Britt Leoni
•6/15/2026
For 17-year-old Savannah Massolio, drawing isn't just a hobby. It's a gift passed down from the last generation."I'm really good at colored pencils but I like them the best out of all of them," said Savannah. "Obviously having the last name, Massolio, is a very big honor and I want to live up to that in the best way I can."Savannah's mom, Renee, was an art teacher at Charlotte High School. The same school Savannah goes to today."Everybody loved her," said Savannah. "So many people have complimented me saying they love my mom and the type of person that she was."Savannah's quiet resilience in her own art is colored by her mom, who kept creating until she couldn't."She passed away from cancer," said Savannah. "She had stage 5 colon cancer."After her mom passed, Savannah drew even closer to art. She's entered her pieces into art shows, the county fair, and this year, into a most unexpected race.Charlotte County Supervisor of Elections, Leah Valenti, combed through drawings submitted by high schoolers who wanted their art featured as this year's "I Voted" sticker design."The outstanding talent that they have and that they shared it with the community," said Valenti. "It takes a lot to step up and want your design seen by everybody in the community."This year, Savannah's drawing won."I was like, I don't know. I'll just put it in to see if it wins, and I won. I was shocked," Savannah said.This year, as Savannah casts her very first ballot, she knows her win is more than just about her.It's about honoring the legacy of the one who inspired her to start in the first place.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
