RDK Melanoma Foundation Announces Student Winners

The Richard David Kann (RDK) Melanoma Foundation has awarded more than $7,000 in gift-card prizes to Florida students who placed first, second, and third in its annual RDK Kinney Art Contest. Winners were announced on May 5—Melanoma Monday—underscoring the Foundation’s commitment to skin cancer prevention, early detection, and education.

The RDK Kinney Art Contest drew nearly 1,000 entries from elementary, middle, and high school students across Florida. The RDK Kinney Art Contest prompts students of all ages to consciously recognize the dangers of melanoma and to then create a fun and educational piece of art to share that message.

In each of the three grade divisions (K–5, 6-8, and 9–12), first, second, and third-place winners received gift-card awards, with three of the nine top finishers hailing from Palm Beach County.

Elementary

• 1st Place: Lilibee More Nisbett, The Weiss School, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach County
• 2nd Place: Sofia Lebedeva, Hollywood Academy of Arts & Science, Hollywood, Broward County
• 3rd Place: Lauren Joyner, Freeport Elementary School, Freeport, Walton County
• Honorable Mention: Allison Garcia, St. Joseph Catholic School, Tampa, Hillsborough County

Middle School

• 1st Place: Sofia Felix, St. Joseph Catholic School, Tampa, Hillsborough County
• 2nd Place: Bendi Vujity, DME Academy, Daytona Beach, Volusia County
• 3rd Place: Daniela Zurita, Somerset College Prep Academy, South Miami, Miami-Dade County
• Honorable Mention, Natalie De Oleo, Woodlands Middle School, Lake Worth Corridor, Palm Beach County
• Honorable Mention: Lola Grande, Rosarian Academy, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County

High School:

• 1st Place: Joshua Merard, Abundant Life Christian School, Margate, FL, Broward County
• 2nd Place: Baron Herget, Cambridge Prep Academy, Lake City, FL, Columbia County
• 3rd Place: Delaney Patterson, Oxbridge Academy, West Palm Beach, FL, Palm Beach County

“Art is an extraordinary way to reach young people with life-saving health messages,” said Deborah Kann Schwarzberg, founder and president of RDK Melanoma Foundation. “The RDK Kinney Art Contest, now in its twenty-fifth year, offers students a unique opportunity for creative self-expression while teaching them important facts about skin cancer prevention. Educating children about sun safety now will save lives in the future.”

In the United States, one in five individuals will develop skin cancer during their lifetime, and just a few severe sunburns before age 18 more than doubles the risk of a future diagnosis. Sun safety activities throughout a lifetime dramatically impact the incidence of skin cancer.

“While melanoma can be devastating when left untreated, there is a 99 percent survival rate when caught early,” said Marianne Gold, board member of the RDK Melanoma Foundation. “This contest is one more way we fulfill our mission of prevention and early detection of skin cancer.”

As a non-profit organization, RDK Melanoma Foundation’s goal for 30 years has been to educate all generations on the importance of sunscreen use and sun safe behavior, as well as the importance of early detection. May is Melanoma Awareness Month, and together with the foundation’s new global partner, ISDIN, they remain deeply committed to skin health and inspiring a future without skin cancer. To learn more about how to support vital education programs for prevention and early detection of skin cancer, especially melanoma, please visit www.melanomafoundation.com or www.isdin.com/us.

About the RDK Kinney Art Contest

Established by the RDK Melanoma Foundation, the RDK Kinney Art Contest is held annually to teach students about sun safety through visual storytelling. Named in loving memory of Dr. John Kinney—a former RDK Board Member and passionate advocate for youth education and melanoma prevention—the contest honors his legacy of commitment to public health and sun safety awareness. Winners are announced each year on Melanoma Monday—the first Monday in May—a day dedicated to raising awareness of melanoma prevention and early detection.

To learn more about RDK Melanoma Foundation and ways to donate and/or get involved, please visit melanomafoundation.com.