Crisis Center launches sticker contest to promote healthy teen dating

The Crisis Center Foundation in Jacksonville announced on Jan. 14 that it has opened a sticker design contest for youths ages 11–19 to mark Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month in February. Entrants are asked to submit a 2-inch sticker around the theme "Real love respects," with imagery that illustrates respect, trust, boundaries and healthy communication. Designers have until Feb. 9 to turn in work; winning designs will be printed and distributed at Foundation events across Morgan County.

The initiative aims to harness young people’s creativity to spark conversations in schools, community centers and on social media about what safe, respectful relationships look like. Small-format stickers are intended for notebooks, water bottles and phones—everyday places where teens signal identity and influence peers—so organizers hope the designs will serve as peer-to-peer prompts as much as promotional material.

Nationally, teen dating violence remains a public-health priority, affecting a substantial share of adolescents and prompting prevention efforts in education and community programs. Locally, the contest offers an accessible entry point for Morgan County students to shape prevention messaging. For participants, the contest provides a visible platform: printed stickers will appear at Foundation events, giving designers tangible reach beyond a classroom poster project.

Beyond awareness, prevention work like this can have economic and social implications. Reducing instances of relationship violence among teens tends to lower downstream costs tied to emergency health care, counseling and educational disruption. Community-based campaigns that engage youth creatively also complement school curricula and local counseling services, strengthening a network of supports that can identify and intervene earlier.

For families and teachers, the program is a conversation starter: judging by the Foundation’s criteria, entries that show communication, mutual respect and clear boundaries are likely to resonate. For the teens themselves, the contest is a chance to turn an art project into a community message that peers will see every day.

Submission details emphasize the Feb. 9 deadline and the 2-inch size requirement; entrants must be 11 to 19 years old. Winning artwork will be reproduced and handed out at Crisis Center Foundation events in the area, helping carry the "Real love respects" message into the daily lives of Morgan County teens.

The takeaway? If you’re a young artist or a parent of one, use this as an excuse to talk about what respect looks like in relationships—and get that design in by Feb. 9 so Morgan County can wear your message around town. Our two cents? Keep it simple, honest and bold so the message sticks.