WALGREENS CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
Over a million youth reached with a message on “health and wellbeing”
Annual Walgreens Expressions Challenge Launches Aug. 15
CHICAGO, Aug. 15, 2019 – Walgreens is proud to launch the 10th Annual Expressions Challenge by Walgreens, a creative arts competition for teens to voice their opinions on critical issues and encourage healthy decisions for a healthy future. Teens are given the opportunity to showcase their creative perspective on healthy lifestyle choices in three creative categories, for a chance to win prizes. First place students in each category will receive $2,000, second place students receive $1,250 in each category.
For 10 years, the Expressions platform has allowed teens to address what is most important in their lives though creative writing, visual arts, and multimedia arts. Launched originally to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS among teens, Expressions has gone down new paths as young people have used their creativity to address topics that concern them, including teen pregnancy, gender identity, drug abuse, self-esteem, cyber-bullying, anxiety, depression, and more.
Expressions continues to motivate youth to take a stand and use their voices for good works. This year’s Challenge launches Aug. 15, 2019 in all Chicagoland and St. Louis high schools and runs until Dec. 15, 2019.
The Expressions encourages parents, educators, and adults to take an active role to have a better understanding of what is taking place in the lives of youth, facilitate open conversations and implement support systems. Go to ExpressionsChallenge.com to learn how.
“This platform has given teens a voice and changed thousands of students lives over the years,” said John Gremer, director of community relations for Walgreens. “We are celebrating this important anniversary by showcasing the evolution of the conversation and their stories, which have been outstanding.”
Where are they now?
Walgreens launched Expressions in 2009, as a healthy choice initiative in Chicago Public Schools, in response to a report from the Centers for Disease Control that youth were the fastest growing new cases of HIV.
Over the years, Walgreens has reached over 1 million students with a message of support and youth empowerment. While the students create their own unique expressions, it is the teachers and parents who really drive this initiative. “Expressions offers an opportunity to explore important topics, helps students form opinions, and then provides a platform for them to express their thoughts and feelings,” said Jennifer Brown, a teacher from Mather High School.
While the themes expressed in the annual competition have evolved over the years, one thing has remained a constant: teens who have participated confirm the opportunity to express themselves on critical issues helped them later in life.
The Expressions team reached out to former winners to find out “where are they now?”
Alexis Johnson from Bolingbrook High School entered the Expressions Challenge in 2017, to explore her struggles with her identity as a black woman. Johnson shared that she was “struggling trying to see my internal beauty rather than what society was fixated on.” She created an art piece she calls, “the external shell,” to understand her insecurities and discover her identity. Johnson is currently attending Bradley University studying studio arts and pre-med, and now gives back to her peers by inspiring others to be comfortable in their own skin.
Tierra Wilson, a 2012 Expressions Challenge participant from Mathews-Dickey Boys & Girls Club, entered a song, “I’m Stuck in the Middle of Nowhere”, as a way to communicate her feelings on trying to look a certain way to fit it and be true to herself. Her song also addressed cyber-bullying and the dangers of sexting, which as she described was “widespread in high schools.” Through her involvement in Expressions, Tierra has helped thousands of young girls realize that being their true, authentic self was the most powerful thing they could do. She graduated from Tennessee State University and in addition to being a Hotel & Hospitality Manager, has gone on to establish a motivational speaking business named “Tierra True,” aimed at developing strong self-confidence and self-love in young women. www.tierratrueblog.com
Follow this link to learn more about past winners and see their work:
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1BQ2RO4G8ubRf3zeQdlDThrIYp7lSF1OD
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ABOUT EXPRESSIONS
Expressions (expressionschallenge.com) is a platform established by Walgreens to educate, empower and equip young people and their community with insights and resources on issues impacting teens. The competition offers students, teachers and high schools the opportunity to win cash awards from Walgreens. To-date, Walgreens has given away over $260,000.00 to teachers, students, and schools.
ABOUT WALGREENS
Walgreens (walgreens.com), one of the nation’s largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. Approximately 8 million customers interact with Walgreens in stores and online each day, using the most convenient, multichannel
access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice. As of August 31, 2018, Walgreens operates 9,560 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with its omnichannel business, Walgreens.com. Approximately 400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail clinic services.
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Media Contact: William Ugalde
Office: (312) 943-3330
Email: wugalde@goldstarc.com