The Sixth Annual GEM Art Contest Launches Oct 10th
We are gearing up for our sixth GEM Art Contest that will launch this fall. We are always excited to see what students create to help us with our mission of reducing suicide in our community.
If you are new to our contest, click here to watch our short video that provides information about what we do and shares artwork from previous winners.
GEM Artwork in the Community
While you are out and about in Greater Dayton, check out the GEM artwork with vital 988 crisis messaging. We are looking for ways to get the word out in the community about the FREE support available 24/7 at 988. Email us with your ideas for a GEM art installation!
GEM Team Members with last year's PSA in the RTA garage. Above is this year's PSA that will run in all 200 RTA buses.
GEM artist Stella with our utility box art wrap at Levitt Pavilion.
GEM artwork with 988 messaging on street pole banners in Old North Dayton near Children's Hospital. The banners feature GEM artwork on one side with the word together translated into nine languages (representative of the residents in the community) on the other side.
CONGRATS to the Award Winners of the 2025-26 GEM Art Contest for Suicide Prevention Awards Ceremony
We packed the Eichelberger Auditorium in the Dayton Metro Library and presented 51 students from 46 schools with prizes ranging from $50 to $1,000 at this year's GEM Awards Ceremony, totaling more than $15,000. We will update the website with photos and video of the ceremony soon, but here are a few photos and our senior team members' video that introduced our program and shared what we do with all the artwork we receive from the contest. You can view winning entries here.
We received 135 entries from 28 high schools and 18 middle schools. Every school with a participant was guaranteed at least one winner. Our diverse team of judges consisted of students, professional artists, and mental health professionals. We couldn't do this without the support of our generous sponsors. Please be sure to thank them for their support with your business or a kind word if you see them.
We are excited about the new artwork and look forward to sharing our plans for how we will include it in our prevention messaging materials and signage for the community.
We will host another opportunity for students to create and share their writing inspired by the GEM artwork the fall. We offer food, journals, artwork, prompts, and comfy spaces for students to create messages of hope and resilience that will encourage others to keep going.
We will use the words to accompany the artwork in our outreach projects, such as the calendar and posters, and provide awards for students whose writing we use.
We are working with ALL Club to finalize our dates for our next Writers' Kickbacks, so check back if you are interested in joining us!
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Our New Calendars
Are Coming Soon!
Our 2024-2026 JumpstART Conversations calendar featured the GEM artwork from the first three years of our contest! You can view the calendar here.
These calendars were mailed to schools and organizations that work with youth and we look forward to printing our 2027-2028 calendar this fall. If you would like to receive one, please send your mailing address to gemprojectdayton@gmail.com.
Not an Artist?
You can still participate!
We are actively looking for high school students from different schools in the Dayton area to join our GEM student leadership team. You can read about the responsibilities of student team leaders here. If you are interested, please reach out to us at gemprojectdayton@gmail.com. We would LOVE to have you.
Note: If you are an artist, you probably don't want to join our team because you would not be eligible to enter our contest.
© 2026 by GEM Project Dayton - a local nonprofit, dedicated to fighting suicide in the Dayton area.