Hamden High Schoolers Chalk It Up To Pride

Hamden High students crowded the school courtyard this week to illustrate through colorful chalk artworks the ways they are ​“Proud to Be.”

That was the prompt over 500 students accepted in HHS’ annual ​“ChalkFest,” a special talent showcase which returned this spring after a two-year pandemic hiatus. They had less than five hours to convey through transferring symbolic designs onto concrete sidewalk.

Read more below about the event through the following write-up from Tasmin-Marie Gosselin, a Hamden High art teacher, and Leslie Della Valle, Hamden Public Schools’ director of fine and performing arts, who first founded the event back in 2005. And check out some of the students’ chalk art to learn the things that make them feel pride.

Sidewalk Chalk Festival, or ​“ChalkFest” as it is lovingly referred to by our students and staff, is one of the most highly anticipated events of the school year. ChalkFest started back in 2005 with one class of 20 students. It was briefly interrupted the past 2 years due to Covid, but returned this year with over 500 artists. 

Students must be accepted into the event which makes it that much more special. To be accepted students form groups of up to 3 and submit their full color final drawing related to the theme for the year — this year’s being ​“Proud To Be.” Once the submission period closes the ChalkFest committee reviews all submissions and determines who will be accepted into the event.

Students eagerly await the day the list of accepted groups is posted in the art wing. Why do the students want to be accepted so badly? Because ChalkFest is a full day of fun in the sun with live music performances and food! Students get to let their creative sides out by drawing their designs in chalk on the sidewalk that runs through the courtyard.

This event showcases the many talents of our students as well as bringing awareness to the importance of the arts in our school. You can really see the passion behind each drawing as students worked on their pieces from 2nd through 7th period ( approximately 5 hours) only taking a quick break to grab lunch and water.

While the turnout wasn’t as big due to many of the freshman and sophomores not having seen a ChalkFest before, looking out into the courtyard you wouldn’t be able to tell as the dedication and enthusiasm of the students could be seen in the artwork being created and the smiles across everyone’s faces.

Students really brought their all for the return of this event as visitor’s walked through all that could be heard were compliments. We even had a guest appearance by Heidi the Yale PD therapy dog, who may have needed a bath afterwards due to all the chalk filled hands that came to greet her.