The Youth Clinic Selects Area Youth Winning Art Submissions to Display

The Youth Clinic has announced three winners of its ‘Words Matter’ community art contest and displayed the art at area businesses as part of the clinic’s ongoing Positivity Project initiative.

The ‘Words Matter’ contest aimed to engage the community to share positivity through art and language by inviting local children and youth to submit artwork during summer this year. Each of the three winners also received a $200 cash prize.

The three contest winners, their grade levels, and the schools they attend are as follows:

• Siratan Wongsathapornchai, Lesher Middle School – 7th grade
• Erin Cannady, Ridgeview Classical Schools – 8th grade
• Aidan Scully, Poudre High School – 9th grade

“I thought my art would be an inspiring message for everyone in the world to share,” said Aidan. “I included words of encouragement because I thought hearing those words myself would make each day even better and better,” Aidan said.

Children and youth across Northern Colorado were invited to submit independently or as a group, with submissions accepted online in any digital format. Submissions were additionally required to include a positive message.

“This picture represents that words can cause many emotions to people,” said Siratan. “The left side represents all the consequences that might happen if you say negative things, and the right side represents all the outcomes that might happen when people say positive things to others,” Siratan said.

The selected winning art submissions have all been transformed into on-site art displays at a multitude of area businesses such as Clothes Pony & Dandelion Toys, Urban Air Trampoline, and Adventure Park, The Cupboard, and Fly High Trampoline Park. The three contest winners were announced in celebration of National Positivity Day.

The Youth Clinic was motivated to launch a community-focused initiative to act as a positive outlet and reinforcement geared toward area children and youth. To kick off the initiative, The Youth Clinic launched the ‘Words Matter’ art contest and plans for future iterations of its Positivity Project in the coming months.

“I think that my art is inspiring because I think that it shows that beauty can be found everywhere,” Erin said. “I think that we just have to look a little harder to find it than just looking at the surface,” said Erin.

“We have cared for generations of area youth for 50 years and take pride in our role as both a partner and resource to parents in the development of their children,” said Larry Mortensen, Executive CEO of The Youth Clinic. “The Positivity Project is a way for us to display our commitment to the community and those we serve while engaging and inspiring others to do the same,” Larry said.

For more information regarding the services and care The Youth Clinic provides and to schedule appointments, visit: www.youthclinic.com or call 970-267-9510