On September 28th, 2023, the Kindness Club held their first Chalk the Walk of the 2023-24 school year. The club got together and decorated the main entrance to EHHS with uplifting messages.
Chalk the Walk has been a tradition of the Kindness Club for 3 years, but it didn’t start at EHHS. Club Advisor Mrs. Maria Pompano said, “It started gaining popularity during COVID because people couldn’t really go to places. My neighborhood did a Chalk the Walk and it was nice to see all the uplifting messages.” Mrs. Pompano then introduced the tradition to EHHS through the Kindness Class. This year, the club held meetings to decide what they wanted to do throughout the year, and they decided to hold a Chalk the Walk near the beginning of the year.
Junior Angelly Cordova said, “I want people to walk into school and realize that they can be kind to others. Maybe, if someone walks into school in a bad mood, they might feel uplifted when they see the messages.” This idea is shared by Mrs. Pompano, when she said, “We want to brighten the day of anyone who comes into EHHS. We hope something that they read brings a smile to their face and makes them think about what they can do to be kind throughout the day.” Not only does Chalk the Walk aim to have a positive impact on others, but members of the club are also uplifted by what they do. Junior Fatima Magana said, “Chalk the Walk had a big impact on me. People said the messages they read gave them motivation for the day, and that made me really happy.” Angelly also felt uplifted by the Chalk the Walk. She said, “It helps me be a better person. Everyone can have their own problems and perspectives but the Kindness Club helps me remember that it’s good to be kind no matter what.”
The Kindness Club plans to do Chalk the Walk again in the spring, and they hope it’ll have a continued positive impact on people. Mrs. Pompano said, “[S]ome people said they didn’t realize [Chalk the Walk] was there. I think it would benefit to look up and be more aware and in the moment.” Those who did notice the messages had plenty of good things to say about Chalk the Walk. Fatima said, “People were saying that it made them happy. It’s nice knowing that such little things can have such a big impact.”
So, sometime in the spring when you walk into EHHS, look around, and you might just see a kind message to start your day with.
