Miami-Dade students turn donated supplies into art that raises more than $100,000

Miami-Dade County Public Schools students and teachers helped generate more than $100,000 at The Education Fund’s For the Love of Art auction on May 18 at Jungle Island. The event spotlighted student-made art, honored alumni and underscored how donated materials are being converted into classroom support and arts education.

Why it matters: - The auction turned donated school supplies into student-made art that raised more than $100,000 for public school students. - The money supports arts education and The Education Fund Ocean Bank Center for Educational Materials, which has delivered more than $32 million in materials to classrooms since it opened. - The event also highlighted Miami-Dade County Public Schools alumni who now lead in business, education, media and public service.

What happened: - The Education Fund held its For the Love of Art Charity Auction & Honoree Celebration on May 18, 2026, at Jungle Island in Miami. - Ocean Bank presented the event. - Miami-Dade County Public Schools students’ creations were the centerpiece of the auction. - The Education Fund also presented its annual Alumni Achievement Awards. - The awards recognized graduates of Miami-Dade County Public Schools who have become community and business leaders.

The details: - The auction featured two categories: Art of Found Objects and Beyond the Page. - Art of Found Objects showcased works made from donated surplus materials. - Beyond the Page was a new paper art category funded by a grant from the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation. - The new initiative brought paper into Miami-Dade classrooms as an artistic medium and expanded arts programming across the district. - Teachers began with free supplies from The Education Fund Ocean Bank Center for Educational Materials, including fabrics, paint, glass tiles, cigar boxes and discarded furniture. - Teachers and students then transformed those materials into the pieces displayed at Jungle Island. - Attendees also had live music, an open bar, hands-on art activations and an epicurean feast. - The full event proceeds benefit arts education and classroom materials. - The Education Fund has raised $99 million for Miami-Dade County Public Schools students since the 1984–85 school year. - The Education Fund says its work includes Florida’s first free school-supply warehouse, Food Forests for Schools and a college-and-career initiative called SmartPath to Life. - More information is available at The Education Fund.

Between the lines: - The event was built around a simple pitch: private-sector donations become classroom supplies, and classroom supplies become public art. - That model gives teachers low-cost access to materials while also giving students a public stage for their work. - The auction also serves as a fundraising event and a community showcase, which helps broaden support beyond the school district. - The inclusion of a new paper art category signals an effort to keep expanding what students can create with donated resources.

What's next: - The Education Fund said all proceeds will keep flowing back into classrooms and arts programming. - The organization will continue its nonprofit programming and school-support initiatives through educationfund.org. - The annual alumni awards are likely to remain part of the event as a way to connect current students with successful graduates.

The bottom line: - Miami-Dade schools are turning surplus supplies into student art, and that art is now funding more opportunities for the next classroom project.