POST FALLS - Bright colors and youth helping others is a springtime combination that's tough to beat.

Just ask Garden Plaza of Post Falls residents, who received brightly-colored pictures of flowers, butterflies and sunshine on Wednesday, created and hand-delivered by Genesis Prep Academy students.

"They're color-conscious - no question about it," said an excited Don Grunsted, adding that receiving the picture reminded him of his daughter and artist Pam Smithsted. "The age of these kids is when we discovered my daughter had that talent."

The coloring project for the seniors was the bright idea of Genesis fifth-grader Jessica Holte. She thought the Care 2 Color project would be a great way to help the residents usher in spring

and involve all of her classmates from kindergarten through the sixth grade.

"I thought of it a couple years ago, after my classmates and I went Christmas caroling at Life Care Center and I saw how happy the residents were," she said. "I wanted to find another way to make the residents happy and bless them."

Mission accomplished, Holte said.

"There were lots of smiles," she said. "You don't have to work too hard to brighten someone else's day."

Resident Betty Starren said she plans to hang the picture on her wall to remind her that lots of sunshine is just around the corner.

"It was a very nice idea and nice having the students around," she said. "I even saw a teacher and her daughter that I haven't seen in ages."

Resident George Rodkey called the students and their pictures a "breath of fresh air."

"I'm a people-watcher, and I watched them walk up to the residents and talk to them," Rodkey said. "A lot of times kids are scared, but it was wonderful to watch them interact. Many times people are just hungry for consideration and love."

This isn't the first time Holte's creativity has made an impact on those around her.

She was featured on the "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and "Bloomberg Business" last year with her EZ-Moo milk dispenser invention. She also won a category at the Invent Idaho contest and a national contest called Student Ideas for a Better America.

Genesis principal Chris Finch said he's proud of all the students' efforts to make a difference in their community.

"We believe that home, church and school are important and grandparents are a huge part of that home environment," Finch said.