Napa Valley kids are surrounded by vineyards, see wineries on the side of the county's main thoroughfares and often have family members who work in the wine industry. Now, a group of Calistoga kids too young to drink will be able to play a constructive role in Napa's wine world.

This week, the Calistoga Unified School District's board of trustees unanimously approved a project that will allow high school art students to create labels for wine produced from local grapes.

At a meeting this week where trustees and faculty offered approval of the program, Calistoga High teacher Tom Abbey said, "I think this is an excellent project. Wine is what we are about, it's what we do. We should support the program, and have more wine education."

Calistoga Middle School is home to a two-acre vineyard. Sam Turner of T & M Agricultural Services harvests the grapes, and Vincent Arroyo of Arroyo Winery uses them in his wines.

Arroyo and Turner already donate their skills to help Calistoga students. Arroyo donates his school-grown wines to the Calistoga Education Foundation, which auctions them off at the school district's annual fundraiser, the Gypsy Circus.

According to a CEF report, the Arbouriou wine that Arroyo donated last May was valued at $24,000 and sold at auction for $7,000.

The label project will be open to seniors at Calistoga High School in the advanced art program. There is no mandate to participate, and parents may choose whether or not their children will be involved.

"I look at this as a vocational project," said Jeff Johnson, superintendent of Calistoga Unified School District.

"This is an opportunity for people to get to know the art side of the wine industry," said school trustee Marty Hunt.