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Volume 14, Issue 2
Poster Contest Celebrates 11th Successful Year
Once again, MACMH staff and judges were delighted with the response to our call for posters
in support of our 11th Annual Children’s Mental Health Poster Contest. This year nearly 700
students from 41 schools throughout Minnesota participated in the contest during the fall of
2004. As in years past, the purpose of the contest is to have children create images that
• convey positive messages about children’s mental health for children,
• increase awareness and understanding of children’s mental health issues, and
• promote acceptance of peers who have mental health, emotional, or behavioral issues.
Poster Contest Winners Honored
During the opening festivities of MACMH’s 2005 Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Conference, Dr. Charlotte Ryan presented the five winning artists with their awards. (See
sidebar for photos of the winners with their posters.) Each artist received a 2006 calendar
featuring their poster’s design, a wonderful selection of art supplies from our neighbors at
Local Color Art Supply, and Certificates of Commendation from Governor Pawlenty. The
artists and their families were also guests of MACMH at the Holiday Inn the evening of the
awards ceremony, and they received complimentary passes (provided by the Duluth
Convention and Visitor’s Bureau) to several Duluth area attractions.
After receiving their awards, the artists delighted conference attendees by autographing copies
of their posters, which were then available for purchase during the conference. In addition to
the posters, MACMH also adapted Alison Dols’ design, “Express Yourself in a Good Way,” and
featured it on the cover of a writing journal. (Click here to download an order form.)
In addition to the top five artists, the judges also awarded two honorable mentions—these
artists received a Governor’s Certificate of Commendation, a 2006 calendar featuring their
poster’s design, and copies of their posters for their classroom.
Classroom Visits
A key element of the poster contest project is the opportunity for MACMH staff members to
visit schools throughout the state to discuss the importance of reducing the stigma that
surrounds mental illness. This year Wendy Mahoney and Matt Jenson visited several 4th –
8th grade classrooms in Chaska, Mound, Minneapolis, Blue Earth, and Winnebago, Minn.
Though their approaches to the classroom visits were very different, each reported a great
deal of enthusiasm for the content they presented.
Wendy began her lessons by reading the book Edward the “Crazy Man,” which is a story of
Edward, a homeless man with schizophrenia who becomes a very successful costume
designer due to the help he receives from an understanding friend and his own gift for
designing unique clothing. Using this prompt, Wendy engaged the students in a discussion
about how using words like “crazy” to describe people with mental health disorder is hurtful.
After describing several common mental health disorders, Wendy encouraged the children to
share their own stories about friends or family members with mental health disorders. This
helped the students to realize that mental health disorders are not something that affects only
other people. Wendy also shared with the students a list of celebrities who struggle with
mental health disorders—some of the names on the list surprised the students. By the end of
the lesson, students said they gained a deeper knowledge of mental health disorders and the
need for understanding.
Matt began his lessons by engaging the students in a discussion about stress, its emotional and
physical causes and effects, and ways to reduce it. He then led the students through a creative
movement exercise in which each student created a gesture that expressed a symptom of stress
(for example, frustration, tension, headaches, or stomachaches). Once the students were
warmed-up, they talked about how they could read each other’s body language to understand
how they were feeling. The individual movements were then put together to create a “Stress
Dance.” Students discussed what it felt like to express others’ movements with their own
bodies and what it was like to see fellow students perform their movements. At the conclusion
of Matt’s lesson, students noted that they had a better understanding of the concept of
empathy and understood how necessary it is when working to build a healthy community.
12th Annual Poster Contest
We are pleased to announce the kickoff of the 12th Annual Poster Contest, which will again
be open to 4th through 8th grade students. Entry forms and informational packets—which
will include a complimentary copy of our recently revised and updated Classroom Activity
Book—will be available September 2005. Check www.macmh.org for details.
MACMH is currently looking for funding to continue our classroom visits. If you are
interested in scheduling a classroom visit, call or email MACMH to be placed on our waiting
list. When we secure funding, we will contact you to schedule a visit (first come, first served).
To request a poster contest packet or to be placed on our classroom visit waiting list, please
contact MACMH at info@macmh.org or 651-644-7333.
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165 Western Avenue North
Saint Paul, MN 55102
Phone: 651-644-7333
1-800-528-4511
Fax: 651-644-7391
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