Submitted by Alli Behnke and Michele Sokoloff
(June 10, 2026) — Haddam-Killingworth families joined together at Lovers Lane Farm on June 3, 2026 to unveil and celebrate the culmination of a year-long community-based mural art project. This mosaic mural is the result of a collaboration among Haddam-Killingworth Youth and Family Services, Michele Sokoloff at Lovers Lane Farm, and Girls on the Run of Southeast Connecticut.
Over the past year and a half, a public outcry of frustration has been coming from parents, teachers, adults, and community members about a screen epidemic that is affecting all of us at all ages. This past year, a group of young people from Haddam and Killingworth took on this project, which focused on connection, collaboration and communication. It was called the “Feelings Out Loud Project.”
A large mural was created at Lovers Lane Farm in Killingworth with the help of young people showcasing awareness of feelings using mosaic tile. This group of girls participated in a series of workshops where they:
- Learned techniques on how to use mosaic tile to make their own mosaic creations;
- Selected colors from a Color Wheel that correspond with feeling words for additional mosaic art pieces;
- Collaborated in making round Mandalas using tile colors that represent feelings for the mural (happiness, sadness, anger, scaredness);
- Chose twenty feeling words made with porcelain kiln-fired letters and placed them on the mural.
- Applied the background tile to the mural.
Each task encouraged freedom to create without restrictions. Parents also participated in a workshop with their child.
A recent family/community survey from Haddam-Killingworth Youth and Family Services highlighted areas of concern of parents. The issues most on their minds included girls being bullied, confidence, friendships, body image, and peer acceptance/inclusion. By the age of adolescence, girls are experiencing faster rates of decline in physical activity levels, lower levels of confidence, and lower positive perceptions of their academic abilities. They are also exhibiting higher rates of anxiety and depression as compared to their male peers (Sullivan, 2009, Academic Self-Concept, Gender and Single-Sex Schooling on JSTOR)
Emotions play a major role in pre-teens’ development because this stage is a bridge between childhood and adolescence. They are starting to face more academic demands, shifting social dynamics, and rapid physical changes; all the while becoming more self-aware. There is also a myriad of social challenges associated with our expanding digital world. Emotions influence how pre-teens choose friends, handle challenges, and respond to peer pressure. Screens are hindering needed and desired interactions and connections.
It is difficult to ignore the latest data circulating around us on adolescent isolation, depression and suicide. Research increasingly identifies loneliness and social isolation as a contributing factor in suicide risk. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/).
Connection, competence and mattering are three core needs for people of all ages, especially our young people. Putting feelings into words is protective for mental health. When pre-teens and teens express feelings out loud, emotions become more clear, more specific and easier to respond to.
“What makes this year-long project so special is the on-going collaboration between our girls and various members of the community. We know that feeling connected to their community and recognizing that outside adults care about their well-being and future are exceptional protective factors for young people. Michele Sokoloff, HKYFS, Girls on the Run, the HK Intermediate and Middle School, parents, and various community members not only worked hard to make this project come to life, but came out to celebrate the dedication of our Feelings Out Loud Project. This is a perfect example of community connection and we thank everyone involved”, says Alli Behnke, Co-Director at HKYFS.
The “Feelings Out Loud” Mosaic Mural will be installed at Haddam-Killingworth Intermediate/Middle School where it expresses a myriad of emotions through a creative, unique, collaborative, and artistic lens. This program was generously supported and funded by The Community Foundation of Middlesex County, The Killingworth Community Fund, The Sari A. Rosenbaum Fund for Women and Girls, and The Middlesex United Way Women Unite Grant.
Photos provided by HKYFS. Above, left to right: Alyssa Behnke, Willa Markim, Alli Behnke, Michele Sokoloff, Becky Rodbourn, Katherine Rich, Avery Crayton, Maija Heikkila, Lilly Mckie, Sophia Palumbo, Ellia Smith
