The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) and Volunteer Florida are inviting students to take part in the 2025 Native American Heritage Month student art and essay contests.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Both contests are open to students across Florida, with the art contest for grades kindergarten through third and the essay contest for fourth through 12th.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are proud to offer students opportunities to learn from and honor the Native Americans who have shaped Florida\u2019s story,\u201d Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas said in an FDOE press release. \u201cI encourage every student to learn about our Native American history and discover the remarkable achievements they made.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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The theme for this year\u2019s contests is \u201cCelebrating Florida\u2019s Native American Heritage.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the art contest, every student will submit one original, two-dimensional artwork based on the theme.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Four statewide winners will be chosen, with each winner receiving a $200 gift card for school supplies and a one-year pass to Florida State Parks<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n As for the essay contest, contestants must be residents of Florida, attend school in the state in grades 4-12 \u2013 this includes public, charter, private, home or virtual school \u2013 and can provide a social security number.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Students may only enter one essay that is written in English and is no longer than 500 words. The subject of the essay must be Floridian.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Some examples provided by the FDOE include:\u00a0<\/p>\n Betty Mae Tiger Jumper \u2013 First woman elected as chair of the Seminole Tribe of Florida\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Florida\u2019s Timucuan Pocahontas, Ulele\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Osceola \u2013 An outspoken advocate for Seminole rights in the 1800s\u00a0<\/p>\n Noah Billie \u2013 An acclaimed Seminole painter\u00a0<\/p>\n Six winners will be selected for the essay contest, including two elementary school (grades 4-5), two middle school (grades 6-8) and two high school students (grades 9-12).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Every winner will receive a two-year Florida College Plan scholarship provided by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation<\/a> and a $200 gift card for school supplies.\u00a0<\/p>\n In addition to the contests, students, parents, teachers and principals are also invited to nominate full-time educators of all student grades for the Native American Heritage Month Excellence in Education Award.\u00a0<\/p>\n Four winners will be selected, with each one getting $2,500 from Volunteer Florida.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n