2024 Honorable Mentions

As part of Embracing Our Differences’ mission to celebrate and share amazing student artworks, these pieces created by elementary, middle, and high school students in Pinellas County are recognized as Honorable Mentions for the 2024 Exhibit.

Diversity Picked with Love

by: Natasha V.-F.
8th Grade, Tyrone Middle School
St. Petersburg, FL, Teacher: Karissa James

"I created this art to portray a little boy picking flowers for his mom. He picks all the different flowers as he loves each and every one. Look how beautiful it can be to make a bouquet with many different flowers. Diversity is beautiful. Diversity is love."

World Love

by: Emily B.
6th Grade, John Hopkins Middle School
St. Petersburg, FL, Teacher: Katherine Talbot

"I spent hours and the nails represent different genders, pink and purple mean girl, pink and blue equals both and then blue means girl and gray means none."

Music is Unity

by: Maliyah M.
8th Grade, Tyrone Middle School
St. Petersburg, Florida
Teacher: Karissa James

"Differences can create unity. When I thought about differences, I thought about instruments. Instruments make such wonderful music, by unity. That is what people need to think of. A harp, or a violin, or a piano, can be so different from each other, but make such an amazing sound on their own, or played together. You and your instrument bring unity to this world."

We Are All Beautiful

by: Gabrielle O.
12th Grade, Hollins High School
St. Petersburg, FL, Teacher: Heather Shell

"I created this piece is for all the girls who have stood in the bathroom feeling insecure or wishing we looked like other girls in the bathroom. This piece represents a culture where we could all stand in the mirror and love and appreciate no only ourselves but each other."

Kindness for All

by: Naila A.
4th Grade, Lakewood Elementary School
St. Petersburg, FL, Teacher: Kayla Carreira

"My art shows kindness and love. People are holding hands and including one another."

It’s a Woman’s World

by: Ella C.
12th Grade, St. Petersburg High School
St. Petersburg, FL, Teacher: Rachel Koral

"To me, diversity means being unique in a sea of sameness. Highlighting our strengths and differences without shame. Daring to be different and distancing yourself from societal norms. In particular, I wanted to highlight the stereotypical gender roles that are extremely prevalent in our society. This piece conveys the societal expectations of women, being performed by men, communicating the ever-changing roles of men and women. I was inspired by David Hockney’s use of photo joiners for the composition as well as photographer Eli Rezkallah in his series called “In A Parallel Universe” where he recreated 1950’s ads but switched the gender roles portrayed in those ads to reveal the absurdity of their misogynistic stereotypes. As a young woman, this subject is very meaningful to me. Being able to see these stereotypes actively changing gives me immense hope for the future of my generation and the generations that precede me."