Help Us Stamp Out the Stigma of Mental Illness!
 
The stigma faced by people with mental illness and their families is a heavy burden for those already struggling with overcoming psychiatric conditions.  Our community of caregivers at The Institute of Living would like to increase the acceptance and compassion toward people with severe mental illness in our local and regional community. 

In an effort to fight stigma, the Family Resource Center and the Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center sponsor the Annual BrainDance Awards competition.  Students are invited to submit art and/or academic projects on the topic of schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses.  We hope that students’ participation in the competition will make them more sensitive to the concerns of people with psychiatric illnesses and their families.


BrainDance 2010

The 2010 BrainDance Awards Day Celebration was held April 29, 2010, in the Commons Building at The Institute of Living. 
 
7th Annual BrainDance Award Winners:
Overall Winner/Best Art Projects
Two 1st Place Winners ($500 each):
Hannah Block - The Impact of Comments - Amity High School
Zachary Vallier - Depression and Addiciton - Bristol Eastern High School
 
Runners Up Projects ($100):
Karen Cabrera & Marissa Deloge – Film – "PTSD " – Bristol Eastern High School
Danielle Charette – Poem - "Recoiled Remembrance" - Coginchaug Regional High School
Betsy DelCiampo – Poster - "From Anxiety to Schizophrenia" – Mercy High School
Lara Donahue – Paper – "Fighting Depression" – Staples High School
Kailyn Friot – Essay – "Birthday Girl" – Masuk High School
Saroja Kolluru – Science Paper – "The Quantities of Glutamate Receptors in the Human Brain – Danbury High School
Kate Mannelly – Poster – "Schizophrenia" – New Canaan High School
Christopher Meyer – Short Story – "Untitled" - Fairfield Prep
Christopher Miller – Sculpture – "Unlocking The Brain" – Newtown High School 
For more information, visit the BrainDance web page.
 
BrainDance 2009

The 2009 BrainDance Awards Day Celebration was held April 29, 2009, in the Commons Building at The Institute of Living. 
 
6th Annual BrainDance Award Winners:
Overall Winner/Best Academic Project ($1000):
Bristol Eastern High School – “Stamping Out Stigma: Schizophrenia”
Class: Individual and Family Development
Teacher: Creighton Paquette-Claman
 
Runners Up Projects ($100):
Wesley Barlow – sculpture – untitled - Fairfield College Preparatory School
Heather Congdon – poster – “Stigma As a Mental Illness” Easthampton High School
Amber Ellis – untitled drawing – Rockville High School
Terry Prokop – short story – Closing Darkness” – Cheney Tech. High School
Catherine Sparks – poem/drawing – “A Mirror May Be Broken, But A Scale Never Lies” - New Canaan High School
Nicole Warkoski – painting – “Depression” – Terryville High School 
For more information, visit the BrainDance web page.
 
BrainDance 2008

The 2008 BrainDance Awards Day Celebration was held April 30, 2008, in the Commons Building at The Institute of Living.