Good News About Polk County Public Schools

Tag art from Sleepy Hill Elementary’s Nick Jiles.

More than 120 public school students from nearly 70 elementary schools won Awards Of Distinction in the 2010-2011 Polk County Kids Tag Art Awards program.

During the 2010-2011 school year, 10 sponsors and community partners coordinated the Polk County Kids Tag Art program where fifth graders created art to be used for individual poly-vinyl specialty license plates

Kids Tag Art inspired young artists to create their own design. Students learned the practical application of license plate art and how Florida’s more than 100 specialty plates support worthy causes. Kids Tag Art license plates were sold to the public for mounting on the front license plate areas of vehicles or for display in homes, offices or other favorite places. The Polk County Kids Tag Art license plates are prohibited from being placed in the rear license plate areas of vehicles where state-issued motor vehicle license plates are required by law.

Proceeds from the sale of the plates are used to buy classroom art supplies. Now in its fifth year, Kids Tag Art has raised more than $60,000. 

Visit www.polktaxes.com and click on the Kids Tag Art link to view the artwork and other details on the program. Major sponsor of the program was MIDFLORIDA Credit Union. Other sponsors were Alphagraphics, Douglass Screen Printers, Junior Woman’s Club of Lakeland, Lake Wales Arts Center, Polk Arts Alliance, Polk County Tax Collector’s Office , Polk Education Foundation, Polk Museum of Art and the Polk Public Schools. 

2010-2011 Tag Art Awards Of Distinction winners include the following students listed by school location. Art teachers are listed in parentheses.

Auburndale
Auburndale Central Elementary (Caroline Krombach): Alyssa Fipps 
Berkley Elementary(Kayla Jennings): Courtney Kreisler, Bryanna Rials
Boswell Elementary (Connie Furno): Adrianna Boyd
Caldwell Elementary (Pamela Marion): Trevor Martin, Amber Rotolo
Lena Vista Elementary (Annette Hatch): Nevin Gonzalez, Tashena Macomber

Bartow
Bartow Elementary Academy (Colleen Holland): Callie Pittman, Beatriz Galindo
Floral Avenue Elementary (Jessica Rothbard): Sierra Jackson, Morgan Winfre
Spessard L. Holland Elementary (Sonja Johnson): Gavin Connors, Alexis Northcutt
Stephens Elementary (Elizabeth Webb): Nathaniel Alfaro, Cherokee Smith

Davenport
Davenport School of the Arts (Christina Edmonds): Ashley Herrera-Perez
Loughman Oaks Elementary (Crystal Strock): Bailee Tabag, Savannah Vargas

Dundee
Dundee Elementary (Danielle Manley): Erick Gorrosquieta, Edgar Torres

Eagle Lake
Pinewood Elementary (Kathy Winters): Irene Garcia, Conner Tibbets

Fort Meade
Lewis Anna Woodbury Elementary (Nathaniel Fountain): Caden Music, Daisy Reyes

Frostproof
Ben Hill Griffin Jr. Elementary (Virginia Aho): Ashley Garcia, Katie Akouka

Haines City
Alta Vista Elementary (Heather Meisner): Mike Estivene, Yenifer Pablo
Bethune Academy (Raedell Coogler): Wen Jiang, Brendon Woods
Eastside Elementary (Sara Fordyce, Brandie Hanna): Reyna Berdel-Vazquez, Sheyla Mora-Silverio
Sandhill Elementary (Christie Becker-Fitzgerald): Caleb Berry, Kristen Luongo

Highland City
Highland City Elementary (Aundrea Schmiz): Alexie Langston, Morgan Whitfield

Lake Alfred
Lake Alfred Elementary (Joy Montgomery): Roberto Gutierrez, Sarah Reece

Lake Wales
Hillcrest Elementary (Brannan Lawson): Marisa Davila, Taylor Wildmon
Janie Howard Wilson Elementary (Charlotte Weis): Eva Atkinson, Tanner Edwards
Polk Avenue Elementary (Dawn Yeager): Lucero Otero Altamirano
Spook Hill Elementary (Linda Malik): Hailey Quesinberry

Lakeland
Blake Academy (Catherine Stetson): Mitchell Harvey, Nikolas Morris
Carlton Palmore Elementary (Joni Zimmerman): Ixchel Collazo, Caitlin Wizda
Churchwell Elementary (Cari Bateman): Garin Butler, Elizabeth Rodriguez
Cleveland Court Elementary (Ken Groff): Lindsey Kim, Diego Salinas
Combee Elementary (Nicholas Tangredi): Naomi Ramirez, Genesis Zarsosa
Crystal Lake Elementary (Anwar Wilkerson): Diamond Moore
Dixieland Elementary (Cassanda Ruotolo): Alaysiah McKinley, Gabriela Vazquez
Dr. N.E. Roberts Elementary (Jennifer Bishop): Anna Dusci, Kevin Ly
Griffin Elementary (Kristy Warren): Mariah Wiggs
Highlands Grove Elementary (Christine Bassett): Steven Bisso, Samara Cook
Jesse Keen Elementary (Kristi Robinson): Adam Benitez-Hernandez, Reynaldo Carrillo
Kathleen Elementary (Jennifer Selfridge): Chi-Chi Nevarez, Kiara Santos
Lincoln Avenue Academy (Julie Stone): Trinity Jackson, Maranda Jones
McKeel Elementary (Trina Maner): Angelina Bianchi, Katherine Even
Medulla Elementary (Emily Johnson): Jade Jarvis, Amanda McSwain
North Lakeland Elementary (Sarah Watson): Daniella Escamilla, Jesus Nieto Quintana
Oscar J. Pope Elementary (Maureen Brown): Joshua Cuadrado, Azalia Denni Dieguez
Padgett Elementary (Irene Hoffman): Alejandro Capote, Elisa Vividor
Philip O’Brien Elementary (Greg Culmone): Hannah Dinsmore, Sybella Norman
R. Bruce Wagner Elementary (Karri Croft): Zachary French
Scott Lake Elementary (Andrew Huneycutt): Elizabeth Hammond

Sikes Elementary (Mark Cloutier): Kylee Chormann, Ryder Skipper
Sleepy Hill Elementary (Marilyn Dailey): Nick Jiles, Carley Vasquez
Socrum Elementary (Kate Young): Ariel Colding
Southwest Elementary (Jocelyn Miller): Everett Pickens, Abbey Williams
Valleyview Elementary (Margi Trickey): Vallon Kelly, Abraham Ortiz
Wendell Watson Elementary (Jan Briggs, Megan Sellner): Armon Rios, Elaine Vazquez
Winston Elementary (Marchelene Manning): Aeriana Gilliard, Joseph Zamora Murillo

Mulberry
Kingsford Elementary (Chantel Rhodes): Jalynn Guinn, Maria Ramirez
Purcell Elementary (Debbie Smith): Daniel Almaraz-Garcia, Sierra Brockman

Polk City
Polk City Elementary (Colleen Schmidt): Daryl Peterson, Alicia Rivera

Poinciana
Lake Marion Creek Elementary (Jacquelyn Mangold): Kiarra Filsaime, Emanuel Ortega
Laurel Elementary (Deana Conley): Ericka Corcino, Tyrese Smith
Palmetto Elementary (Hector Marrero Jr.): Yaneliz Martorell, Rubi Sanchez

Winter Haven
Brigham Academy (Carol Conti): Sadie Owen, Stevie Plummer
Chain of Lakes Elementary (Maria Peirce): Shelby Paulson, Summer Snively
Elbert Elementary (Natalie Helms): Calista Jones, Shannon LaBastille
Garden Grove Elementary (Jaye Hansen):Morgan Rudd
Garner Elementary (Alison Schorsch): Stephanie Becerra
Inwood Elementary (Theresa Kindrick): Faith Sharpless
Jewett School of the Arts (Mary Ellen Porter, Kathy Power): Erica Mitchell, Ross Persichetti
Lake Shipp Elementary (Patrick Stone): Sean Boelman, Orlando Figueroa
Wahneta Elementary (William Melvin): Adam Blackburn, Gisselle Perez

Tag art from Lena Vista Elementary’s Tashena Macomber.