary schools in Bristol participate in Mosaico's Sense of Pride program. The Sense of Pride program is designed to inform students about the history of their community and teaches them, through service project, that they can help to maintain the beauty and integrity of their community. To date, more than 1050 students have experienced this program.

This year 174 students from Reynolds, Guiteras, and Rockwell schools demonstrated a remarkable sense of caring and pride for their community by participating in the Sense of Pride program. This year's program included a classroom presentation by Jenny Astrella, Mosaico's Executive Director, student activity books, and a service project.

Rick Greenwood, Assistant Professor of Architecture at Roger Williams University provided students with a wealth of information as the resident historical and architectural expert.

The children connected to their community through and oral history given by a resident that they chose to interview and by investigating places in time through research at the Bristol Historical Preservation Society, the Town Clerk's office, and the library.

During the walking tour through the Town, the students were encouraged to take photographs and to ask questions about the local architecture. To conclude their experience, the students collaborated on a community service project that demonstrated how they can make a positive impact on the environment. Through collaboration with Save Bristol Harbor, the project for 2008 included a watershed model that showed the connections of man-made and natural environments.

Mosaico Sense of Pride Sponsors 2008

Community Leaders

Town of Bristol
Bristol-Warren Regional School District
Save Bristol Harbor

Team Builders

Bristol Marine
The Bristol Rotary Club
Bristol Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition

Special Grant

HARRY M., MIRIAM C. AND WILLIAM C. HORTON FUND