Launching Leaders Winners Gallery - 2025
Art Awards
The judges agreed that the quality of the submissions was top-notch. The students’ creativity, vision of concept, and technical skills were most impressive. Each piece was carefully considered, and, out of the multitude of art entries, these five stood out.
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2025 Art Judges: Diana de Avila, Barbara Jendrysik, Janice Newman, and Pamela Olin
Award of Excellence
Diver Jane-Ternay
Inspired
Painting​​​​​​​​​​
Booker High School
Jeffrey Cornwell, Teacher
2nd Place
Special Awards​
3rd Place
Anne Dorval
Unorthodox
Painting​​​​
Manatee School for the Arts
Diane Rosenbarger, Teacher
Joyce Chen
Komatsu - Midsummer's Goodbye
Digital​​​​
Braden River High School
Yong Yu, Teacher
Honorable Mention
Ada Voight
The Distance
Painting​​​​
Booker High School
Jeffery Cornwell, Teacher
Madeline Alexander
I have become exactly what I feared I would.
Digital​​​​
Booker High School
Jeffery Cornwell, Teacher
Letters Awards
Imagination and creativity were abundant in the student letters entries. Thus, selecting winners from this talented pool was not easy. Our winners showed their love of the written word in their well-crafted submissions. These students took on tough topics, making their courage to share these stories an inspiration. Indeed, their futures look bright.​
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2025 Letters Judges: Jane Bartnett, Wilma Davidson, Ed.D., Joni Kantor, Ros Petti
Otto Group at Hightower Advisors
Award of Excellence in Letters
Jacob Gardner
Tiny Faceless Gods
Fiction
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Sarasota High School
Gina Barresi, Teacher
Linda Garden Special Award
2nd Place
Marisa Von Bender
The Love Within
Poetry
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Booker High School
Khea Knight, Teacher
3rd Place
Emma Haughey
The Sinking Ship of Theseus
Non-fiction
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Parrish Community School
James Walker, Teachers
Linda Garden Honorable Mention
Mackaylia DaCosta
Insecurities
Non-fiction
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North Port High School
Kisha Sims, Teacher​
Leianna Nguyen
Sonnet of Scotland (NOT the Ballad of Banquo
Poetry
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Parrish Community School
Lana Rosamilia, Teachers
Music Awards
The music compositions submitted by our talented students reflect a creative display of melody, rhythm, and spirit enhanced by the latest electronic elements, capturing the essence of each composer’s passion and artistic expression. The results delight the listener with a unique musical experience reminiscent of a rock concert, a jazz interlude, or a remarkable film score.
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2025 Music Judges: Sandy Moulin and Donna Serio
Halide Smith Award of Excellence
in Music Composition
Tristan Tran
Vals Furiosa
Composition
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Booker High School
Sung Choe, Teacher
Honorable Mention
Arjan Sandhu
Song based on a poem by Carl Sandburg
Composition
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Booker High School
Sung Choe, Teacher
Jaden Zomir
A Time Like No Other
Composition
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Sarasota Virtual School
Scott Blubaum, Teachers