Youth Mental Health Campaign

Your voice and creativity can help improve youth mental health.
Learn about “Create Resilience Youth Art Contest for Suicide Prevention.”

Art Contest Guidelines

  • Oregon youth ages 13 yo - 21 yo are invited to share their ideas on why and how we can improve youth mental health. Submissions can be: an essay, a poem, story, play, song, artwork, photograph, dance, and more. Be creative!

    One entry per person. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges.

  • May 1st - August 1st, 2025

  • Winners receive cash awards:
    1st Prize: $350
    2nd Prize: $300
    3rd Prize: $250
    Honorable Mentions: $50 each for two awardees

*Be sure to read the information and guidelines before submitting your work. Thank you.*

Have questions? Contact Dr. Kaufman at diane@holdoncampaign.org

You will be able to submit your creative work at the bottom of this webpage.

“Congratulations to you and your team for the “Create Resilience Youth Mental Health” Campaign!

You are such an amazing advocate for mental health and I am so glad that you are using your talent to approach this problem with a different lens.”

— Izabela and Katia Maciolek, Parent and Student

“The “Create Resilience Youth Mental Health Campaign” is absolutely wonderful. As a parent and an educator, I am so grateful.”

— Shelby McConville, Parent and Educator

The Importance of Mental Health

Mental health impacts our quality of life each and every day and impacts our very ability to stay alive. Suicide is a leading cause of death for youth in Oregon. While we all need to work together to improve youth mental health, the voices of youth are especially important. Be sure to read the "Did You Know?" infographic.

Why Participate? Because You are Important! Your thoughts, feelings, and lived experiences are valuable. You can help break through the silence, shame, and stigma surrounding mental health.

What if your ideas could truly help reduce the number of suicide deaths in Oregon? What if your ideas could help improve the life of just one person?

Would it be worth it? Definitely, yes!

Your participation helps save lives

“Create Resilience Youth Art Contest for Suicide Prevention” helps improve youth mental health by bringing attention to how we can encourage help-seeking behavior, eliminate silence, shame, and stigma, increase family and community support, enhance availability of treatment, as well as by sharing new ways we can help those at risk for suicide.

Why is suicide a leading cause of youth death in Oregon? We want to know your ideas and solutions!

The goals of the “Create Resilience Youth Art Contest for Suicide Prevention” are:  

  • To provide youth an opportunity to express their creative ideas that illustrate how to improve and better address the mental health needs of youth.

  • To offer mental health professionals insight directly from youth on how to better meet the mental health needs of youth.

  • To encourage mental health professionals to implement positive change inspired by the ideas of youth.

Participating schools and each person entering the contest will receive the “Create Resilience” poster as a free digital download.

Thank you to our program funder

Thank you to ASHA International and the Arts & Healing Resiliency Center at Mind Matters, PC for your support.

Creative Voices Have Power

When we courageously express our inner thoughts and feeling, we not only help ourselves but can also help others.

  • Sharing our ideas we learn that while we are unique we are also not alone.

  • Speaking up for what we believe is right helps create the better tomorrow. 

  • Speaking against what we believe to be wrong is a truth that needs to be told. 

  • When we express ourselves honestly, creatively, and courageously, we are empowered to be part of the solution.

  • One voice joined with other voices is powerful and helps manifest change in the world.

Enter Contest Here