Brimming with imagination, talent, and bold perspective, the 2025 Hillsborough County
Region Scholastic Art & Writing Awards lit up the University of South Florida’s College
of Design, Art & Performance this May. From gallery walls to the mainstage, students
in grades 7 through 12 showed what happens when young artists and writers are given
space to explore and the power to express their personal vision.

Presented in partnership with Hillsborough County Public Schools, the college welcomed
more than 350 visitors to the School of Music and the Carolyn M. Wilson Gallery on
the USF Tampa campus. The numbers tell a story of impact: 1,223 student submissions,
465 awards granted across art and writing, and 27 judges made up of curators, educators,
and creative professionals. A total of 120 standout works were featured in the weeklong
exhibition.

“The arts empower students to tell their stories and shape their world,” said Karen
Perez, District 6 and Board Vice Chair of Hillsborough County Public Schools. “This
kind of achievement does not happen in a vacuum. To our educators, mentors and families,
and our community partners, thank you. Your support creates the spaces young talent
can grow and thrive.”

The national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, founded in 1923 and presented by the
Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, continue to serve as a launchpad for emerging
talent. Students submit original work across multiple categories—from poetry to painting
to digital art. Each piece is judged blindly, with an emphasis on originality, technical
skill, and the emergence of personal voice. Gold Key winners advance to the national
level, joining a legacy that includes names like Sylvia Plath, Andy Warhol, and Stephen
King.

Laura Hobby, Supervisor of Visual and Theatre Arts Education for Hillsborough County
Public Schools, highlighted the significance of the setting. “We’d like to extend
our special thanks to the University of South Florida’s College of Design, Art & Performance
for partnering with us again this year,” said Hobby. “Access to these wonderful spaces
gives students and their families the opportunity to experience the arts in a university
setting and allows a larger audience to view their works.”

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards continue to be a powerful reminder of the creative
talent found in our schools and communities. With continued support from educators,
families, and institutions like USF, that creativity is not only nurtured—it flourishes.
To learn more about the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, visit www.artandwriting.org.