Forgotten Florida Teen Photo Contest

The Farm Security Administration (FSA) developed and administered aid to farmers and farm workers during the Great Depression. These photos included main streets, churches, types of transportation, people at work, special celebrations, politics, and so much more. The FSA photographs are the most famous series of photographs to come out of the Depression of the 1930s. They are an extraordinary record of the American experience. In Florida, FSA photographers traveled throughout the farm areas, taking pictures of migrants and their families, of farmers laid low by hard times and of decrepit houses and ruined land. In addition, the director of the photography project, Roy Emerson Stryker, encouraged FSA photographers in Florida to document life in wealthy and middle-class enclaves as well as in tourist camps along the coast. This additional coverage was unique, and combined with the images made of the crisis in the farming regions, provides contemporary viewers with a compelling and wide-ranging view of the state as it was at that time.

Forgotten Florida: Photos from the Farm Security Administration will be on display at Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch from January 19th – April 19th. In the spirit of the FSA, Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch is holding a contest to include photos in the exhibit that teens (grades 6-12) in Collier County take of their life amid a global pandemic in 2021.

Judging Timeline:
– February 1, midnight: Entry Deadline (extended from previous deadline)
– February 20, 11am: 12 finalists unveiled at Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch
– February 20-March 20: Voting for People’s Choice award
– March 27, 11am: Presentations and Award Ceremony

Awards:
1st Place Judges Award: Apple iPad
2nd Place Judges Award: Apple iPad Mini
People’s Choice Award: Apple AirPods

To VOTE for the People’s Choice winner, please look at the images below and read the statements from each artist describing their work then CLICK HERE to submit your ballot! It’s that easy. These 12 photos will be on display at Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch at 1215 Roberts Ave W in Immokalee. Please support these kids in their artistic endeavors and documentation of Florida history.

: “Girl with Flower and Mask” Trenton Mayberry, 11th grade Artist’s Statement: The pandemic has been hard on many Americans. We are lucky to live in Collier County, Florida because we get to enjoy the outdoors. We also still have tourist from all over come to see the beautiful environment we are surrounded by. Big Cypress and Everglades National Park, Collier Seminole State Park, and Fakahatchee Strand are some examples of places to go and see mother nature’s beauty.

: “Fun Busy Exciting” Julia Johns, 6th grade Artist Statement: Fun Busy Exciting

: “Taking a Break Under the Stars” Lexi Smith, 10th grade Artist Statement: Taking a much needed break from your family, under the stars at night

: “Isolated Under School” Colby Chute, 10th grade Artist Statement: This photo was taken underneath my school and symbolizes how isolating quarantine has been for everybody both in Florida and worldwide. The surroundings are also very every which represents how scary the pandemic has been for everybody.

: “Friends at a Distance” Sophia Lowrie, 10th grade Artist Statement: The goal of my image was to capture the difficulty of engaging in a conversation with someone while maintaining social distance and wearing masks and shields that can sometimes obscure facial expressions and words. The location is at my school, Marco Island Academy in my Creative Photography class.

: “Buses Inactive” Dallas Cioce Portella, 7th grade Artist Statement: I took this photo showing all the buses parked to depict the lack of buses used for school during the pandemic.

: “Palm Tree Face Shield” Chris Fajardo, 9th grade Artist Statement: This photo was taken in the courtyard of my school, Marco Island Academy, featuring a classmate of mine looking towards the front of the school. The main inspiration was the palm tree featured in the photo symbolizing Florida, as well as both the mask and face shield that my classmate is wearing.

: “Rainbow Window Stare” Kathryn Barry, 10th grade Artist Statement: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have opted to stay inside for their own safety. Yet, many of them long to travel and return to normal life. When I saw my classmate looking out the window wanting to go outside, I was inspired to take this picture.

: “On Blanket in Pandemic” Penelope Freeman, 8th grade Artist Statement: My inspiration was how many kids got more political throughout the time and how it was a fresh start, a blank slate for most so I made sure to add the detail of newspaper and lots of white. Along with how its affected kids moods, ie. the tears This was just taken on my grandmother’s lawn.

: “Pillow Fort” Salema Silva, 8th grade Artist Statement: My sister Sasha with her cat Bob in a pillow fort we made together at our home. We spent many days in quarantine in our pillow forts. I find the pillow forts to be very comforting.

: “Three Friends” Sommar Kashey, 10th grade Artist Statement: Artist’s Description: When the topic of the coronavirus is brought up, you will receive different emotions. These can range from frustration to disbelief. My aim in my photograph was to have my friends exhibit these emotions even behind a mask. My photo was taken on a little sand bank by Goodland Bridge.

: “Standing with Face Shield” Ivan Harrison, 9th grade Artist Statement: This photo was taken at Marco Island Academy