LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) – Hope Hallock, 17, walked up to a man with his hand out ready for a shake.
“I’m Joe Tedder,” the man said. “Tax Collector.”
Most high school seniors probably do not know what a tax collector is.
Now, Hallock has not only met one, but been awarded by one.
“Your art will be on the back of over 400,000 tax bills,” said Tedder to Hallock.
Hallock was surprised to be the winner in the Tax Collector’s inaugural “Kids Tax Art” contest.
Her drawing will be printed on all the tax bill envelopes being mailed in the next few weeks.
Hallock, who is a Lakeland High School senior, said she wanted to capture Florida wildlife and scenery in her submission.
“In the middle there’s a sandhill crane and then behind it, I was going to put the sun, of unity, of a circle. Then I realized, it’s Florida, citrus. So I put an orange slice,” she said of her drawing. “I really like the way I made this piece, with graphite and ink and then layering.”
Hallock said she has loved making art her whole life and has been taking classes since a young age.
Her art teacher, Ariel Jones, said art skills can be used in all kinds of careers and in life.
“The creative problem solving and the thinking that they get and being able to think through those problems and how can they represent something? That’s something that can be applied to every part of their lives,” she said.
Polk County Tax Collector Joe Tedder came up with the “Kids Tax Art” program while watching a segment on a national news show about a woman receiving medical bills with drawings on them.
“We truly believe in the arts. We believe the arts creates a tremendous amount of creativity, problem solving, expression,” Tedder said. “It would not cost any more to have some black and white artwork on the back of the envelope.”
Hallock’s was one of roughly 150 submissions from a select number of high schools.
“When we were going through all the artwork, two of the pieces of art were actually pictures of Grady Judd. So I was so frustrated thinking this is my program and even Grady’s getting involved in my program,” said Tedder with a laugh.
Tedder said he will expand the contest to all high schools next year.
This year though, it is Hope Hallock’s name on a $2,500 scholarship check from Southern Homes and her drawing in the mailboxes of 400,000 Polk County property owners.
“It feels incredible, really. I think it looks really good. I’m really happy with how it turned out,” said Hallock.
Hallock said she hopes to attend the University of Florida and major in biomedical engineering, while keeping art as a hobby.
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