Public, Charter, and Private Schools are all Winners of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust Annual Sensitivity Poster & Essay Contest

The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, in partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ Project UP-START and The Bass Museum of Art, announces the winners of its annual Homeless Sensitivity Poster and Essay Contest, recognizing students who demonstrated powerful reflections on the theme of “Hope and Youth Homelessness.”

The annual competition encourages students to engage with homelessness through art and writing, promoting awareness, sensitivity and personal responsibility. Established after the 2006 murder of Norris Gaynor by several teenage students, the program fosters greater understanding of homelessness among young people.

Poster Contest Winners are:

Elementary School Division

• 1st Place: Grayson Copeland, BridgePrep Academy Greater Miami
• 2nd Place: Joel Monroy-Rodriguez, Mater Academy Kiwanis

Middle School Division - All winners from Lawton Chiles Middle School

• 1st Place: Briana Garcia Puentes
• 2nd Place: Ella Menendez
• 3rd Place: Emely Brito

High School Division

• 1st Place: Isaiah Lewis, Miami Northwestern Senior High School
• 2nd Place: Violet Roig, Center for International Education: A Cambridge Academy
• 3rd Place (Tie): Samantha Maza, J.C. Bermudez Doral Senior High School
• 3rd Place (Tie): Laura Montes, Maritime & Science Technology Academy

Essay Contest Winners

• 1st Place: Dannielyn Mercado, G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School
• Runner-Up: Sofia Marrero, G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School
• Runner-Up: Addison Runzheimer, The Cushman School

Winning artwork will be permanently displayed at the Homeless Trust’s newly planned Navigation Center, an innovative facility designed to provide flexible, low-barrier shelter and services for individuals experiencing homelessness. In addition, student artwork will be featured at The Bass Museum on Sunday, May 31, 2026, during its public Family Day.

Through initiatives like this contest, Miami-Dade County continues to emphasize the importance of informed citizenship, compassion grounded in understanding, and the role young people play in strengthening their communities.

Next year’s competition details will be announced in October at www.homelesstrust.org.

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About The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust
The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust organizes and directs the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan: Priority Home, administers proceeds of funding dedicated to homelessness, and serves in an advisory capacity to the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners on issues involving homelessness. The Trust’s 27-member volunteer board includes representation from business, religious, educational, provider and civic communities, along with formerly homeless individuals. To learn more about the Homeless Trust, visit www.homelesstrust.org.

About Project UP-START
Project UP-START is Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ federally funded program dedicated to ensuring educational stability and success for students experiencing homelessness. In alignment with the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Project UP-START identifies and supports students and families living in temporary or unstable housing situations by removing barriers to school enrollment, attendance, and academic achievement.

About The Bass Museum
The Bass, Miami Beach’s contemporary art museum, creates connections between international contemporary art and the museum’s diverse audiences. The Bass shares the power of contemporary art through experiences that excite, challenge and educate. Focusing on exhibitions of international contemporary art, The Bass presents mid-career and established artists reflecting the spirit and international character of Miami Beach. The Bass’s commission and exhibition programs encompass a wide range of media and artistic points of view that bring new thought to the diverse cultural context of Miami Beach.