MAMH Blog
Winners Announced in the 2026 Mental Health Art Contest
Jun 5, 2026
MAMH's annual Mental Health Matters: Student Expression Contest - now in its sixth year - welcomes artwork and written submissions from students across the state.
Students from middle and high schools across Massachusetts are being honored for their submissions to the annual MAMH Mental Health Matters: Student Expression Contest. Drawings, poems, paintings, and videos focused on mental health challenges and victories – highlighting the experiences of young people across the Commonwealth through reflection and artistic expression.
In the artistic still category – for drawings, paintings, and graphic design – students from Pathfinder Tech took home first through third place winnings in the high school category.
First place winners in the written work category include Ella Perry, of Berkley Middle School, and a student at READS Academy. First place winners in the video category were middle schoolers – and sisters – Anabel and Isabella Nolberto.
Caption Two entries from this year's Mental Health Matters art contest.
Category: Artistic Still
High school winners in the artistic still category include Jezze Serpa (first place), Silas Patel (second place), and Marley Carrignan (third place). Middle school winners include Emily Vadoklis (first place), Ian Ketter (second place), and Avery Macomber (third place).
Category: Written
High school winners in the written category include Kevan Ward (first place), Liannys Ortiz Cruz (second place), and both Lillian Rolon and Lilyan Roasario (third place). Middle school winners include Ella Perry (first place) and Mary Grace Benatti (second place), with a three-way tie for third place between: Fiona Boulay, Emily Sabando, and Jadelis Aquino.
Category: Video
Middle school winners in the video category include Anabel and Izabella Nolberto (first place), and Liam Perales and William Foster (second place).
Submissions can be viewed by following the links provided (if permission was given to share the artwork). Please contact Leah Landry with any questions.
“And maybe healing isn’t loud. Maybe it’s small. Almost invisible. Like choosing to speak when silence feels safer. Like letting someone in when shutting down feels easier.”
Aging with Pride: LGBTQIA+ Identity, Behavioral Health, and the Importance of Affirming Care
Advocacy Spotlights
Today's LGBTQIA+ older adults lived through decades of resilience, advocacy, and hard-won social change. Yet they also carry experiences of discrimination, stigma, and exclusion that continue to affect behavioral health and well-being.
Legislative Briefing Highlights Need to Transfer Bridgewater State Hospital Oversight
Advocacy
A briefing was held at the State House in June in strong support of bills that require the transfer of Bridgewater State Hospital oversight from the Department of Correction (DOC) to the Department of Mental Health (DMH).
Environmental Scan Shows How the Commonwealth Can Improve Supports for People Living with Hoarding Conditions
News
Massachusetts lacks sufficient specialized and in-home support to help older adults and others with hoarding conditions avoid eviction and homelessness, according to an environmental scan completed by the Massachusetts Hoarding Resource Network (MHRN).
Get important updates on mental health news, events, and advocacy delivered right to your inbox!
Subscribe Now