Beth Duda, director of the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
The Attendance Awareness Poster Contest continues to be a vibrant and creative way to spotlight the importance of strong school attendance across the Suncoast region. Led by the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and underwritten by The Patterson Foundation, the contest invited students to design original posters promoting the message of coming to school on time and ready to learn.
This year, an estimated 39,000 children participated, demonstrating remarkable enthusiasm and imagination. From these entries, 371 posters were selected by their schools as grade-level winning posters. The young artists whose work was chosen received a certificate of achievement, a framed copy of their poster, and a $25 gift card in recognition of their efforts. Each participating school also received framed copies of their winning posters to proudly display and reinforce positive attendance messages throughout their campuses.
Behind the scenes, the success of the contest was made possible through thoughtful coordination and teamwork. Donna Puhalovich and Karen Arnold did a masterful job coordinating the contest, ensuring that details large and small were handled with care. Members of the SCGLR team supported the effort by assisting with poster pick-ups, prize assembly, and the delivery of prize packages to each school — a true demonstration of shared commitment and collaboration.
Schools reported high levels of satisfaction with the contest, noting both the strong student participation and the meaningful conversations sparked by the artwork. Administrators consistently shared appreciation for the collaborative spirit behind the initiative. One school leader expressed, “I truly appreciate all the help and support you provide in implementing our students’ attendance efforts.” Another added, “Your collaboration and commitment make a big difference. Thank you so much for working together as a team to meet the necessary requirements to ensure that our students attend school regularly and on time. By doing so, we are helping them achieve strong academic progress throughout this school year.”
By blending creativity with purpose, the Attendance Awareness Poster Contest not only celebrates student talent but also strengthens a shared community message: consistent attendance is a powerful foundation for learning and long-term success.
