Meet the 2025 I AM PHL Contest Winners Performing at the Wawa Welcome America Block Party
PhillyGoes2College Announces 2025 I AM PHL Winners to Be Featured at Wawa Welcome America
PhillyGoes2College, in partnership with Wawa Welcome America and Vanguard, is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 I AM PHL Contest—a citywide celebration of student creativity, talent, and vision.
This year’s contest invited Philadelphia students in grades 9–12 to submit original work in one of three artistic categories: My Music, My Voice, and My Art, responding to prompts about their future, college goals, and Philly pride.
New in 2025, Vanguard’s My Investment Bonus Category challenged students to imagine how they would invest an additional $1,000 to support their personal, artistic, or educational goals.
Judges spent over a week and a half reviewing an incredibly competitive set of submissions. After tie-breakers and close deliberation, winners were selected based on creativity, clarity, and impact.
🎉 Meet the 2025 I AM PHL Winners
Check out the winning submissions below and don’t miss the I AM PHL winners’ presentation and performances live at the Wawa Welcome America Festival’s Avenue of the Arts Block Party on Saturday, June 21st. Find us at 3pm on South Broad Street between Walnut & Pine Streets.
My Art: Tavis Sanders
Hi, my name is Tavis “Tav” Sanders and I’m an 11th grader at The Episcopal Academy. I am a developing photographer, and have been practicing for just over a year and a half. I discovered the I AM PHL contest through Instagram: @phillygoes2college_ and I became motivated to submit my photography after attending the I AM PHL Student Summit at Jefferson University. I love my city and I enjoy capturing images around Philly that tell stories, create memories and inspire others to ‘Work hard, dream BIG!
Tav’s Submission:
Click to see enlarged version in new tab
About my submission:
Title: “Will Smith Way”
Will Smith and I are from the same neighborhood, and seeing someone who walked the same streets as me become a symbol of pride for Philly—it gives me hope! When I captured this moment, I knew it was more than just a great man holding a street sign. It shows that greatness doesn’t come from distance. It starts right here, at home. It’s about legacy, joy, and the power of giving back. Will Smith represents what’s possible when you dream big and stay rooted. I want to follow that path—not just in my future career, but through the way I use my art and business to uplift my community. Philadelphia is more than just the city where I’m from. It’s part of who I am. And like this image, I’m facing forward, full of pride, bound for something bigger!
My Music: Jalen McIntosh Broaddus
My name is Jalen McIntosh-Broaddus. I am an honor student and rising senior attending the dual enrollment program at Parkway Center City Middle College and the Community College of Philadelphia. I am a producer, rapper and musician. I heard about this contest from my school counselor, and I participated to showcase my talent as an artist. I have always wanted to express my love for music and my city, and this contest gave me the opportunity to do so. Music is my passion and I plan on pursuing it for the rest of my life.
Jalen’s Submission:
My Voice: Jaelyn Walker
My name is Jaelyn Walker and I am a Junior at Girard Academic Music Program, GAMP for short. I am extremely honored and excited to have been chosen for the MY VOICE category for I AM PHL. I have always been involved within the arts such as Singing, Dancing, Acting, Instruments, etc. but I’ve been told my strongest area is writing. I love writing with my whole heart and pray that I could make it into a career.
Jaelyn’s Submission
Vanguard My Investment: Mamadou Diallo
My name is Mamadou L. Diallo, a junior at Franklin Learning Center and proud resident of Southwest Philadelphia. As an immigrant from Guinea, I’ve seen firsthand the power of sacrifice—my mother left our country when I was four to support my education from afar. Her strength inspires my goals of becoming a software engineer and digital artist. I answered the Vanguard Bonus Prompt by sharing how a laptop would help me access educational tools, improve my English, and take the first steps toward launching my own brand through digital design. Through my writing and creative work, I hope to make my family proud and empower the next generation to keep striving.
🏆 Each Winner Receives:
🎓 $1,000 cash award
🎤 Performance slot at the 2025 Wawa Welcome America Festival
🎟️ Two preferred seating tickets to the July 4th concert and fireworks
🏢 1-year membership to REC Philly
✨ Exclusive mentor sessions generously provided by:
📝 Trapeta Mayson – 2020–2021 City of Philadelphia Poet Laureate and founder of Healing Verse Philly Poetry Line
🎶 Kristal Oliver – Grammy-nominated songwriter and Master Instructor featured in HBO’s Stand Up & Shout
🎨 Jane Golden – Artist and Executive Director of Mural Arts Philadelphia
📅 Join Us on June 21st!
The 2025 I AM PHL winners will share their submissions live at the Wawa Welcome America Block Party on June 21st. Come celebrate their work and witness the next generation of Philly’s creative leaders.
🙏 Special Thanks to Our Judges
A heartfelt thank-you to the incredible creatives, educators, and professionals who served as judges this year. Your time, care, and expertise were instrumental in making this one of our most meaningful and competitive contests to date.
2025 I AM PHL Judges:
Chill Moody • Kristal “Tytewriter” Oliver • Julian King • Ahmad Williams • Trapeta Mayson • Malaya Ulan • Sarahn Sankofa • Stacey Sandle • Jane Golden • Christina Faith • abrilliantnomad • Liza Rangal
🤝 Thank You to Our Partners and Sponsors
The 2025 I AM PHL Contest was made possible thanks to the generous support of:
Vanguard • Wawa Welcome America • REC Philly
Thank you for investing in Philly’s youth and helping them shine on one of the city’s biggest stages.
