About the Poster

The Missouri Division of Youth Services

St. Louis Regional Art Fair

The division operates residential and day treatment facilities across the St. Louis Region, which includes St. Louis County, St. Louis City, St. Charles, and Jefferson County, for youth ages 12-18, who require a more structured setting than the community. The Region serves approximately 325 youth daily. Each program includes intensive counseling, life skills training and an education program.

Each year we have a St. Louis Region Art Fair, which is designed to teach our young people about creativity and to expose them to artists, illustrators, animators, designers, sculptors, etc.The Art Fair gives our young people opportunities to learn about various art forms and an avenue to express themselves. We also believe that the creative process involved in the making of art is healing and life enhancing.

This year, we had the honor of being asked to participate in the Youth Suicide Prevention Project poster contest. We thought the Art Fair would be the perfect setting for the contest. It quickly grew into more than posters.

Twenty-three groups of 10-12 kids across the St. Louis Region worked for three months researching and learning about suicide prevention for teens. They created over 80 posters, presentations, songs, and poems dealing with suicide and prevention. They also created booths filled with articles and resources for suicide prevention for the fair that was held on June 11, 2008.

- R. Elaine Barbee

Assistant Regional Administrator, DYS

 

Return to the Missouri Suicide Prevention Project page