"What happiness means to me" contest!

Will you help me promote Children's Mental Health Awareness Day (May 8, 2014)? Please say, "Yes! I'd love to!"

There is a contest titled "What Happiness Means to Me" which is open to all Texas students, elementary through high school. 

I would love to display some of your entries in my office if you'd like to loan them to me for display...  Please read the information below for all the contest details. Good Luck to all the contestants!  

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The Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division of the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the Texas System of Care are hosting the Third Annual Statewide Creativity Contest to promote Children’s Mental Health Week, May 4-10, 2014.  There are three categories: Writing, Poster, and Kite Construction.  Winners will be recognized in each category on Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, May 8, 2014, and their work will be displayed at the Texas State Capitol in an exhibit promoting Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, as well as appearing on both the DSHS and Texas System of Care sites (www.dshs.state.tx.us/mhsa/greenribbon/ and www.txsystemofcare.org).  The top submissions in each category will also be included in a survey distributed to participating schools and communities so that participants may vote on the winning entries.  The survey will be available under “Art Contest” by mid-April athttp://www.txsystemofcare.org/ai1ec_event/national-childrens-mental-health-awareness-day/.

Contest Eligibility All Texas Elementary, Middle, and High School students are eligible to participate.

Contest Theme The theme for 2014 is “What Happiness Means to Me.”

Contest Category Rules

Posters

• Must be an original artwork that combines drawings/pictures and/or words to express the contest theme.
• Materials used may include pencil, ink, charcoal, crayon, markers, pastel, paint, mixed media, collage, or similar 2D media.
• Poster must be no smaller than 8” x 10” and no larger than 11” x 14”. Larger or smaller work will be disqualified.
• First and last name of student and name of student’s school must be included on the back of the poster.

Writing

• Entry must be a story, essay, or poem based on the contest theme and no longer than 300 words.
• Entry must be typed or, if handwritten, must be legible.
• Please ask an adult to review spelling and grammar for errors prior to submission.
• First and last name of student and name of student’s school must be included on the back of the page.

Kite Construction

• Create an original kite construction that portrays the theme.  You will be awarded additional points if the kite is flyable.
• Please submit 3 photos of the kite to include: Construction materials, construction process and the final kite.  If your kite flies, please submit a fourth photo of your kite flying.
• There are no size constraints for the kite.

Judging will be based on originality, creativity, and how well your entry expresses the contest theme. A team of judges will select the top submissions for each category and grade level.  Those submissions will be part of a survey shared with schools, students, and communities to vote on the winners.

How to Enter

• Each entry must be submitted with the contest entry form, including release, signed by a parent or guardian.  A copy of this form is available online at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/mhsa/greenribbon/entryform/.
• All paper entries must have the name of the student and school written on the back.
• Entries must be received by 6:00 PM April 7, 2014.
• Entries may be emailed to info@txsystemofcare.org
• Entries may be sent by postal mail to

CMHAD Art Contest1717 West 6th StreetSuite 335Austin, Texas 78703

• Entries, once submitted, become the property of the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and Texas System of Care, and may be used for the purpose of promoting awareness of children’s mental health issues.  Entries may be posted to the DSHS and Texas System of Care web sites and used in promotional materials.

This awesome photo was provided courtesy of David Castillo Dominci/FreeDigitalPhotos.net