The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in collaboration with Wildlife Forever, has announced the winners of this year’s Florida State Fish Art Contest.
The contest, open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade, provides a free opportunity for young artists to showcase their talents and win state and national honors and prizes. The program aims to foster a passion for fishing and conservation among young people, encouraging them to explore, protect, and appreciate Florida’s fisheries.
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The FWC selected the winning artists in four grade brackets, with both freshwater and saltwater categories represented. These winning artworks will now advance to the National Competition, where they will be judged for top prizes, including Best of Show.
Here are the winners and runners-up in each grade bracket:
Grades 10-12
- Winners: Jessica Neef and Savannah LaViolette
- Runners-Up: Jenna Geiser and Nicolas Leon
Grades 7-9
- Winners: Sebastian Romo and Aleksandra Pelegrin
- Runners-Up: Hailey Chen and Joy Lin
Grades 4-6
- Winners: Mila Das and Hopper Borchgardt
- Runners-Up: Iris Zhang and Advika Sonule
Grades K-3
- Winners: Michelle He and Rider Leib
- Runners-Up: Sophia Guan and Yihao Wu
“The talent and creativity displayed by these young artists in the Florida Fish Art Contest is truly inspiring. This competition serves as an outstanding opportunity to engage the next generation in both fishing and conservation,” said FWC Commissioner Sonya Rood. “Year after year, we are impressed by the dedication and passion reflected in each student’s portrayal of Florida’s diverse freshwater and saltwater species.”
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