RiverValley Behavioral Health honors Youth Mental Health Art Contest finalists; Hancock County students recognized

RiverValley Behavioral Health has announced finalists for its 2026 Youth Mental Health Art Contest, and several students from Hancock County earned recognition.

Hancock County students named Division 1 (grades K-4) finalists are Eowyn Jarboe (kindergarten), Tobi Mae Sharp (first grade), Remi Critcheloe (first grade), Josie Critcheloe (third grade) and Brantley Sharp (fourth grade).

In Division 2 (grades 5-8), fifth-grader Ollie Howard was also selected as a finalist.

Other Division 1 finalists include Leo McCrystal (Daviess County), Jojo Eckstein (Daviess County), Karrington Sloane Wright (Daviess County), Kennedy Nobles (Henderson County) and Joseph Leonard (Webster County).

Division 2 finalists from across the region are Finley Johns (Union County), Millie Leonard (Webster County), Olivia Clark (Union County), Gemma Arnold (Daviess County), Lucy Hayden (McLean County), Hadlee Brown (Daviess County) and Morgan Cole (Ohio County).

Division 3 (grades 9-12) finalists are Megan Dukes (Daviess County), Larken Roach (Daviess County), Zoe Moreno (Daviess County), Mercy Tanner (Daviess County), Natalia Carter (McLean County), Jada Wilson (Union County), Chloe Mayes (Henderson County) and Graci Jordan (Henderson County).

Division 4 (college) finalists are Tess Hayden of Bellarmine University (Daviess County), Hannah McNeiley of Kentucky Wesleyan College (Ohio County), Becca Carmen of the University of Louisville School of Nursing (Daviess County) and McKenna Russin of Northern Kentucky University (Henderson County).

Each year, RiverValley Behavioral Health hosts its Youth Mental Health Art Contest inviting youth from its seven-county region — Hancock, Daviess, Henderson, McLean, Ohio, Webster and Union counties — to share messages of hope and mental health awareness through artistic expression with the theme, “Be Kind to Your Mind.”

The contest began in May 2021 during the pandemic as a way to promote mental health awareness among youth and show support for their peers. During the first four years of the contest, RiverValley has received more than 1,500 art submissions and has awarded more than $30,000 in scholarship funds and donations throughout area school districts.

Students in grades K through college who live in or attend school in the seven-county region are invited to create and submit a visual art piece such as a drawing, painting, sculpture or poem connected to the “Be Kind to Your Mind” theme. Finalists are named in four divisions: K-4, 5-8, 9-12 and college (ages 18 to 24).

A $500 scholarship is awarded to the project-of-the-year winner in each division, along with a matching contribution to the winner’s chosen school or nonprofit organization. The school or organization with the most entries is named “Mental Health Partner of the Year” and receives a $1,000 award.

Finalists were announced at the end of May during Mental Health Awareness Month and honored at RiverValley’s Youth Mental Health Art Contest Awards Ceremony on June 16.

For more information about the Youth Mental Health Art Contest or to view photos of the artwork, visit rvbh.com or follow RiverValley Behavioral Health on Facebook.

RiverValley Behavioral Health’s outpatient clinic in Lewisport is located at 1210 Fourth St. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 270-831-8489.