Ideas that Stick: New Stickers Reveal What Matters Most to Nipissing Youth

News Release: Ideas that Stick - New Stickers Reveal What Matters Most to Nipissing Youth

NORTH BAY, ON – Give youth a two-inch circle and creative freedom, and the results will be anything but small. New sticker designs feature expressions of family, culture, equal rights, and embracing our authentic selves, showcasing what is important to local youth.

In January 2026, individuals in the Nipissing district ages 11 to 19 were invited by Planet Youth Nipissing to design a sticker. The call-out was well received, with more than 40 designs submitted, each demonstrating impressive artistic talent. Following careful review by a panel of youth judges, fifteen designs were awarded, exceeding the original plan to select ten winning designs.

“We wanted to give youth an opportunity to engage with us in a way that felt authentic, low-barrier, and would give them creative freedom and agency,” says Alyssa Bedard, Community Development Coordinator for Planet Youth Nipissing. “We know that when young people lead and shape activities, they feel valued and heard. It builds their confidence, leadership skills, and gives them a sense of ownership over real issues that affect their lives.”

Nearly 40 people, including sticker artists, judging panel, parents and friends gathered at Near North Makerspace on April 9 to reveal the winning designs and celebrate the efforts involved.

“Youth are more likely to stay involved when they know their opinions matter,” says Bedard. “The engagement we saw at the reveal party was a testament to the sense of community and capability this contest established. It was especially meaningful to see so many proud parents and caregivers show up to celebrate their child's success. From start to finish, this contest has gotten to the heart of what Planet Youth is all about.”

Planet Youth Nipissing is a community-driven movement focused on improving the health and well-being of young people, and preventing early substance use by bringing together parents, educators, youth and organizations. Led by the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit, this work follows the Icelandic Prevention Model, a proven approach that has successfully reduced youth substance use and strengthened protective factors in communities.

The reveal party came days before the launch of Planet Youth Nipissing’s 2026 student survey, which is being used to gather the voices of grade 10 students across the district to help guide future action.

Winning sticker designers received 50 dollars and hard copies of their sticker. Stickers are available to youth-serving organizations who submit a request form through the Planet Youth Nipissing website.

To see the full collection of winning designs, visit https://planetyouthnipissing.ca/contest-winners.

Featured Designs

"My inspiration was mostly the people around me, they're all so unique and different and sometimes they can feel like they can't be themselves when they should be themselves and never change.”

"I painted a young woman (who is supposed to be me) at the beach enjoying the sun because I’ve always loved swimming and just sitting in the sun. I’ve never travelled outside of Ontario, so I would be so happy and lucky if I ever got to go to a hot place like Cuba or anywhere else hot with an ocean. My grandma told me all about her cruise experiences and I hope one day I’ll be able to go on one. I honestly just want to go anywhere hot with an ocean, but I would never want to do it without my family, because family makes an experience so much better in my opinion.”

“The inspiration behind my design came from a friend, whom I asked for advice on what I should draw. My friend told me something important to them — a drag show in which they enjoy, so I decided to draw a queen for the sticker contest. Besides that, I just love drawing and wanted to participate but didn't have an idea originally!”

“My inspiration for this sticker design was mainly based off my beliefs as an Indigenous person, and what is important to me. So in the sticker, I've referenced the medicine wheel, because they all represent a balance and a connection to the mind, body and soul, and just different areas of a person and I believe that's important for health and growth.   I have also put the seven grandfather teachings. Those are important because I was told it's a guide to a healthy lifestyle and balance. My Ojibwe teacher said, "If you lack even just one teaching, you lack them all." Then I put other things that are important to me, which was equality with gender, race, and sexual orientation, and world peace and world health. For the earth and its people, we all can do better. And of course, I put family on there because I am so grateful to live with people who care and love me no matter what, and that's so very important to me.”

“The circle in the middle with the four arrows is inspired by a video game controller analog stick. The pictures that the arrows are pointing to represent my favorite hobbies (the book to represent reading, the headphones to represent music, the tv to represent watching tv/ movies and the video game controller to represent gaming).”

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