WPL to Award Florida Gulf Coast University’s Wings of Hope ‘Panther Poster’ Contest Winners, 2022-2023

NAPLES, Fla., (Sept. 1, 2022) –  Woodward, Pires & Lombardo is excited to sponsor our local student panther poster competition again. Over 5400 Collier County 4th /5th grade to High School students are participating in the Florida panther Umbrella Species Poster Contest with their art teachers. This year’s theme is the message that the endangered Florida panther is considered an “Umbrella Species,” which means when we protect and save the panther and its habitat, we save all the native wildlife, clean air, and water, resulting in saving humans, meaning ALL of us.

37 SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING: 24 Elementary, 7 Middle Schools, and 6 High Schools

FGCU WoH Art Challenge Poster 2022

Umbrellas Species poster

This year’s poster criteria must have the correct coloration of the panther and native wildlife living in the proper habitat. In other words, not a black or pink panther standing on a mountain with an elephant.

Tim Tetzlaff, Director of Conservation of The Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens, designed and will print the Umbrella Species poster for all participants and art teachers.

Florida Wildlife Federation, Meredith Budd, will honor the overall winning art students with cash awards, including $250 going to the best overall high school art student. Plus, Audubon Western Everglades will honor the best depiction of a Florida panther and the most creative overall winners with cash awards.

We never leave out the hard work of the art teachers that educate and guide their students while they draw the Florida panther, wildlife, and the natural world, along with a teacher PowerPoint reference guide. The guide, designed by the Wings of Hope program, includes photos and videos from the infrared motion cameras mounted in panther habitats, and is purchased with “Pennies for Panthers” by the 5000 4th /5th grade students that participate in the Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) Panther Posse Program.

The law firm of Woodward, Pires and Lombardo, P.A. has stepped up again this year to award the overall winning art teachers a cash award, and they supplied all the 5,400 sheets of drawing paper and a huge waterproof envelope to protect the top four school winning posters that will be judged December 8, 2022 at FGCU.

Additionally, we’re honored that the Collier County Public Schools (CCPS) Fine Arts department’s Leslie Loughran, District TSA, Visual Art, has assisted with the panther poster art contest to make it educational and fun.

The artwork will be displayed at their individual schools, educating thousands about the Florida panther, and the overall winning posters will be on display all over Southwest Florida!

“Building bridges of hope with education, awareness and research, to help save the endangered Florida panther, wildlife and the natural world, with ART”. — ‘Mrs. Ricky’ Pires, Founder & Director of Wings of Hope

A poster featuring a panther holding an umbrella with the words 'panther habitat' written on it, surrounded by other animals.rpires@fgcu.edu www.fgcu.edu/cas/communityimpact/wingsofhope

FGCU Wings of Hope Program Contact information:

Contact: ‘Mrs. Ricky’ Pires, for donations that will assist with educational supplies for the FGCU “Wings of Hope” programs. rpires@fgcu.edu

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