Hope and Healing through Creativity Contest

The Kim Foundation is recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month in May by sponsoring a contest about hope and healing.  The foundation is inviting students in grades 6 – 12 to submit original works of art, creative writing, or videos that share personal stories and focus on the theme, “Hope and Healing through Creativity.”  Students can tell their stories of hope and healing by showing healthy ways of coping with stress/anxiety, sharing recovery stories, promoting positive mental health, and contributing ideas to prevent suicide.

All middle and high school students, grades 6 – 12 in Douglas and Sarpy Counties are welcome to submit an entry.  Each entry must include a Release & Waiver of Liability Form from The Kim Foundation that has been signed by a parent or legal guardian.  Teachers, parents, and caregivers are asked not to assist students with their entries.  All entries are due by Friday, May 5, 2017 and must be submitted in their original format. 

The artwork should be no larger than 11” x 14” and can be created on paper, canvas, cardboard or foam board using markers, colored pencils, chalk or paint.  Creative writing can be essays, short stories, letters, or poetry and should be no longer than one page in length.  The video entries need to be posted to YouTube and then submitted to the foundation as a YouTube link.  The videos should be at least thirty seconds, but no longer than 2 ½ minutes in length.  Please make sure the students do not use trademarked/copyrighted images or phrases in any of the entries.

The top three winners in each category will be notified by May 31^st.  The first place winners will receive a $100 Visa gift card, the second place winners will receive a $50 Visa gift card, and the third place winners will receive a $25 Visa gift card. The top winners in each category will have their submissions displayed at The Kim Foundation’s annual luncheon on October 24th at the Embassy Suites Convention Center in La Vista.  All winners will be recognized in our monthly newsletter. The video winners may also have their videos added to our 13minutes website.

We look forward to receiving the artwork, writings, and videos from the students.  If there are any questions concerning the contest, please contact Lori Atkinson at 402-891-6910 or latkinson@thekimfoundation.org   We hope the creative juices start flowing as the students work on their contest entries!

Lori Atkinson, Operations Assistant for The Kim Foundation

Lori Atkinson joined The Kim Foundation in May 2015 as an Operations Assistant.  She received her Bachelor’s Degree from UNL in Middle Level Education. She was an 8^th grade English teacher in the Omaha Public Schools for ten years and started a small non-profit in her husband’s memory in 2010. Lori assists with many of the day-to-day tasks for The Kim Foundation which includes scheduling presentations in the community, coordinating booths at conferences, attending mental health trainings, researching mental illness/suicide, and working community events.  Lori is the proud mom of three children and is actively involved in her church.