On Tuesday, First Lady Cecile de Jongh announced the kick-off of an essay contest for all Virgin Islands high school students to raise awareness on mental health issues and to call attention to the prevalence of the disorders amongst youth.
High school students are asked to consider and answer the question: “What does good mental health mean to you?” All submissions will be judged by a panel of mental health and education professionals in four categories, for a total of 100 points. The categories include: structure and clarity, content, references and creativity. Each category is worth 25 points.
The three highest scoring submissions from each district will be announced on October 10, 2012– World Mental Health Day – and will be awarded cash prizes, including $300 for first place; $150 for second place; and $75 for third place, for a total of six winners, three from each district.
DeJongh encourages all Virgin Islands high school students to participate in the essay contest, geared to raise awareness on good mental health habits.
“I encourage our younger generation, and all Virgin Islanders, to talk about mental wellness and to ask questions about mental health conditions. With one in five affected with a mental illness, it is critical that as a community we address these issues and become more informed about the various disorders that can cause symptomatic behavior, such as anorexia, anxiety, depression, social phobia, mood disorder, schizophrenia and other conditions. It’s important to openly discuss these issues so that we nurture a collective well-being that provides direction, guidance and empowerment to others,” deJongh said.
Essays may be submitted at www.governordejongh.com/firstlady .
In addition to receiving cash prizes, all six winning student essays will be featured on local radio stations in both districts, including: WSTA (1340 AM), WIUJ (102.9 FM), and WGOD (97.9 FM) on St. Thomas and on WSTX (970 AM), Sunny 99.5 FM, and Da Vybe (107.9 FM) on St. Croix.
The six winning submissions will be aired during regularly scheduled newscasts on weekday mornings and evenings.
