NAPLES, Fla. — When voters in Collier County make their voices heard at the polls on Tuesday, they will receive a unique form of the ubiquitous "I Voted" sticker to take with them.
They will find a very patriotic gator smiling up at them. The design was the brainchild of Oscar Andablo, an 8th grader at East Naples Middle School.
Andablo said he was challenged by his art teacher to enter a countywide contest to design the sticker after he'd finished his assignments for the day.
Principal Maryann Gallegos praised the student's creativity and sense of school pride.
"We talk about taking pride in your school, so that alone made it bigger for us, because we know how much he loves the school," Gallegos said.
His art teacher reportedly recalled that Andablo was determined to win right from the get-go. Despite the confidence, the artist says he was still shocked to learn he had won.
"When he came to my office, I was like, 'Do you know how big this is?'" Gallegos said.
Jennifer Edwards, Collier County Supervisor of Elections, agrees, saying that his artwork can unite the community.
"I want Oscar to remember that thousands of people are voting," Edwards said. "They're proudly going to be wearing his 'I Voted' sticker.
Interviews for this article were performed by the Collier County School District.
