The 2025 Be-You-Tiful Contest Now Accepting Entries!
The Eating Disorders Resource Center (EDRC) of Silicon Valley is thrilled to announce the launch of the 16th annual Be-YOU-Tiful multimedia contest! The themes regarding this year’s contest are Mental Health, Identity, Self-Acceptance, and Self-Care. Bay Area students grades 6-12 are invited to submit an essay, poem, visual art piece, video, or other piece of media that responds to the following prompts:
What would you tell your past self about mental health and self-care?
How have stereotypes, cultural background, gender, race, or other parts of your identity played a part in your mental health and self-acceptance?
Entries are due by April 30th, 2025 at 11:59 PM and can be submitted at tinyurl.com/edrc2025. Linked here is a flyer with all the contest information.
There will be three winners from each category (video, art, essay, poem) in the high school and middle school divisions who will receive cash prizes, gift certificates, and other awards. Additionally, winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony in the Spring, where their work will be displayed for the community.
EDRC’s ultimate goal in hosting the contest is to provide students the opportunity to share their experiences with mental health and body image, encouraging them to dispel misconceptions and speak up towards a solution.
About 50% of preadolescent girls and 30% of preadolescent boys report disliking their bodies, according to the National Eating Disorders Association, and the unattainable standards set by social media are directly tied to this rise in body-related struggles. The EDRC aims to promote self and body acceptance, increase media literacy, and empower youth to challenge harmful diet culture ideals head-on, all of which can play a pivotal role in preventing the onset of eating disorders among younger generations.
