Teens paint anti-meth murals
Vincent Swimley, in front from left, and Dalton Mossey, and Lacey Shaver, in back from left, Haeli Higgins and Delsey Olds, all of Troy, stand in front of a banner they painted for a statewide contest against methamphetamine use. The banner was placed outside Stein's IGA in Troy.
By GWEN ALBERS Western News Reporter
It's not uncommon to hear teenagers talk about the dangers of methamphetamine.
Now some teens from Libby and Troy are doing more. They're using artwork to communicate a message to stay away from the highly addictive drug.
Fifteen local teens were among 600 across Montana to enter last week's Paint the State contest sponsored by the Montana Meth Project. Their artwork against the drug can be found on banners, billboards and buildings in Libby and Troy.
The contest is a first, aimed at communicating the risks of meth use through works of art. It offered 13- to 18-year olds a way to get involved and compete for $6,000 in cash awards in each of the state's 56 counties.
Teens were asked to use the "Meth: Not Even Once" logo or other anti-meth themes to create a work of art visible by the general public.
Troy's Delsey Olds, 15; Haeli Higgins, 16; Lacey Shaver, 16; Vincent Swimley 17; and Dalton Mossey, 16; painted six banners. To buy supplies, they raised $220 with a car wash at First National Bank of Montana. The Church of God in Troy contributed another $200.
The banners, which took the Troy teens one day to make, were hung up at Stein's IGA, Troy High School, Troy Ambulance, and the old jail.
"Nothing good can come out of doing meth," Higgins said about her reasons for participating. "It just ruins people's lives."
More importantly to Ralph Stevers of Troy, these kids are getting out the message.
"The main thing is they are getting the community to talk about it and to talk to their kids about it," said Stevers, a substance abuse counselor with the Flathead Valley Chemical Dependency Clinic.
A banner made by the Troy teens and hung at Stein's IGA caught the attention of several shoppers. It shows mug shots of a Kansas woman who started doing meth at age 29, and how she aged before dying at age 38. The mug shots were taken every time she was arrested.
Trista Berget also participated in the contest. The 17-year-old from Libby painted her message on the side of the Mother Daughter Beauty Salon at 1122 Minnesota Ave. It shows a soccer ball with a chain attached and reads "Think you can kick it, think again. Choose life not meth."
"There's only a 7 percent chance (of getting off meth)," said Berget. "It's not really a smart thing to do."
Kira Lee of Libby took on the theme of "a roadblock" against meth with her artwork, which is displayed at Libby Library.
"It's great," said library director Sami Pierson. "People have stopped to look at it. It's very impressive."
Contest sponsors are pleased with the participation.
"The tremendous response to this contest speaks volumes about our state's young people and the way our communities pull together," said Sherry Cladouhos, president and chief executive officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana and a contest sponsor. "The artwork these teens have created is powerful and sends a strong message to all our children."
Lincoln County Commissioners will judge the entries from Troy and Libby. First prize in Lincoln County is $3,000; second, $2,000; and third, $1,000.
The 56 first-place entries from each county will qualify for a statewide competition and the $10,000 prize. Winners will be announced during an Aug. 9 ceremony in Helena.
The Montana Meth Project is a non-profit organization headquartered in Missoula. It implements a range of advertising and community action programs to reduce methamphetamine use among Montana teens.
The Meth Project is funded by a grant from the Thomas and Stacey Siebel Foundation. For more information, visit www.montanameth.org.