Would you like to see your design concept on the back of thousands of Arizona motor vehicles for years to come?
Teen Lifeline, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing teen suicide in Arizona, is inviting teens throughout the state to submit their ideas for a new specialty license plate aimed at promoting hope and support for adolescents struggling with despair, confusion or thoughts of suicide.
The organization is seeking a visually appealing concept to be added to the specialty plate options that registered drivers can select from as their Arizona motor vehicle license plate. The plate is intended to provide a daily reminder that teens are not alone, and that help is available.
“No one is better at understanding and providing hope to teens than other teens,” said Michelle Moorhead, executive director at Teen Lifeline. “That’s why we’re asking teenagers statewide to submit their ideas for the look of a specialty license plate to inspire hope in their peers. We can hardly wait to see the amazing ideas that will be submitted by talented youths throughout Arizona.”
Three winning license plate concepts will be chosen, with their designers receiving a $500 gift card for first place, a $250 gift card for second place and a $100 gift card for third place.
“Although only one concept can be submitted to the Arizona Department of Transportation for review and final approval, we want to encourage creativity and have other options to submit to ADOT if our first submission is not accepted,” Moorhead said.
Winning designs and their creators will also be featured in Teen Lifeline’s social media posts and could have the satisfaction of seeing their artwork displayed on vehicle plates across the state.
The new Teen Lifeline specialty license plate will cost drivers $25 per year, $17 of which will be allocated to Teen Lifeline to further its lifesaving mission.
“We’re grateful for the opportunity to raise funds to further our mission for many years to come by enabling Arizona drivers to display their support for Teen Lifeline on their license plates,” Moorhead said.
Specialty license plates, first made available in Arizona in 1989, must be authorized by the Arizona Legislature. House Bill 2859, authorizing a Teen Lifeline license plate, was signed into law by Gov. Katie Hobbs on April 9.
To enter the contest, teens must be age 19 or younger and live in Arizona. Up to four design entries are allowed per person. Designs must follow specific guidelines provided by the State of Arizona and Teen Lifeline. Contest guidelines, rules, templates and frequently asked questions can be found at TeenLifeline.org/design.
Entries must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 2.
Winning plate designs will be selected by a committee of Teen Lifeline staff and teen crisis hotline volunteers. The winners will be notified by Monday, July 1.
The Teen Lifeline specialty plate is expected to go into production and be available to Arizona motorists in early 2025.
