The Junior Orange Bowl is a non-profit organization

Non-profit organization

Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...

 based in Coral Gables, Florida that holds the Junior Orange Bowl International Youth Festival, a series of events held for the Youth of South Florida and the World. The oldest and most popular event of the Junior Orange Bowl International Youth Festival is the Junior Orange Bowl Parade in downtown Coral Gables.

History

Known as "The Largest International Youth Sports and Arts Festival,” the Junior Orange Bowl Youth Festival blossomed in 1948 when the first Junior Orange Bowl Parade journey through beautiful downtown Coral Gables. This was the beginning of a festival that is totally dedicated to "Celebrating Youth".

The first Junior Orange Bowl Queen, Sandy Wirth, was selected in 1951. The 12 & 13 years old girls were, and continue to be, judged on poise, personality and presentation. Presently, preliminary pageants take place from Key West to as far north as Vero Beach. In 1959 the Junior Orange Bowl Committee was officially formed.

Tennis

The sixties marked the introduction of several new events. In 1948 the Junior Orange Bowl International Tennis Championship was established for boys and girls that are 13 and under. Now a 14 and over and 12 and over tournament, over the years the draw has included several great players who have gone on to gain stardom on the professional circuit. Tennis greats Chris Evert

Chris Evert

Christine Marie "Chris" Evert is a former world number 1 professional tennis player from the United States. She won 18 Grand Slam singles championships, including a record seven championships at the French Open and a record six championships at the U.S. Open. She was the year-ending World No...

, Jimmy Connors

Jimmy Connors

James Scott "Jimmy" Connors is an American former world no. 1 tennis player....

, Mary Joe Fernandez

Mary Joe Fernández

Mary Joe Fernández Godsick is an American former professional tennis player...

, Monica Seles

Monica Seles

Monica Seles is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player and a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. She was born in Novi Sad, Serbia, former Yugoslavia to Hungarian parents. She became a naturalized United States citizen in 1994 and also received Hungarian citizenship in June 2007...

, Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi

Andre Kirk Agassi is a retired American professional tennis player and former world no. 1. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Agassi has been called the best service returner in the history of the game...

 and Steffi Graf

Steffi Graf

Steffi Graf is a former World No. 1 German tennis player.In total, Graf won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, second among male and female players only to Margaret Court's 24...

 have all played in the tournament.

Golf

1964 was the inaugural year for the Invitational Golf Tournament. Top U.S. and foreign players 18 years and younger compete in this event which is now recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious junior golf tournaments. This invitational has produced such tour stars as Andy North

Andy North

Andrew Stewart North is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the U.S. Open twice.- Early years :North was born in Thorp, Wisconsin, and raised in Monona, Wisconsin...

, Craig Stadler

Craig Stadler

Craig Robert Stadler is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level....

, Hal Sutton

Hal Sutton

Hal Evan Sutton is an American professional golfer.Sutton was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. A promising golfer at the Centenary College of Louisiana, he was named Golf Magazines 1980 College Player of the Year...

, Mark Calcavecchia

Mark Calcavecchia

Mark John Calcavecchia is an American professional golfer and a former PGA Tour member. During his professional career, he has won thirteen PGA Tour events, including the 1989 Open Championship. Calcavecchia currently plays on the Champions Tour.-Early years:Calcavecchia was born in Laurel,...

, Bob Tway

Bob Tway

Robert Raymond Tway IV is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments including eight PGA Tour victories. He spent 25 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings in 1986-87....

, Billy Mayfair

Billy Mayfair

William Fred Mayfair is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour .-Early years and amateur career:Mayfair was born in Phoenix, Arizona. Before his fifteenth birthday, he had won a number of junior golf tournaments. In 1981, he was on the cover of Boys' Life magazine as "golf's...

, willie Wood

Willie Wood (golfer)

Willie West Wood is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, and Champions Tour....

, and José María Olazábal

José María Olazábal

José María Olazábal Manterola is a Spanish professional golfer who has enjoyed success on both the European Tour and the PGA Tour, and has won two major championships.-Career outline:...

, of Spain who won the 1994 Masters Championship in Augusta, Georgia. The Golf tournament continues to draw rising champions; Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods

Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...

 was the 1991 winner. A Bowling Tournament was added in 1969 attracting children from Florida, surrounding states and Puerto Rico; this was also the first year the parade was televised nationally.

Other Events

In 1972 a Soccer Tournament was added. 1977 marked the first Girl’s International Golf Tournament. In 1978 Wrestling and a 5-K Run were added to the schedule of events. The early and mid eighties saw even more new events; a Creative Arts Competition (visual and written), Photography Contest, a Basketball Classic, Gymnastics Competition (attracting top junior gymnasts in the U.S.), The Sports Ability Games (geared towards physically challenged youth) and a Cheerleading Competition. The Caroling Competition emerged during the 1986 festival.
In addition to the many new events, the 1989 Junior Orange Bowl Festival hosted the 1989 World Championship Games for Disabled Youth. This event alone brought physically challenged young athletes from around the world to compete for world titles.

1990 was a landmark year in the Junior Orange Bowl’s history with the success of the festival’s first-ever nighttime parade. Over 150,000 spectators attended this historic event. In 1993, a Pre-Parade show was added to the already exciting parade line-up. In 1998, the Festival introduced the inaugural International Scholastic Chess Tournament, which hosts some of the world’s best young minds. Jobie’s Fun Day – a day of fun outdoor activities for special needs children, also debuted in 1998. 1999 marked the emergence of the Cross Country Invitational, featuring some of South Florida’s top middle and senior high school runners. The Youth Arts Celebration was introduced in the year 2000 to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the City of Coral Gables. Swimming returned to the Festival in 2001 as the City of Miami Springs hosted this international event.

Winners for the photography contest of 2007

Best of Show - Elliot Jimenez, Southwest Senior High
1st Place Black & White - Daniel Castan, Southwood Middle

2nd Place Black & White - Bryan DeLoach, Krop Senior High

3rd Place Black & White - Amanda Joffee, Miami Country Day School
1st Place Color - Fernando Rosales, Coral Reef Senior High

2nd Place Color - Kelly Baron, Krop Senior High

3rd Place Color - Marie Lopez, Doral Academy Charter Middle
1st Place Digital - Kara Barndollar, Miami Killian Senior

2nd Place Digital - Erick Jimenez, Southwest Senior High

3rd Place Digital - Nick Chase, Miami Killian Senior High
Best Portraiture - Elliot Jimenez, Southwest Senior High

Best Wildlife Photo - Ana Portela, South Miami Middle

Best Architectural Photo - Denise Puente, Miami Killian Senior
The number of student photographs that are submitted into the Pitman Photo Supply Photography Contest grows each year along with the overall quality of the entries. Cash prizes will be awarded to the students who enter winning photographs in one of three categories: Color, Black & White and Digital Imaging. There is also a “Best in Show” Grand prize awarded to the single best photograph in the contest. The Junior Orange Bowl Photography Contest is open to students in grades 6 – 12. The photographs entered will also be exhibited in the auditorium of Junior Orange Bowl Festival Sponsor Miami Children's Hospital

Miami Children's Hospital

Miami Children's Hospital is South Florida’s only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children with more than 650 attending physicians and over 130 pediatric sub-specialists. The 289-bed hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine and is routinely ranked among...

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Mission statement

The Junior Orange Bowl Committee, Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization that serves the community of South Florida and the Youth of the world by providing opportunities for wholesome, competitive and multi-cultural experiences.