Inspiration Gallery
Fuel your motivation with these inspiring quotes and artwork from teens across the U.S. Which words or images speak to you? Save or share them with your friends and family!
"Summer Snapshot" Contest, First Place Winner, Emmaline. "What I am most proud of experiencing/accomplishing this summer is the fact that I’m able to enjoy the sunset again. I’ve lost most of my eyesight over the past couple of years, and with my recent treatments I can finally see the things I love the most enough to tell what they are, which are pictured in this photo - the sunset (as I mentioned) and my beloved dog best friend named Angel who also loves looking at the sky!"
"Summer Snapshot" Contest, Third Place Winner, Kelly. "This photo was taken at the Wei Tuo Fa Gong Temple in Pulau Ubin, Singapore. Studying abroad in Singapore this summer, I learned the importance of understanding more about the customs, cultures, and stories of everyone we interact with."
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Check out these empowering words by the National Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman. When looking for inspiration, remember to look inside yourself. ✨✊
What is your positive affirmation for this Monday? ⠀
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Share this with a friend who needs some encouragement. 🌞⠀
"Summer Snapshot" Contest, Second Place Winner, Casey. "This summer, I survived the heat and humidity of South Korea to visit Jeju Island. I saw the mountain and was inspired to take a picture alongside it."
What is YOUR positive affirmation? Share this with a friend who needs some encouragement.
Create Your Future Arts Contest Honorable Mention, Abigail. The inspiration: "This piece is called 'Starstruck' and this resembles my future because throughout 2021, I will always be inspired and fascinated by others. 2021 is the year that I will stay motivated and never give up on my dreams."
Create Your Vision Art Contest Honorable Mention, Skyler
"Confidence Chronicles" Poetry Contest Second Place Winner, Xaralyn.
Create Your Future Art Contest First Place Winner, Alasia. Their inspiration: "What helps me to regain my motivation is treating every day as if my room is my studio, which is often a mess. I learned as an artist that you serve as a slave to your ambitions."
"Confidence Chronicles" Poetry Contest First Place Winner, Ashley.
Create Your Future Arts Contest Honorable Mention, Ailani
![Meme: Before summer break [person smiling] "I'll go to the water park & eat ice cream & tidy my room & hang out with friends." Me, during summer break [stressed person] "I'll survive"](https://www.wethinktwice.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/styles/masonry_pop_up/public/2022-08/Leo_Meme Contest_3rd Place.png?itok=DbfMpjCa)
![Meme: "What I think summer is going to be like" [teens walking on the beach]. "Summer in reality" [frog looking at a heat map of the U.S."](https://www.wethinktwice.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/styles/masonry_pop_up/public/2022-08/Kayla_SM139_15-16.jpg?itok=NCniSv4F)
"Confidence Chronicles" Poetry Contest Third Place Winner, Victoria.
Create Your Future Arts Contest Honorable Mention, Vyctoria. The inspiration: "In the near future, I aspire to create beautiful art for the unmotivated, especially during these challenging times. I will strive to make art that might brighten up peoples’ day."
Create Your Future Art Contest Honorable Mention, Peyton.
Create Your Future Art Contest Third Place Winner, Joann
"Summer Snapshot" Contest, Second Place Winner, Tomas. "This summer I went camping in Lake George, Colorado. My buddies and I woke up at 2:45am to hike 8 miles up the blue ridge mountain to watch the sunrise, we hiked in pitch black darkness for 4 hours through rain, wind, rock slabs, and even had to climb some sections, but it was worth it. I set up my tripod and took some shots of myself on the cliff face of the mountain. I’m very proud of myself for completing this hike."
"Summer Snapshot" Contest, Third Place Winner, Kaylee. "I am most proud of my accomplishment of getting accepted into my first ever art exhibition at the Reitz Union. My artwork, "Showtime", done in oil pastel, is inspired by my amazing friends in drama club, and how surreal an experience a show's opening night can be."
"Confidence Chronicles" Poetry Contest Fourth Place Winner, Mackenzie.
Create Your Future Art Contest Honorable Mention, Jasmine.
"Confidence Chronicles" Poetry Contest Fourth Place Winner, Abigail.
"Summer Snapshot" Contest, Third Place Winner, Brennan. "Last summer I passed a law I co-wrote with a Senator that mandates that posters with first aid seizure instructions be put up in local businesses in my state. But now that it passed, I distributed free vegetable seed packets all summer that have seizure information on for people to learn but also to eat healthy! My friend has Epilepsy and I would want someone to help her."
"Summer Snapshot" Contest, Second Place Winner, Emma. "I'm most proud of my robotics team going to our state's capital and meeting with representatives and senators to spread the message of STEM. Pictured; Representative Timmy Beson walking towards our team's robot waiting for it to shoot out the ball for him to catch. We were also given a State of Michigan special tribute!"
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What skill or subject have you been wanting to learn about? Why not start now? ⠀
"Summer Snapshot" Contest, First Place Winner, Jadyn. "I'm 16 and this is a photo from a life changing trip that I went on to Idaho this summer. All week we volunteered clearing the trail to the peak then got to revel in the beauty of Grave's Peak once we hiked to the top."
"Summer Snapshot" Contest, First Place Winner, Hailey. "This is me on my horse, Maudie. I learned how to barrel race, pole bend, and lope on her this summer, and she's taking me to tryouts for a rodeo queen position on Labour Day. I'm so proud of how far we've come, and so excited to see how far we'll grow."
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Create Your Future Art Contest Honorable Mention, Cydney. The inspiration: "The submission name is metamorphosis. I want to grow and change into the person I want to become so I took a photograph of a butterfly to symbolize change."
Create Your Future Art Contest Honorable Mention, Oren.
Create Your Future Art Contest Second Place Winner, Anthony
Create Your Future Art Contest Third Place Winner, Jeremy. Their inspiration: "This piece was intended to be about putting myself back together after the mess that was 2020.... With this, my goal for 2021 is [to] make it to the day things get better."
"Confidence Chronicles" Poetry Contest First Place Winner, Shreya.
Create Your Future Arts Contest Honorable Mention, Jacey. The inspiration: "My main goal for 2021 is to heal, love, and appreciate myself more. Inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi (golden repair), I want to embrace my imperfections and take time to do what I love—art!"
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Take a break from the social media noise and check in with yourself. What is a way you can be true to yourself today?
"Confidence Chronicles" Poetry Contest Third Place Winner, Ava.
Create Your Future Arts Contest Honorable Mention, Natalie. The inspiration: "My goal for 2021 is to gain self confidence. I started struggling with major breakouts on my cheeks during the coronavirus outbreak which caused my self esteem to plummet... Drawing this picture of myself was a step I needed to take to gain confidence and to learn that I am beautiful with or without acne."
"Confidence Chronicles" Poetry Contest First Place Winner, Ailani.
Create Your Future Arts Contest Honorable Mention, Katie. The inspiration: "My goal this year is to improve in all aspects of my life. My graffiti style art shows the areas in my life I would like to improve."
Create Your Future Art Contest Second Place Winner, Felina. Their inspiration: "In the wake of 2020, my only goal for the new year is this: to be at peace with the moment in time in which I find myself... to experience each day as it comes, and to welcome whatever light tomorrow brings."
Create Your Future Art Contest Honorable Mention, Rida
