Holiday Gifts Benefitting Local Elementary Schools Now Available

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Dolphins, alligators and butterflies, oh my. Those are just a few of the front license plate designs more than 1,100 Pinellas County fifth-graders created during art class.

Now these student designs are on sale, and every purchase benefits the young artists' schools.

It's all part of Kids Tag Art Pinellas, a partnership between the Pinellas County Tax Collector's Office, Pinellas County Schools and various community sponsors to raise money for elementary art education, including classroom art supplies and enrichment programs.

Kids Tag Art Pinellas has raised more than $180,000 for local elementary art classrooms since its inception in 2015.

This school year, 43 Pinellas County elementary schools are participating in the program. Many schools opted to submit digital artwork, with students using various computer programs to create their designs. And returning for the third year, art teachers submitted their own designs to be sold.

A contest will be held on the Tax Collector's Facebook page next month, giving teachers a chance to win additional funds for their art classrooms.

Tags cost $15 each and can be purchased online. The deadline to buy a tag in time for holiday delivery is Monday, Nov. 30. Sales will continue through the end of May 2021.

Plates can be searched by the student's first name or school name. Teacher designs can be found by entering the search term "teacher."

"Kids Tag Art Pinellas allows us to give back to our local community in a unique and creative way," said Pinellas County Tax Collector Charles W.Thomas. "Not only does it help bridge the funding gap, it's a way to foster creativity in our young citizens. This program is very important to me and I'm pleased to see it continue to thrive despite the obstacles 2020 has thrown at us."

In addition to funding art education, Kids Tag Art Pinellas is also a juried art competition. Retired Pinellas County art teachers select winning artists from each school. Winning artists will be recognized for their talent at a virtual awards ceremony in January.

Kids Tag Art is made possible by community sponsors, including CenterState Bank (Platinum Sponsor), Tag Agency of Pinellas, Direct Mail Systems, Florida Heart Research Foundation, Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Motor Vehicle Network, Lauren's Kids, Bill2Pay, Office & Flooring Worx, LifeLink, Cici's, and DPrint. Those interested in becoming a sponsor should click here.