Roger Dearing Heart of the Arts Award
Scholarship Sponsored by Florida High School Athletic Association
Overview
The Roger Dearing Heart of the Arts Award recognizes individuals who exemplify the positive "Heart of the Arts" through education-based performing arts activities. It is conferred annually at the FHSAA’s Florida Dairy Farmer’s Academic All-State Banquet each April. Eligible honorees may be students, adults, or groups associated with a member high school, and the award covers music, speech, debate, theatre, visual arts, and other school-sponsored performing arts. The award can recognize a single act or sustained contributions over time.
Description: The FHSAA established this award to honor those who embody the core mission of arts education and community engagement within member high schools.
- Annual award presented at the FHSAA Academic All-State Banquet
- Open to students, adults, and groups tied to member high schools
- Covers a wide range of performing and visual arts disciplines
Eligibility
Nominees must be affiliated with an FHSAA member high school and may include students, teachers, administrators, or affiliated groups. Student nominees are expected to be in good academic standing; selection criteria include GPA, involvement in activities, and community service. Other nominees should demonstrate strong character, integrity, and ethical conduct. Nominations must pertain to activity or actions that occurred between January 1, 2026 and December 2026.
Eligibility: Candidates are evaluated on academic standing (for students), breadth of involvement, community impact, and personal character.
- Must be associated with an FHSAA member high school
- Student nominees should have good academic standing and documented involvement
- Nominations must reference activity from Jan 1, 2026–Dec 2026
Nomination & Deadlines
Nomination materials must be submitted to the FHSAA by mid-January 2027. Submissions are accepted electronically by completing the nomination form and emailing it to the FHSAA Administrator of Recognition, Kelvin Richardson. Use the provided contact to confirm submission details and any required attachments. The nomination form is available online.
Application Timeline: Complete the online nomination form and email it to the Administrator of Recognition by the mid-January 2027 deadline.
- Deadline: mid-January 2027
- Submit electronically via email to Kelvin Richardson at [email protected]
- Nomination form: online
Award Details
The award provides a $1,500 scholarship to a student winner. If a teacher or school administrator is selected, the recipient’s program receives a $1,500 donation from the FHSAA. The selected winner is also submitted by the FHSAA as its nomination for the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Heart of the Arts Award. Presentation of the award occurs at the annual Florida Dairy Farmer’s Academic All-State Banquet.
Award Value: $1,500 scholarship for student winners; $1,500 program donation for teacher or administrator winners; plus NFHS nomination consideration.
- $1,500 student scholarship
- $1,500 donation to a winning teacher/administrator's program
- FHSAA submits the winner to NFHS as its Heart of the Arts nominee
History and Records
The FHSAA developed the Roger Dearing Heart of the Arts Award to highlight exemplary contributions to school-based arts programs. It is awarded annually and celebrates both singular achievements and sustained service in the arts. For access to past winners or historical records, the FHSAA maintains an archive that can be requested by interested parties. Requests should clearly reference the award name and the year of interest.
History of the Award: Established and administered by the FHSAA, the award recognizes outstanding arts contributions and is granted each year at the All-State Banquet; historical results are available on request.
- Created by the FHSAA to honor arts contributors in schools
- Awarded annually at the Florida Dairy Farmer’s Academic All-State Banquet
- To request past results, email [email protected] and include the award name and year