It's nine o'clock on a Saturday morning, and the campus is empty except for theFamily Writing Project, whose twenty Scribe Group members are armed with brushes and one object: to repaint chipped and flaking benches in the school's central quad area as a culminating activity that benefits the entire school community.

At one bench, the Mota family, mother Marta, father Emilio, daughters Sandra and Brenda, and son David, incorporate a blazing sun and a soaring eagle intotheir bench's design.

A few feet away, Cris and James Matson draw sketches of their bench design, while their father Jim leans over to offer his own artistic advice. 

Across the way, father Carlos Gonzalez watches with a smile as his daughter, Emily, writes with a delicate brush technique "Gonzalez Family  3//20/04" in white letters against a black background.  

Emily incorporates images of her childhood in New York City, including theEmpire State Building, the Manhattan Bridge, the Twin Towers and CentralPark, into her intricate and detailed design.  "I'm going to attend NYU," Emily says confidently.  "Time goes fast.  That's only four years from now. I want to be ready and I will be."

 At the next bench over, Garcy Guiterrez, Cortney's head custodian, adds finishing touches to his son Tony's geometric designs. 

Although Tony isin high school, he is a Cortney Middle School alum.  With his father, Tony enjoys spending time at Cortney as an important member of the school's new writing community