Congratulations to the 2026 winners!

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the Five Ways to Wellbeing Creative Students Project - our art competition that celebrates mental wellbeing, self-care and resilience. 

Stage 2 Winner

Alistair Mason, Tahmoor Public School.

 

Stage 2 Highly Commended

Humera Rashid.

 

Kabir Menon Kadiyala, Bardia Public School.

 

Arisha Subedi, Bardia Public School.

 

Anmol Deol, Minto Public School.

 

Stage 2 - Collaboration Award

Tom Janz and Joel Risnes.

 

Stage 3 winner

Elliana Psarros, Padstow Heights Public School.

Stage 3 Highly Commended

Pardhiv Chikkudu, Barramurra Public School at Oran Park.

 

Hazel Ralph, Padstow Heights Public School.

 

Hayden Sawtell, Barrawarra Public School at Oran Park.

 

About the 2026 competition: 

We received 222 artworks for the competition that celebrates October's Mental Health Month and teaches children the five simple ways to support their wellbeing - Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give. 

Students then create an artwork based on one of the five ways.

Twenty schools in the region sent in an Expression of Interest to take part in this year's competition. Of these, 11 schools had not taken part in the competition before.

Participating schools receive teacher guides and lesson plans to support their students' learning.

 

Feedback from schools

Teacher gave positive feedback and said the competition:

• increased children's knowledge of wellbeing.
• was strongly aligned to the school curriculum, and 
• led to high levels of student engagement.

Student artworks and artist statements showed they have a growing understanding of how to look after their mental health and use the Five Ways to Wellbeing in everyday life.

Comments from schools includes:

• We’ve discussed the Five Ways to Wellbeing, what it looks like for each student and how can we promote a positive learning experience/ send out positive message through our artworks.
• Taking notice fascinated them, they are naturally observant but an overcrowded curriculum tends to take that away.

 

Want to learn more?

Scan the QR Code (below) or email the Health Promotion Mental Wellbeing team at SWSLHD-Wellbeing@Health.nsw.gov.au  

Steps to enter:

1. Schools complete an Expression Of Interest (EOI). A  member of our team contacts the school in September each year to organise a collection date for artworks and answer any questions you may have.

2. Optional: Use a session plan to conduct a session on wellbeing.

3. Allow time for students to create artworks- this may be an in-class activity, project or lunch time activity.

4. Each artwork must be accompanied by a Student Entry Form. The 2027 form will be available in the new year. 

 

Download the Teachers Guide for information on:

• Artwork requirements
• Judging
• Individual and school prizes
• Artwork collection
• Application of the Five Ways to Wellbeing in schools. 

 

Professional Learning Opportunities

During the competition, we offer free online professional learning sessions in partnership with Be You. These sessions explore practical strategies to boost mental health and resilience in your schools and classrooms.

To learn more, email SWSLHD-Wellbeing@health.nsw.gov.au

 

Toolkit to guide you

Our Mental Wellbeing team has created a toolkit of classroom resources and downloadable tiles to help you and your school enter the art competition. The toolkit (below) includes a diary activity, mindfulness poster, scavenger hunt and banners.

Teachers Guide

 

Recommended lessons

• Introducing the Five Ways to Wellbeing

• The art of wellbeing

 

Optional lessons

• Conversation starter

• Five senses

• Let's talk about it

• Wellbeing diary

• Mindful walk

• Wellbeing passport

• Scavenger hunt

 

Lesson resources

• Wellbeing passport

• Wellbeing diary

• Scavenger hunt

• Scavenger hunt - easy

• Presentation

• Entry form

• Five Senses Mindfulness Poster

 

Downloadable poster

• Icons posters

  - Be active

  - Give

  - Connect

  - Take notice

  - Keep learning

• Five Ways to Wellbeing poster

• Banner

• Logo

• Newsletter - Primary

• Newsletter - Secondary

   

Email us to learn more: SWSLHD-Wellbeing@health.nsw.gov.au

 

We broke records in 2025

We received a record number of entries in the competition in 2025. We received 301 entries, making it the most successful year of the competition so far!

 

Wellbeing Champion Schools Award

Congratulations to Picton and Bardia Public Schools! They are the joint winners of the top prize in the Five Ways to Wellbeing Creative Students Project.

To be eligible for the Champion Schools Award, schools submitted more than 40 student artworks in the competition, that explores the Five Ways to Wellbeing through art and celebrates Mental Health Month in October. They also completed a survey, showing their commitment to creativity, thinking and helping us make the competition bigger and better every year.

 

Congratulations and well done to the winners and highly commended in each category:

Early Stage One:

Winner: Dexter Oldfield, from Tahmoor Public School Support Unit.

Highly Commended: Tyler Reid, Picton Public School.

 

Stage One:

Winner: Cooper Gooden, Picton Public School. 

Highly Commended: Kabir Kadiyala, Bardia Public School.

 

Stage Two:

Winner: Jason David, Bardia Public School. 

Highly Commended: Scarlett Loyola, Mawarra Public School and Saanvi Kafle, Bardia Public School.

 

Stage Three:

Winner: Ellenna Lay, Canley Heights Public School. 

Highly Commended: Claudia Moffat, Moss Vale Public School; Lexi Meehan, Moss Vale Public School and Afiyah Farid Ansari, Lakemba Public School.

 

Stage Four:

Winner: Maria Halloum, Liverpool Girls High School.

Highly Commended: Horia Jalali, Liverpool Girls High School.

 

All Abilities Primary:

Winner: Monique Gialouris, Tahmoor Public School Support Unit.

 

Past winners - 2024 and 2023

Check out all of the amazing winners from 2024 and 2023. Click here!

Get inspired by these winners works and enter this year's competition to support the mental health and wellbeing of school children across south west Sydney.