Promotion Toolkit

Speaking Up About Mental Health Teen Essay Contest

We’ve created promotional tools to make it easy for you to share essay contest details with parents, educators, counselors and teens in your community.

Downloadable files and sample text are below – use them as is or customize for your audiences. Go to:

To download, right-click (PC) or control-click (Mac) on an image and choose save as.

Alt text:
Speaking Up About Mental Health National Essay Contest for High School Students Ages 16-18. Entries due Jan. 16, 2024. "Cash prizes" in a starburst bubble between a stock image of a young woman in a wheelchair and stock image of 3 diverse high school students studying in a library. HHS and NIH logos. nimhd.nih.gov/EssayContest URL

X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn:

For Parents

Facebook:

• Parents: Your teen could win a cash prize for an essay about mental health. The “Speaking Up About Mental Health” contest invites teens to explore topics like stigma and barriers around seeking mental health care, especially in diverse communities. Hosted by the @Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the @National Institute of Mental Health, and the @National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the contest will accept submissions through January 16, 2024. Learn more about rules, prizes, and how to enter: nimhd.nih.gov/EssayContest. #MentalHealth #SpeakingUpMH
• Do you have a teen who has something to say about mental health? Check out the “Speaking Up About Mental Health” essay contest for students ages 16-18. Multiple winners will receive cash prizes. The contest is hosted by the @Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the @National Institute of Mental Health, and the @National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Submissions accepted through January 16, 2024. Learn more: nimhd.nih.gov/EssayContest. #MentalHealth #SpeakingUpMH

X/Twitter:

• Have a teen with something to say about #MentalHealth stigma and more? @NICHD_NIH, @NIMHgov, & @NIMHD want to learn from students ages 16-18 in this essay contest. Multiple cash prizes will be awarded. Learn more: nimhd.nih.gov/EssayContest. #SpeakingUpMH
• Parents: A new #SpeakingUpMH teen essay contest from @NICHD_NIH, @NIMHgov, & @NIMHD is open for submissions on stopping the stigma around #MentalHealth. Teens ages 16-18 are invited to participate through Jan. 16. Winners will receive cash prizes: nimhd.nih.gov/EssayContest.

For Educators/Counselors

LinkedIn:

• Educators and counselors: Do you know students ages 16-18 who care about raising awareness around mental health? Encourage them to participate in the “Speaking Up About Mental Health” essay contest. Supported by the @Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), @National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and @National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), the contest is accepting essays through January 16, 2024. Multiple cash prizes will be awarded. Learn more about the rules, prizes, and how to enter: nimhd.nih.gov/EssayContest. #MentalHealth #WritingContest #SpeakingUpMH
• Share this opportunity with your high school students: The “Speaking Up About Mental Health” contest for students ages 16-18 is looking for short essays on mental health. Topics may include stigma and barriers, resilience and coping strategies, school policies or practices, the impact of social media and technology, and more. The contest is supported by the @Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the @National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and the @National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). Multiple winners will receive cash prizes! Learn more: nimhd.nih.gov/EssayContest. #MentalHealth #SpeakingUpMH

X/Twitter:

• ATTN: Educators! @NICHD_NIH, @NIMHgov, & @NIMHD are offering multiple cash prizes for teen students’ essays about #MentalHealth. Share this opportunity with your students: nimhd.nih.gov/EssayContest #SpeakingUpMH
• Know a student aged 16-18 who’s passionate about ending the stigma around #MentalHealth? @NICHD_NIH, @NIMHgov, & @NIMHD want to learn from them in this new essay challenge! Multiple cash prizes will be awarded. Learn more: nimhd.nih.gov/EssayContest #SpeakingUpMH

For Teens

Instagram:

• TEEN WRITING CONTEST: Are you interested in raising awareness around mental health? The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (@nichd_nih), the National Institute of Mental Health (@nimhgov), and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities want to learn from teens ages 16-18 in the “Speaking Up About Mental Health” essay contest. Topics may include stigma and barriers, resilience and coping strategies, school policies or practices, the impact of social media and technology, and more. Learn more about the contest rules and cash prizes at the link in bio or nimhd.nih.gov/EssayContest. #MentalHealth #SpeakingUpMH #TeenWriters

X/Twitter:

• Calling #TeensWhoWrite ages 16-18: In this essay contest, @NICHD_NIH, @NIMHgov, & @NIMHD invite you to write about #MentalHealth, reducing stigma, overcoming barriers, building resilience, & more. Multiple cash prizes! Share your story: nimhd.nih.gov/EssayContest. #SpeakingUpMH

Email subject: NIH Mental Health Essay Contest for Teens

Dear [Insert Name],

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) are co-sponsoring the “Speaking Up About Mental Health” national essay challenge. The contest aims to start conversations about mental health and encourage young people to seek help for mental health issues.

U.S. high school students ages 16-18 are invited to submit a short essay. Topics may include stigma and barriers, resilience and coping strategies, school policies or practices, the impact of social media and technology, and more. Submissions will be accepted through January 16, 2024, and winners will be announced on May 31, 2024. Multiple winners will be chosen to receive cash prizes! Find more contest details at https://nimhd.nih.gov/EssayContest. You can read the winning essays from 2022 at https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/programs/edu-training/mental-health-essay-contest/awardees-2022/.

Please help us spread the word about this opportunity! Share this information with
[other parents/teachers/counselors/your students/your child, etc.]

Thank you,
[Insert Your Name]

Print and post this flyer in areas frequented by parents, educators, counselors and teens.

Access the flyer by clicking the link or image. Then to download, right-click (PC) or control-click (Mac) on the flyer and choose save page as or use the browser save/download tool.

Page updated Jan. 23, 2024