Ringling College’s theme park design competition offers $20K scholarship

SARASOTA, Fla. - Ringling College of Art and Design is inviting high school juniors and seniors nationwide to step into another world by designing an original parade float.

Ringling College launches creative contest

What we know:

Stepping into a theme park feels like entering another world filled with castles, characters, special effects and parades. Ringling College of Art and Design is holding its second Theme Park Design Competition to inspire high school juniors and seniors to unlock their creativity.

"We are looking for interesting ideas and stories that can be interpreted into a parade float," said Jamie DeRuyter, department head for the entertainment design major at Ringling College of Art and Design. 

Participants must submit a concept for an original parade float along with the story detailing where their inspiration came from. Officials want fun and creative ideas, offering a $20,000 scholarship to Ringling College and a trip to Universal with a VIP behind-the-scenes tour for the first-place winner and additional scholarships to second and third place winner. 

Last year's winner

High school senior Ella McGinely from Belle Isle, Florida, claimed first place with her cart concept called "Frost & Fizz’s Fruity Drinks". Her design featured a conveyor belt of animatronic dragons making drinks and frosting them with their breath.

McGinely plans to enroll at Ringling College this fall to pursue a degree in Entertainment Design after winning the top scholarship award.

Universal Creative leaders evaluate entries

What they're saying:

Faculty members at the Sarasota college include working professionals from Disney Imagineering, Universal Creative, and other major industry companies looking for future hires. Many of the competition judges are Ringling alumni who currently work for Universal Creative.

"We formulated this competition because we are trying to raise awareness of themed entertainment as a career choice for students," said Jamie DeRuyter, department head for the entertainment design major at Ringling College of Art and Design. "So many students and families don’t realize that theme parks are designed. They are also built and painted and sculpted and there are so many interested creative careers, technical careers and what we find is students don’t realize it. They love going to theme parks, but they never say oh I could do this."

Competition schedule and deadlines

What's next:

The competition opens Sept. 1 and runs through Nov. 30. The college will announce the winner in January.

Click here to learn more. 

Sarasota