A cloud of white dust filled the air at the entrance of Marshall Academy of Fine Arts at last week's Chalk the Walk for MS contest. More than 50 middle school artists crowded the sidewalk in front of the Fifth Ward magnet school for the second annual event, raising awareness for multiple sclerosis in advance of this Sunday's Walk MS benefit.

"There are only 15 minutes left," Marshall art teacher Chandel Bonner-Hancock announced to the 11 teams of sixth and seventh graders, who scrambled to the supply cart to pillage any remaining materials. "There's still some bright chalk left to touch up and highlight you projects."

Patches of concrete walkway were sectioned off for each group of young artists, who offered visual interpretation of the phrase, "together we are unstoppable." A panel of three local judges — National MS Society's Kelli Dreiling, KBR volunteer coordinator Tracey Wyatt, as well as this very CultureMap reporter — were tasked with choosing their favorite artwork based on a rubric examining the creativity, message, and overall design of each project... no small feat considering the high-quality of work found throughout the competition.

When the project started last month, the students were taught about the effects of MS and its impact on those living with the disease. After crafting their own individual renderings of what they hoped to draw, students broke into teams of five or six and forged a cohesive plan.

"It was amazing to see how strategic they were in forming teams," Chandel Bonner-Hancock told CultureMap, noting the seriousness with which they approached the competion and notions of artistic collaboration.

"We're often overlooked in the Fifth Ward, both socio-economically and geographically," she said. "Last year when the MS Society approached us about the project, we jumped on the opportunity."

The project from the winning group, who chose the moniker "The Better Than That Team," looked to an image of an open set of hands and a banner reading "we hold the future." The impressively-crafted background, a gradation from orange to blue to black, allowed the imagery and message to pop off the sidewalk, quickly capturing the judge's attention.

The team was awarded a $150 gift card to Texas Art Supply.

The second place team, Ms. Hancock's Angels, embodied a number of beautifully-rendered visual messages about multiple sclerosis. Third place winners, Invaders Zim, had another amazing backdrop in solid pink chalk upon which floated an image of planet earth and the words "together we are unstoppable."

All Chalk the Walk participants enjoyed a lunchtime celebration after the event, along with National MS Society T-shirts.

The annual Walk MS kicks off Sunday at 8 a.m. in front of the University of Houston's Robertson Stadium. Additional MS walks were held in Kemah and Sugar Land on Saturday.