Miami-Dade students turned donated supplies into art that raised more than $100,000

Miami-Dade County Public Schools students and teachers transformed donated surplus materials into auction pieces that helped raise more than $100,000 at The Education Fund's For the Love of Art event on May 18 at Jungle Island. The fundraiser also honored local public school alumni and highlighted how private donations are expanding arts education and classroom support across the district.

Why it matters: - The event turned donated supplies into student-made art that directly funded arts education and classroom resources for Miami-Dade County Public Schools. - The auction raised more than $100,000 for public school students. - The Education Fund's materials center has contributed more than $32 million worth of supplies to public school classrooms since it began. - The Education Fund has raised $99 million for Miami-Dade County Public Schools students since the 1984-85 school year.

What happened: - The Education Fund held its For the Love of Art Charity Auction & Honoree Celebration on May 18, 2026, at Jungle Island. - Ocean Bank presented the event. - Miami-Dade County Public Schools students' artwork was featured at the auction alongside luxury items and one-of-a-kind pieces. - The Education Fund also presented its annual Alumni Achievement Awards to Miami public school graduates who are community and business leaders.

The details: - Two auction categories anchored the event: Art of Found Objects and Beyond the Page. - Art of Found Objects featured works built from donated surplus materials. - Beyond the Page was a new paper art category supported by a grant from the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation. - The Beyond the Page initiative brought paper into Miami-Dade classrooms as an artistic medium and expanded arts programming across the district. - Teachers picked up free supplies from The Education Fund Ocean Bank Center for Educational Materials. - The donated materials included fabrics, paint, glass tiles, cigar boxes, and discarded furniture. - Teachers and students transformed those items into the artwork displayed at Jungle Island. - All proceeds benefit arts education and The Education Fund Ocean Bank Center for Educational Materials. - The event included live music, an open bar, hands-on art activations, and an epicurean feast. - Speakers and presenters included Miami-Dade school board leaders, district administrators, Ocean Bank executives, Amazon's head of community engagement for Florida and Latin America, and community leaders. - The Education Fund said its programs include Florida's first free school-supply warehouse, Food Forests for Schools, and a college-and-career initiative called SmartPath to Life. - The organization said it works with private-sector partners to support public education.

Between the lines: - The auction format gave donors a visible link between classroom support and student outcomes. - The student artwork doubled as proof of concept for the district's arts programming and the wider value of supplying schools with donated materials. - Ocean Bank's long-running support helped make the fundraiser a recurring platform for both philanthropy and public recognition. - Corporate and foundation sponsors gave the event reach beyond the school district, signaling broad private-sector backing for public education in Miami.

What's next: - The Education Fund said proceeds will continue flowing back into classrooms through arts education and materials support. - The organization will keep building on its school-supply warehouse, Food Forests for Schools, and college-and-career programs. - The annual Alumni Achievement Awards will continue recognizing graduates who are leading in business and community life. - More information about The Education Fund and its programming is available at educationfund.org.