Walgreens celebrates 15 years of the Expressions Challenge
The Expressions Challenge by Walgreens officially launched Jan. 8 and runs through March 31, 2024.
What started 15 years ago in Chicago to provide roughly 300 high school teenagers a chance to express themselves through art on HIV and AIDS is now reaching millions of teenagers across all 50 states and U.S. territories. The challenge allows teens to express themselves on a variety of issues.
“We looked hard at the ways in which we are already supporting healthy communities, and it made sense to include these important matters in the Expressions Challenge, while supporting young people and their mental wellbeing,” said Alethia Jackson, senior vice president, ESG and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at Walgreens Boots Alliance. “Psychologists who have looked at Expressions have touted the therapeutic benefits of self-expression through art, and this evolution of our programs helps us further our purpose to create more joyful lives through better health at all ages.”
Expressions Challenge by Walgreens not only provides teenagers with a platform to express their views on these issues but also recognizes and rewards them for their creativity and courage. Students can win up to $2,000 by expressing themselves through various categories, such as Visual Arts, Media Arts, Spoken Word and Creative Writing. View the 2023 winning student entries and learn more about the Expressions Challenge at ExpressionsChallenge.com.
The 15th anniversary also comes at a time when Walgreens has increased its commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of teenagers. Recently, Walgreens expanded its long-time collaboration with Mental Health of America to target youth during a Back-to-School campaign. It included a comprehensive set of mental health screening tools and other educational materials available at no cost to schools across the country.
[Read more: Walgreens expands commitment to improving mental health, well-being]