Ponte Vedra High School’s National Honor Society (NHS) hosted their annual Sand Art Competition on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at Mickler’s Landing Beach.
Ponte Vedra hosts this event every year to raise money for HUGS St. Johns, a local nonprofit organization that helps students who are struggling in St. Johns County.
HUGS works directly with St. Johns County school counselors to identify needs and then provides the tools to meet those needs.
When HUGS receives a request from a school, they put together a duffle bag full of new clothes, new shoes, new socks, toiletries and school supplies. K.D. Bender, a clothing coordinator for HUGS, attended the Sand Art Competition and was excited to see all the support from Ponte Vedra’s students.
“We work really hard to make sure that the things that are requested from the guidance counselors are followed. We want to make sure it’s clothes that the kids are going to be excited to wear to school,” said Bender.
Each team participating in the competition paid $10 to enter, and there were about 20 teams competing. They were expected to plan out what they wanted to form in the sand and then work together as a group to bring their idea to life.
Matthew Jones is a senior at Ponte Vedra High and the co-president of the NHS. He said this event is one that the students look forward to every year.
“We have it as an activity instead of just a donation, and we are so happy we get to donate to HUGS,” Jones said.
Each team had about 30 minutes to complete their artwork in the sand before it was judged by their teachers and other faculty members. Third place, which the faculty called the most creative, was awarded to the TI 84 calculator. Second place, which was dubbed the beachiest, was the collage of the hammerhead shark, the sea turtle, the sea star and the stingray. First place, the best in show, went to the shark with a half-eaten person in its mouth.
All the winners received gift cards, and the event raised about $800.
