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Liberty Hill ISD

Building Champions in Academics, Character, and Community

From Chalk to Lasting Art: PTO and Girl Scouts Create Interactive Sidewalk at LHE

Posted Date: 8/27/25 (1:00 PM)


Liberty Hill Elementary student plays on new sidewalk


By Anna Jenkins

Liberty Hill ISD Communications & Community Engagement Coordinator


Liberty Hill Elementary (LHE) kicked off this school year with a new interactive and creative sidewalk from the back door of the school to the playground, thanks to the school’s leadership, PTO, and local Girl Scout Troop #1855. Let’s chat with them about how this art installation came to life on their campus.


When Cortney Black joined the front office staff at LHE, she came with a corporate background and a desire to immerse herself in her new school and build relationships with the students, teachers, parents, and PTO on her campus. During a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) meeting, she found herself discussing ways the PTO could create something interactive, beautiful, and fun on their campus. She kept thinking about COVID-19 times and the sweet messages families would draw on their sidewalks with chalk. Knowing budgets were tight and unsure of how they could best support the school financially, the PTO was looking for a project to beautify their playground, and a more permanent version of sidewalk chalk just made sense. Black said, “I kept thinking about what we could do for a small amount of money with a large impact. We wanted to create something interactive and beautiful and fun, and we have this huge sidewalk, and I just, I kept coming back to it.”


The PTO agreed that an art installation on the sidewalk would be a great project for them to try and accomplish. Ryann Avery, LHE PTO president, said, “I'm really proud of the board for their amazing efforts in raising the funds needed to make projects like this happen.”


LHE Parent, substitute teacher, and PTO leader Sanjuana Saenz took the lead and found a person who could do the art installation for them, and found Erin Sorum and Girl Scout Troop 1855, asking them to collaborate with them to make this art come to life. 


Erin Sorum’s Girl Scout Troop of fifth and sixth-grade girls needed a service project for their Bronze Award. She said, “We were excited to do the art for the mural. The girls could provide something sustainable that would last for years at Liberty Hill Elementary.” Black was excited that the art could be done by kids, “it wasn't just like a regular contractor or a vendor, it just has so much more value and meaning,” said Black.


The Girl Scouts submitted their ideas for the sidewalk and went to work bringing it to life this summer. The sidewalk art includes math tables, ABCs, tic-tac-toe boards, a chalkboard, a map of Texas, hopscotch and Twister games, and more! Sanjuana said her favorite part is the “Qualities of a Panther on the hopscotch board. The Pre-K kids ask me to read it to them, and I get to share their potential with them.”


Principal Heather Collison is thrilled with the new area. She said, “This newly painted interactive sidewalk transforms an ordinary walkway into a playful learning space, encouraging kids to move, jump, and explore. It sparks curiosity and creativity that is so fun for teachers to watch.”


Thank you, LHE, for chatting with us and sharing your new sidewalk!


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