Teen’s speak art competition offers large prizes
and important message
Teen dating violence can sometimes be invisible to those of us who haven’t been teens in a while. Unfortunately, it isn’t invisible to teens: One in 10 high school students report being purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Many teens do not tell anyone about the abuse, but if they do tell someone, they are far more likely to tell a friend than a teacher, parent, counselor or other caring adult. Nearly 60% of teens know someone who has experienced some form of abuse in a dating relationship and 1 in 3 report knowing someone who has been hit, punched, kicked, slapped, choked or physically hurt by their partner. Twenty percent of surveyed male students report witnessing someone they go to high school with physically hit a person they were dating.
The Teen’s Speak Art Competition is designed to get teens talking about violence and thinking about what they can do or say when confronted with these types of situations. We are encouraging teens (anyone aged 13 to 19) to think about the situations they face and to think of creative ways to take a stand against violence without putting themselves or anyone else at risk. Then create a two dimensional work of art (drawing, painting, photography, a poem, computer generated graphics, multi-media, or other medium suitable for reproduction) that reflects that message. The artwork should be a minimum of 4”x6” and a maximum of 16”x22” and may not include copyrighted material or have been used by any individual or other organization for any other purpose. Each individual may submit up to three entries.
We are offering a $300 grand prize and three $100 honorable mention prizes. Submission deadline is Friday May 1st at 4PM and each submission must include a completed entry form. For rules, entry forms, or more information us at 541-592-5332 or drop by our office in Cave Junction. We are also happy to use the art competition as an excuse to come and talk to any group of teens. If you know of a group that we could talk to, please give us a call and we will schedule a time.
Leave a Reply