Students use art to unmask emotions in local schools
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SHENANDOAH – Students in two local school districts are participating in a community-based art initiative for Mental Health Awareness Month.
The UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care, Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, the Behavioral Health Alliance of Rural Pennsylvania, and the Schuylkill County Mental Health Developmental Services are collaborating with the community-based art initiative “I’m Fine” for the program.
“These works of art designed by students represent more than creativity—they reveal courage, vulnerability, and a deep desire to be seen and understood,” said Matthew Hurford, MD, President and CEO of Community Care Behavioral Health Organization and Vice President of Behavioral Health for the UPMC Insurance Services Division. “We are proud to support our youth in using art as a tool for emotional expression and community connection.”
School-based workshops were held at local high schools including Shenandoah Valley and North Schuylkill where students created ceramic masks symbolizing the emotional “masks” people often wear to conceal their struggles. These creative sessions offered students a safe, reflective space to explore emotions, reduce stigma around mental health, and connect through artistic expression.
The initiative was funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration and is part of the GRACE Project, a consortium focusing on enhancing behavioral health prevention, treatment, and recovery services for kids and teens in Schuylkill, Columbia, Northumberland, Montour, Snyder, and Union counties.
The masks are being shown in in-school displays and will be part of a travelling public exhibit that will stop in Schuylkill Haven, Pottsville, and Tamaqua:
- Haven Arts Center: May 5–13
- Schuylkill County Courthouse: May 19–24
- Tamaqua Art Center: May 27–June 7
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