Clarksville's Youth Council hosting student poster contest with emphasis on mental health

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Clarksville Youth Council hopes to use art to fight problems youth face every day.

During the month of February, the council is hosting a poster contest for Clarksville area students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Students are asked to design posters based on the theme of mental health.

The submitted posters will be displayed in Clarksville at places often visited by youth, and contain phone numbers and web links to resources on mental health. The Youth Council hopes this will open a dialogue between students and parents.

“They (Clarksville Youth Council) think it may be an easy way for parents to check in with their kids to see how they are feeling,” Ken Conklin, Clarksville's communications director and Youth Council advisor, said.

Formed last year by the Town Council, the Clarksville Youth Council was created for local youth to discuss some of the major issues affecting today's young population. Bullying and mental health were the main issues mentioned.

Students must send a scanned copy of their 8.5-inch-by-11-inch artwork to info@townofclarksville.com by Tuesday, Feb. 28. Winners will be selected at the next Youth Council meeting on March 3.