Monroe County launches student art contest celebrating parks, marine life

Monroe County Parks & Beaches is turning student art into a civic call for stewardship, inviting young residents across the Keys to help shape how the county presents its parks, beaches and marine life to the public.

The contest, called Our Parks-Our Future, is open to Monroe County legal residents in grades K-12 and is split into two divisions, grades K-5 and 6-12. Students are being asked to respond to the theme Under the Sea & Beyond the Shore by creating original artwork or a mascot inspired by marine life, coastal habitats and the landscapes that define the Florida Keys.

The entry deadline is May 22, 2026, and all submissions must be digital JPEG high-resolution images. The rules say entries must be the student’s own work and cannot be AI-generated. Students under 18 must have a parent or guardian sign the registration agreement, and winners are required to keep the original artwork in case it is selected for recognition or display.

County officials say the contest is meant to reach children and teens from every part of the island chain while encouraging them to think about conservation in a creative way. First-place artwork will be displayed at select Monroe County parks, and the overall mascot winner will be used in promotional materials and social media campaigns countywide. The top entry in each age group will also receive social media recognition, giving students a visible role in how the county talks about its natural assets.

Winners will be notified during the week of June 22, 2026, and an official celebration is planned for July 2026, during Parks & Beaches Recreation Month. Families can request an application or review the rules by emailing ParksandBeachesFun@MonroeCounty-FL.gov or calling 305-453-8726. The application and contest rules are also available on the county website.

The effort builds on a program Monroe County Parks & Beaches used last year, when it invited students to submit similar artwork under the Protect Our Parks & Beaches banner. That contest ended with a July 19, 2025 celebration and public display of the winning work at Higgs Beach, Big Pine Key Park and Key Largo Park.

The county’s parks-and-beaches system includes 23 properties covering more than 100 acres, a footprint that gives the contest a practical purpose beyond the classroom. By placing student-created art in public spaces, Monroe County is tying local pride to a message that the Keys’ beaches, waters and parklands are shared resources worth protecting.