Students at Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School are using art to spark conversations about the risks of underage and problem gambling.
The school cafeteria recently transformed into a masquerade-themed gallery for the 2026 B-P Underage and Problem Gambling Photovoice Art Exhibition, according to a community announcement.
The event, organized in partnership with High Point Prevention Services, featured student photography and written reflections exploring how gambling can affect young people.
The masquerade theme was chosen to capture how gambling-related harm often stays hidden and how naming it openly is the first step toward prevention, according to the announcement.
The Photovoice Project is a youth-led prevention program funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Office of Problem Gambling Services. It is one of only a few programs nationwide that uses photography as a prevention tool.
Students respond to guiding questions with their cameras, participate in group discussions and write captions based on their personal experiences. Throughout the project, students explore how gambling can intersect with other challenges young people face today, including mental health concerns and substance use. It also encourages students to think about ways communities can reduce risk and support prevention efforts.
High Point Prevention Services staff Cara Ferguson, Keoscha Pina and Nic Coppola facilitated the program, with support from Bristol-Plymouth School Adjustment Counselor Andrea Trottier.
The exhibition welcomed students, staff and community members to view the artwork and hear directly from the students behind the project.
Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell delivered introductory remarks at the event. City Councilor Debra Botellio and state Rep. Lisa Field also attended as honored guests.
“The work our students created through this project shows how thoughtful and engaged they are with real issues affecting young people today,” said Superintendent-Director Dr. Alexandre Magalhaes. “The students combined art and storytelling to start important conversations about underage gambling and the need for prevention and awareness.”
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