Mercantil Commercebank has launched the third edition of its “Zoolens Gallery,” a traveling photographic display showcasing the winning student photographs of the Bank’s 2015 Zoolens Photography Project.
Designed to foster awareness of wildlife among Miami-Dade County’s youths, Zoolens encourages middle school students to visit Zoo Miami, creatively photograph their favorite animal and submit their best photo to win prizes.
Now on display within the lobby of the Bank’s Coral Gables headquarters, located at 220 Alhambra Circle, the “Zoolens Gallery” will remain at the location through the beginning of February, before traveling to the Tamiami banking center and continuing throughout the year to several of Mercantil Commercebank’s other Miami-Dade County branches. The display will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday.
As part of the 2015 edition of the Zoolens Photography Project, more than 300 middle school students submitted their best photos to be reviewed by a distinguished panel of judges, which included Zoo Miami’s director of communications Ron Magill. The top 30 student photographers were honored during an awards ceremony in December, when Tristin Bolles of Westminster Christian School was named the first place winner and awarded a $2,000 grand prize and professional camera. Trustan’s winning image, “Motherly Love,” along with the photos of the second and third place finishers and 10 honorable mentions are featured in the “Zoolens Gallery.”
Developed in partnership with Zoo Miami and the Zoo Miami Foundation, the Zoolens Photography Project launched in 2010 and is open to all Miami-Dade County middle school students, of both public and private schools.
The 2016 project is scheduled to begin in October.
Zoolens Gallery display schedule at Mercantil Commercebank Banking Centers:
January: Coral Gables, 220 Alhambra Circle;
February: Tamiami, 13650 SW 131 St.;
March: Kendall, 11631 N. Kendall Dr.;
April: Pinecrest, 9350 S. Dixie Hwy., Suite 100;
May: Coral Way, 7010 Coral Way;
June: Doral 107th, 3105 NW 107 Ave., and
July: West Doral 41st, 11401 NW 41 St.
To learn more about the Zoolens Photography Project, visit www.zoolens.com. For additional information about Mercantil Commercebank, visit www.mercantilcb.com. For information about Zoo Miami visit www.zoomiami.org.
