By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

CHELSEA – Kindergartener Anna Dollar received a loud round of applause when she finished playing her violin for a group of parents and students standing in Chelsea Park Elementary School’s main lobby May 5.

Dollar has played the violin since August 2015 and agreed to perform several songs during Art in the Park, the school’s annual event spotlighting students’ work and abilities in the fine arts.

“I just like it,” Dollar, 6, said of playing. “It’s beautiful, and it’s fun.”

More than 800 vibrant paintings and drawings lined the hallways as every student had one piece of artwork on display.

Third grader Major Payton showed his parents a piece he made with crayons and color spray.

“It’s really neat to look at,” Major’s mother, Bethany Payton, said of all of the artwork.

Art teacher Austin Self said Art in the Park serves as an opportunity for students to show their families the work they have completed and will be able to take home at the end of the school year.

“It really is nice to see (parents) come in and see what their kids have been up to,” Self said. “They’re just excited to show their art.”

Nearly 25 creative writing pieces hung on the walls of the lunchroom entrance.

Inside the lunchroom, third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students took the stage for musical performances.

Third graders strummed their ukuleles and sang “Skip To My Lou,” “The Farmer and the Dell,” “The Wheels on the Bus” and “There Was an Old Lady.”

Music teacher Brooke Dunham said the ukulele program is new at CPES. In the program, students can learn how to do chords, how to tune their ukuleles and other music concepts.

Fourth graders played “Amazing Grace” on their recorders, and fifth graders played “Eine Klein Nacht Musik” (Mozart).

The Harmony Hornet Choir sang “Yonder Come Day,” “Hallelujah Chorus,” “What Kind of Band Are You?,” “Dancin’ in the Street,” “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” “In My Room,” “Twist and Shout” and “Chicago.”

“This whole evening is just to celebrate students and their talents,” CPES Principal Dr. Jeanette Campisi-Snider said. “We want to celebrate everybody’s talents. I just want the community to come in and see what they’re doing.”