Tax Collector, Indian River County Announces Winners
of Third Annual Kids Tag Art Program
Top artwork selected from over 700 submissions from 19 local schools
VERO BEACH, FL – The Kids Tag Art Program celebrated the impressive talent of 22 Indian River County students with drive-by celebrations between June 8-10, 2021. The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office escorted a parade of cars throughout the county with art teachers and KTA board members.
Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers stated, “We recognize the importance of the arts in the development of our youth. We are proud to partner with the Tax Collector’s Office to reward our community’s budding artists for their achievements.”
Kids Tag Art judges selected their favorites from 5th graders across the county. Judges for the 2020-2021 school year were local Artist Sean Sexton, Photographer Michael Jackson of Chile Jam, Joseph Semprevivo of Joseph’s Premier Real Estate, Indian River County Commissioner Joe Flescher, Artia Koehn and Julie Lilliquist of Evergreen Media, IRC School Superintendent Dr. David Moore and Radio Personality Eric Hunter. Judges spent an entire afternoon evaluating 752 submission from 19 elementary schools.
Sheriff Eric Flowers, County Commissioner Chairman Joe Flescher, Photographer Michael Jackson and Kids Tag Art board members, including Chirs Sexton joined Tax Collector Carole Jean Jordan to visit the winners in a surprise drive-by celebration. Children were presented with an award, a medal, a swag bag, a mini license plate keychain, and a license plate printed with their design and framed.
Carole Jean Jordan stated, “Kids Tag Art truly reflects the greatness of public-private partnership to benefit our local community.” She continued, “we are excited to see so much interest in partnering with the Tax Collector’s Office on this project, from local businesses and charities, over the last three years.”
County Commissioner Chairman Joe Flesher added, “The awards/recognition parade of achievement concludes another great year for student participation in the Kids Tag Art Program. Over seven hundred fifth grade students submitted entries. The artwork was amazing, and we are grateful to have the opportunity to see the overwhelming creative talent!”
Kids Tag Art was created in Polk County and has expanded to include many participating counties in the 2020-2021 school year. Since its inception in 2006, the Kids Tag Art Program has raised over $1.6 million in public/private partnership funds, has provided participation opportunities for over 35,000 students, and generated over 165,000 unique student-created tag designs across 300 schools statewide.
The program fosters artistic expression from students while also teaching them about the significance of artistic work in both government and commerce. This program is designed for 5th grade students, who are given a blank canvas to create their own specialty license plate. The students’ artwork is then made available for sale as front licenses plates, keychains, mousepads and other similar items and the monies from these sales are returned as supplemental funding for their school’s arts department.
For more information about Kids Tag Art, please call 772-226-1745.
