Alberta Teachers’ Association's Hats On! For Mental Health Campaign

• Supervising Designer: Erin Solano
• Designer: Michael Parillas 

Hats On! for Mental Health was created to encourage conversations about mental health in Alberta classrooms. This three-year campaign, developed in partnership with the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA), the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and Global Television, brought the topic to life through lovable, hat-wearing creatures inspired by popular children’s shows and monster movies. Each year, a fresh set of friendly, quirky characters appeared in a vibrant visual system. With their empathetic personalities and small acts of kindness, these characters made mental health discussions approachable and engaging for students of all ages. Teachers received high-quality print and digital resources to support meaningful conversations in the classroom. The campaign invited everyone to wear a special hat on the first Wednesday of May to promote togetherness and reduce stigma. The result was province-wide engagement with teachers, staff, parents and students proudly wearing their unique hats in classrooms and sharing their photos on social media.