The results of our Action Anxiety Day Drawing and Writing Contest for Kids!
Anxiety Canada’s first Drawing and Writing Contest in honour of Action Anxiety Day was designed for children aged 4-13 across Canada. The contest invited young minds to express themselves through art and writing.
With thought-provoking prompts that delve into feelings of anxiety, calmness, and worry, participants had the opportunity to not only showcase their talents but also contribute to the normalization of discussing big emotions. Many budding artists and writers entered with nearly 100 entries, and we are so grateful to the educators and parents who encouraged their child to join the meaningful conversation about mental health by using their creativity!
We introduced this contest in our Educator Toolkit, which helps teachers bring anxiety education to elementary school classrooms. Action Anxiety Day is all about normalizing talking about feelings! For many, creative projects, like this contest, can help children tap into and understand how they are feeling.
The contest, designed for children aged 4-13, asked participants to explore thought-provoking prompts such as “How can you act on anxiety?”, “Where do you feel the most calm?”, and “How does worry feel for you?”. The submissions were filled with beautiful artwork and thoughtful explanations that warmed our hearts and moved us emotionally.
With so many amazing entries, it was impossible to select just one winner for each category. That’s why we decided to award second place winners as well! We carefully picked the entries that touched us the most, ensuring that the selection process was fair and thoughtful. Each child’s unique perspective on anxiety and emotions made a significant impact on our team.
Thank you to all the children who participated and shared their wonderful art with us. Read on for the announcement of our winners.
Congratulations to our 2024 Winners. Learn more about our annual awareness day, Action Anxiety Day, here.
Age 4-8 Category Winners
1st Place: Alice Ngo, Age 7, Ottawa, Ontario.
Alice’s art represents the place she goes in her mind to feel calm, which is to imagine that she is
a mermaid watching the sunset. Alice’s imaginative work moved us, and we were impressed by her amazing shading skills!
2nd Place: Lucas and Nivin, Age 8, Burlington, Ontario.
Lucas and Nivin from River Oaks Public School teamed up for their art submission. Their class submitted great artwork, and theirs stood out. We appreciated Lucas and Nivin’s use of colour and all the endearing details they added, like the rainbow and inspiring messages in speech bubbles!
Age 9-13 Category Winners
1st Place: Hareem Awan, Age 10, Fort McMurray, Alberta.
Hareem, a student from Fort McMurray Islamic School, titled her colourful art submission ‘How Can You Act on Anxiety’! We loved seeing our Action Anxiety Day theme of acting on anxiety featured in her piece! Beyond her great drawing skills, we enjoyed her writing on how to ground yourself by taking a deep breath and observing your surroundings, like the “leaves falling or bees pollinating.”
2nd Place: Braden Arrand, Age 12, Oromocto, New Brunswick.
Braden, a student from Harold Peterson Middle School, illustrated a scene that he would feel calm in. His emotions can feel very black and white, and the lack of colour portrays a lack of chaos. “Calm, serene, quiet, peaceful.”
Braden’s art and its accompanying description on what his art symbolizes moved our team: the birds symbolize freedom, the rocks strength, the moon consistency, and the tree is grounding. His mom added to his submission, saying that her son has made her a “better person by allowing a Mom to grow and learn acceptance, patience and belonging. His art brings joy to many.”