The Eating Disorders Resource Center (EDRC) is delighted to announce the winners of the 2022 Be-You-tiful, Be Free Essay Contest. Students from middle and high schools in Santa Clara county submitted essays and art reflecting their experiences with eating disorders and body image. The winners can be found below. See also, one of this year’s winners, Jaimie Nguyen, speaking about the effects of social media on the front page of the Mercury’s Sunday edition.
Multimedia (Art & Video)
1st Place: Nishi Goyal (Henry M Gunn High School, Grade 10)
“Throughout the process of creating my piece for this contest, I got to explore issues surrounding eating disorders and social media and learn more about them. The contest taught me how to take my feelings about these topics and depict them through art. Overall, it was a fun and rewarding experience!”
Writing
Poetry
High School:
1st Place: Maithreyi Bharathi (Saratoga High School, Grade 10)
“Through this contest, I learned about different people’s experiences regarding body image and eating disorders. I also explored articles about these topics on EDRC’s website, which had great resources for support and advocacy. This contest definitely inspires me to write more about topics that need a voice.”
2nd Place: Jaimie Nguyen (Evergreen Valley High School, Grade 10)
Middle School:
1st Place: Grace Lin (Redwood Middle School, Grade 8)
“From the contest, I was able to really think about how everything around me influences my actions, self-acceptance, and mental health. A lot of influencers, classmates, and friends throughout my entire life have made me who I am today.”
Essay
High School:
1st Place: Grace Xiaoran Li (Saratoga High School, Grade 10)
“Despite the growing emphasis on mental health and body positivity, I have always felt wary about making myself vulnerable for I believed it was merely transferring the burden. I wish to extend my thanks to the EDRC for providing me with an opportunity to express myself wholeheartedly. I did not expect to win, but the idea that somewhere out there, people relate and care about my struggles sets my heart at ease.”
2nd Place: Shannon Ma (Saratoga High School, Grade 11)
“When I read the prompt, I immediately thought of my thirteen years as a dancer and the heightened body-awareness that dancing naturally provokes. Sometimes, what’s scarier than grappling with your own struggles is watching someone close to you bend themself backwards to fulfill a frigid definition of beauty. Body struggles became no longer a faraway issue but a concrete danger in my world. Writing this piece also made me deeply cherish the beauty and enthusiasm that dance can spark in a healthy environment. I hope this pure side of dance is seen by more people in the future.”
Middle School:
1st Place: Sophie Qin (Redwood Middle School, Grade 8)
“Unlike other writing competitions I have participated in, the EDRC Multimedia Contest is by far the most congenial and liberal one I have ever experienced! It has taught me that expressing oneself through words could influence others and society as a whole.”
EDRC wants to extend a special thank you to Taylor Lin who, for her second year in a row, oversaw the contest. Taylor graduated this year from Evergreen Valley High School and will be attending the University of Miami in the fall as a Stamps scholar, on a full-ride scholarship, where she plans to study business with a minor in psychology.
“Leading the EDRC’s annual multimedia contest was incredibly rewarding and motivating. I loved seeing how students and community members across the Bay Area come together every year to increase the dialogue around mental health. Every entry I read inspires me and gives me hope for the future. The talent and quality of work are astounding, and the stories are impactful. I encourage all youth across the Bay Area to speak up and share their perspectives on mental health. The EDRC contest opens a safe and welcoming space to do so.” – Taylor Lin
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, you can learn more about various care options here. EDRC provides support groups and maintains a comprehensive directory of specialized treatment providers in the Bay Area. You can also support EDRC’s mission further by making a tax deductible donation.
