"MindSpeak" Essay Competition 2025
Calling all Creative Minds and Compassionate Hearts!
We are thrilled to be back with our MindSpeak Essay Competition after the the success of inaugural event last year, offering young changemakers a platform to illuminate the essential topic of youth mental health using their unique experiences and insights.
Join us in shattering the silence surrounding youth mental health. Use your creativity to illuminate the path toward understanding and compassion. Together, we can profoundly impact the lives of countless young individuals.
Your voice is instrumental in shaping a world that comprehends, supports, and celebrates mental health. Let’s make a difference!
Topic
Students are invited to share their thoughts through an essay OR a research paper OR a personal/fictional story that explores the intricacies of youth mental health and it’s profound impact. The aim is to formulate an actionable plan through shared experiences and insights for reducing stigma and nurturing resilience through Youth Voices.
Consider these questions to inspire your writing:
- As a pre-teen/teen what affects your mental well being? How do you build resilience or coping skills while faced with challenging times?
- Do you feel supported at school, at home or in the community? Will you access help if struggling? How can schools/communities help you feel supported and/or reduce the stigma around mental health and better foster a supportive environment for kids?
- What kind of conversations on youth mental health are useful at home and/or school?
- What are the barriers that make it difficult for kids to access mental health treatment?
- What role does the home or school culture play in mental health & wellness? What will it look like to create a culture of mental wellness in your community?
- What are your thoughts on Social media? the good, the bad, the ugly,
- Any other areas of concern to individuals and their communities with respect to mental health
Prizes
A Congressional Certificate from Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill + Cash Awards for all winners
High School
Gold Star ($500 Cash)
Silver Star ($300 Cash)
Bronze Star ($100 Cash)
Middle School
Gold Star ($500 Cash)
Silver Star ($300 Cash)
Bronze Star ($100 Cash)
Competition Guidelines
- Submissions must be original and align with the theme of youth mental health.
- Entries will be evaluated based on creativity, impact, relevance, and their potential to spark meaningful discussions.
- We seek innovative ideas and solutions, not just factual reports. If presenting a report, it should stem from original research.
- Entries must adhere to the following format:
- Typed single-spaced in Times New Roman, font size 12, within 1,000 words.
- Uploaded as a PDF file, named in the format FirstnameLastnameSchoolInitials.pdf
- The body of the essay should not contain any identifying information (first name, last name, School name), so that the entries will be anonymous to the Judges’ Panel.
- Entries must be in essay format; combining poetry and writing is acceptable.
- Photos, graphics, or images are not permitted.
- Referenced copyrighted material must be appropriately credited.
Important: Every submission must include a signed parent/guardian waiver. Entries lacking the signed waiver will not be accepted. (Blank Parental Release)
All submissions become the property of Shiv’s Third Eye and may be published, with proper credit to the author.
Download the parent/guardian release form, sign, scan, and upload it as FirstnameLastnameSchoolInitials_Waiver.pdf.
Eligibility
- Open to current High School Students (grades 9-12) OR
- Open to current Middle School Students (grades 6-8)
- Must provide teacher or counselor’s information for verification
- Available to Public, Private, Charter, or Homeschool students enrolled in the state of New Jersey
How to Enter
- Select the category you’re eligible for (High School or Middle School).
- Create your submission with passion and authenticity.
- Submit your entry along with the required waiver here.
- Stay connected with us on social media for updates and announcements.
Important Dates
- Submission Period:
Oct 1st, 2025 – Dec 20th,2025. - Judging Period:
Dec 20th,2025 – Jan 25th, 2026
Winners Announcement:
at Jan 25th, 2026 at Youth Mental Wellness Fair 2025
Frequently Asked Questions:
The essays will be evaluated by a Judges Panel consisting of a Middle School English Teacher, a High School English Teacher, a High School Psychologist and an adolescent Clinical Psychologist. Each judge will be from a different school district in NJ.
The Panel will be given a rubric and each of them will assign the points to each entry based on the rubric and the average point will decide the ranking.
The Judges will not see the participant names and it will be anonymized to enable a bias free evaluation.
No. If they do, the first entry will be considered valid.
No the essay entry is individualized.
We are starting this year with only Essay competition. But in the future there are plans to expand it to beyond essays.