Kids Tag Art Hosts Awards of Distinction

Polk County Kids Tag Art awarded 156 new fifth graders with the coveted Award of Distinction.
As one of the two top designs representing each participating school. Students were recognized at the Awards Ceremony at Branscomb Auditorium, on the campus of Florida Southern College, in Lakeland, Florida.
FSC Education Dean, Dr. Tracey Tedder welcomed the assembled guests to the campus. Master of Ceremonies Joe G. Tedder, Tax Collector and host of this creative art contest and fundraiser, gave an overview of the program and invited speakers school board chairperson Kay Field, guest speaker Stephen Koury, a world-renowned wildlife artist, and other local dignitaries to the stage, who spoke to a filled auditorium.
Also in attendance were two visiting tax collectors: Honorable Linda Myers, Putnam County and Honorable Randy Mast, Sumter County.  Both were here to observe the annual recognition ceremony and gather information for their county’s program.
The major sponsor for Kids Tag Art continues to be Southern Homes of Central Florida. They have been the major sponsor for the past four years.  Other sponsors include Legoland Florida, MidFlorida, Publix Super Market Charities, Dprint, Grasslands and OakBridge, Hall Communications Big Four Radio Stations, The Ledger, Point & Pay, Florida Heart Research Foundation, Unlimited DPI, Polk Education Foundation.  Partnerships with Polk County Schools, Polk Museum of Art, Polk Arts Alliance, and the Tax Collector’s Office for Polk County, who hosts the program for Polk County, where Kids Tag Art originated.
Following the ceremony, recipients and their families were invited to Polk Museum of Art, where a reception was hosted in their honor and where they could see their tag art on display.  The traveling exhibition of student tag art may be viewed at different locations around the county for the remainder of the school year.  Please visit www.PolkTaxes.com to view that exhibition calendar or to purchase tag art.
Polk County Kids Tag Art has been in existence since 2006, and to date, has raised close to $300,000 in Polk County, with over $700,000 combined from other counties. Over 14 counties’ tax collectors are now hosting this program throughout Florida.
2017 Kids Tag Art Awards of Distinction