October 2022 Winners

“I was inspired by what I felt on the day of the January 6 insurrection. Watching the extremists march into the capitol building and walk over our democracy with that much hate was surreal.”

“All of the figures in my drawing represent me and my many thoughts, sometimes overwhelming me. The figure being lifted up reaching for the stars symbolizes hope.”

“My idea was to capture the tranquility of music and its feeling of calmness and peace, even in times of hardship.”

“When I feel overwhelmed or anxious, I like to read a bit to get out of my head and out of my own world and into another. It isn’t always easy but I see a therapist to help me talk through my tough times.”

“I drew two friends wearing masks walking toward the finish line and balloons with reminders of last year’s quarantine. They are happy to be together in person.”

“This piece represents the power of music. Specifically, how it can take you to different worlds, somewhat becoming an escape from the stresses of reality.”

“In these hard times a way that I’ve coped with these times is riding my bike.”

“The glass represents things falling apart and shattering but also being free and the toys relate back to a time when one was a child. My world feels like there isn’t the rule of gravity to hold it down in place but everything is in its own motion choosing to go whichever way it pleases.”

“The meaning of the piece represents prejudice and stereotypes always following the individual in the portrait, the individual being Hispanic and Latino. Instead of letting these stereotypes control their life the person keeps walking through the twists and turns of life’s road.”

“I wanted to focus on LGBT acceptance, especially for people in families of color. I found that it’s more unlikely for people of color to accept the LGBTQ community, and their members of their family who might happen to be in it. In a perfect world, children would be accepted by their parents no matter their orientation or identity. Supportive families are the first step to acceptance in the greater world.”

“Warm Embrace is an artwork I created where there are two people coming together for a hug and there is a caring moment between the two.”

“Plastic is a material widely recognized as a danger to our Earth, and yet, as the Pandemic took over, plastic entwined itself into every new norm in our lives quickly becoming the very material we would communicate through. Digital media removed our masks, a safe space behind a screen, showing us our voices cannot be stifled. Not now. Basic human rights have been ignored, and trampled upon, in crises. Access. Access to medicine, vaccines, equity, equality. Much like the plastics churning in the ocean, issues rose to the surface, swollen from pain, and humans chose to speak up. We stepped away from our screens and into the streets and we marched. We marched for our lives, for our rights, for love, and for equity. A new sun, toxic rays of light begging for attention. We cannot forget what we have gone through for change to happen. This virus, touches everyone, everything. Six feet apart. They stand, masked, determined, and even when they crumble, they won’t stop. They will never go away. Plastic.”

“In my painting, I wanted to represent hope in a community. The community is represented through warm colors. This gives the idea of a warm and welcoming community. These people are happy and willing to help others in need. Then we have someone who suffers from mental health issues. They are represented with cool colors. The idea behind this is that the darkness surrounds the person to the point where it feels suffocating. I wanted to represent mental health issues in this way because if a person doesn’t reach out for help, whether it’s in a community or just a singular person, one can struggle so much to the point where it feels like they are trapped in the darkness.”

“Mental health challenges can be crushing. And the only way out is to get yourself out of that deep, dark hole and rise above it. This work portrays what teenagers need in order to make that step. They need to be able to see that light and that there is a better place after they overcome darkness. If they don’t see the point of persevering against their troubles, they can’t muster the courage to even reach the surface. Thus, the light shining down on this girl surrounded by darkness shows the importance of hope in a person’s world.”

“Mysteries is about a mystery that haunts some of the minds of today, it is a lesser known mystery but a mystery.”

“My entry is a poem. It is about on protests that starts with a meaning but slowly it loses its definition. I want to give an insight on my frustration on those protests. There’s no specific protest I’m talking about. I will be talking about how protests start off with a meaning and a demand for a specific change, but that meaning slowly rots away when people who don’t understand the movement join in.”

“The painting was done with watercolor first, a medium often associated with tranquility and contentment. The colored pencil on top is scratchy and messy, symbolizing feelings of unease and anxiety. The subject looks away and pulls their hair back to reveal flowers stemming from a scab on her scalp. I’ve always struggled with anxiety physically and mentally. I have a tendency to pick at my scalp whenever I feel anxious, and I wanted to illustrate it in this painting. Watercolors are a familiar medium to me, whereas colored pencils are newer. The red columbine flowers in this painting symbolize anxiety but also fortitude. The person faces the flowers in the background, looking toward a hopeful future.”

“The word I chose to convey was ‘communication.’ Mental struggles can be alleviated through other people’s help, but in order for an individual to receive the help they need, their thoughts and feelings must first be declared. Adolescents are often told to reach out for help, but in reality, asking for help can be a very difficult and muddled process. In my painting, a girl is being dragged down by a tangible manifestation of those restricting factors in the form of blank, white masses. To better help the youth of today, I would like to see more receptive and accepting adults that can offer genuine aid to those inflicted with mental illnesses. Adolescents should not have their words drowned out; they must be heard in order to be helped.”

“I chose the word ‘Serenity.’ It means ‘the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled.’ My project symbolizes having peace of mind or calming one’s mentality.”

“This image is of a reflection of what people see versus what I feel. I chose reflection because if you look at what people think about you, then you realize that the negative thoughts you are thinking about yourself are really not that bad. I like that this image may give others hope and allow them to overcome what they may be going through.”

“This is an image of someone who wants to be freed from everyone else’s thoughts and what they have to say. I chose to do this project because that is how I was feeling and feel that someone always has something to say about my life and I am not allowed to think for myself. I hope this can help someone else as well.”

“My painting shows that most life problems are like a mountain. But if you keep going, if you can manage to get on top of your problems, it’ll be worth it. And there is always someone in your life there to help.”

“Adventurous outdoor activities fill me with the power to achieve any challenge. The different shades of purple represent how life isn’t just a black and white canvas, but there’s an endless variation of color. The variety of purple is my way of looking in between the shades of gray to find my joy, my drive, my power. The abundance of mountains at the bottom show how life comes with many struggles, but if we believe in our own self worth/power we can overcome them. There are endless possibilities when we feel empowered.”

“A High Schooler’s Backpack demonstrates how it can be overwhelming to be in high school, especially in the upperclassmen years. As hard as it is, it is important to keep going and trying your best.”

“Persolly, music is really helpful for me at school and other places because it has the power lighten my mood and condition.”

“My idea focuses on an advantage of returning to school- the ability to connect with friends, and the support and relief friends can provide.”

“During the transition of coming back to school (in-person), I felt I lost my sense of balance which set me and my plants to wilt and burn a bit. Something that helped me bring back hope for the future was speaking affirmative words and phrases before leaving home and starting anything new.”

“My piece is about the feeling of vulnerability and social anxiety, about how it feels for me when I try to pass off that I’m fine and how I feel like anything I do, people will judge me, as if all eyes are on me.”

“When I asked my class what word described their vision of Mental Health at our school, they all thought of the same thing. At our school they are leaders – they promote Mental Health – offer help and assistance to anyone that needs it – they are aware and feel responsible. They have learned from their partnership with Directing Change and RCOE that the future is up to them! We have to work together within our school and our community to bring awareness and help to those that need it… that requires leadership.”

This film that shares the experiences of students returning to school during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This film is meant to capture an experience and feeling shared by many when transitioning back to a normal schedule. Change is uncomfortable, even if it’s for the better.”

“My poem targets generational trauma and the longterm effects it can have on teens through adulthood. I wanted to compare skin to the perception one may have of their personality, their features, and their body. With time it gets easier and you don’t shy away from the figurative and literal mirror so much. I feel teens need a reminder that it is okay to be vulnerable, open minded, and let go. We are our biggest critic but also our strongest support system and only we know how to resolve the problems we have with ourselves. It is a poem about aging, forgiving yourself, and how digging inwards and allowing your inner child to process trauma is much better for your health than continuing the detrimental cycle you may have been a victim of as a child.”

“Our word for this month’s prompt is ‘Respect’ to describe the world we envision that supports youth mental health. There are multiple ways of showing respect and it all comes down to each and everyone of us.”

“My entry explains how I feel about this generation’s importance towards mental health. I believe that many people don’t have anywhere to turn to when needing help. We need attention and to be considered. People struggle daily and this has to be noticed. In order to fix this situation, many have to recognize what is happening first. Changing this lack of help can strengthen our future and help our society.”

“Belief has the power to change your whole outlook of your situation.”

“My entry shows my experience as a student who has to attend high school on a tele-conferencing robot because of my disability. The scenes show every day life with the robot at school. The robot is always alone, with crowds of students passing by without acknowledging me. I would like to advocate for other students to show compassion for myself and other kids and teens who deal with disabilities.”