Our entry dives into the world of two friends. One friend is experiencing mental health challenges and does not know how to reach out to his friend for help. At the same time, his friend, who wants to help him, does not know how to reach out either. They both battle their thoughts and eventually sit down together and the depressed student gets the help and compassion he needs from his friend. They both move forward with better states mind and a stronger, healthier friendship.
Our entry video, The Imperfect Athlete, is about a girl who is going through stress and anxiety from sports. She has been going through depression, and puts so much pressure on herself. She is afraid to talk with others because she thinks she’s the only one, and doesn’t know if her coaches or teammates would understand her. She thinks she’s the only athlete going through this, but comes to realize there are people who are going through the same thing, and can help.
My film shows a teen girl struggling with the idea of sharing how much she loves her stepmother. Instead of speaking with words, she writes what she feels. This story highlights the challenges of being honest with the ones you love, inviting the audience to reflect on their own struggles with true communication.
My piece depicts my mom and me in a sunlit living room. I drew myself as a child watching my mother work to combine all of our different cultures and lifestyles as Hispanic Americans. The sewing of flags represents this unification. I’m grateful to my parents for guiding me through life and teaching me how to live in the US while not forgetting my heritage.
This artwork is inspired by hope, because it is about acceptance and peeling away layers to share my real self is as male. It is about me opening myself up to the world, being myself so that I can be accepted and encourage others to feel brave enough to do the same.
I wrote a poem about justice and understanding, inspired by experiencing change and responsibility at a young age. The poem explores how I learned to adapt, move forward, and even give up certain things in order to keep going. I learned to stay steady through instability. holding responsibility, resilience, and growth at the same time.
This entry explores the emotional distance that can form between a parent and child during the transition into adulthood. The film reflects how young people often struggle to explain what they feel, even to the adults closest to them. It asks adults to recognize that withdrawal and distance are often signs of vulnerability, not defiance, and invites them to listen more closely to emotional cues that are easy to miss.
This artwork shows a peaceful protest where people stand together holding signs, flowers, and flags instead of weapons. Their raised fists and calm presence emphasize nonviolent resistance and collective strength. The monarch butterfly symbolizes migration, resilience, and renewal, reflecting the ongoing movement of people and ideas. Set in Los Angeles, a city shaped by immigrant and Mexican communities, the scene highlights how unity and visibility can create a powerful sense of hope even during difficult times. It reflects how, today, communities continue to gather and speak out in response to ongoing immigration policies and social injustice.
This is a letter that I never sent. It’s for the wish I’ve made more times than I can count – the quiet ache of wanting to be enough for someone you love deeply (especially when their love feels conditional). Sometimes our parents withhold approval to push us, but they still love us just the same.
As I grow older and experience more on my own, I realize that my hopes differ from the goals my parents have set for me. I wish that their expectations for me weren’t so rigid, because I often feel as if I lose my individuality when I try to fit into them.