In its 9th year, the Adobe Certified Professional competition in California attracted more than 238,000 contestants from around the world to prove their superior digital communications skills using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Salma Sanchez, former Tohopekaliga High School Student, won the top prize out of 22 finalists and took home a $7000.00 check from the global competition from July 24-27.

In June, Salma traveled to the Adobe Professional U. S. National Championship in Dallas, Texas, to compete with some of the best graphic design students in the United States. Sanchez Acevedo, returned home with a $1500 check and a chance to compete in the World Championship in California.

“All of the entries demonstrated a clear aptitude for design, and an incredible artistic flair,” said Richard Vevers, Founder and CEO of The Ocean Agency. “We were really impressed by the professional-level work these students accomplished in just eight hours – which proves they can follow client instructions and use both their innate design abilities and the Adobe skills they’ve learned in school to create something amazing and industry-ready.”

The 2022 Adobe Certified Professional World Champions are as follows:

  • First place, Salma Sanchez, USA
  • Second place, Manoela Campos, Brazil
  • Third place, Keavey Gamwell, United Kingdom
  • Fourth place, Xixillia Sunaryo, Indonesia
  • Fifth place, Kalin Chervenkov, Bulgaria

Finalists demonstrated their proficiency using industry-leading Adobe Creative Cloud software to design a poster in eight hours for The Ocean Agency, an NGO dedicated to using creativity, technology, and powerful partnerships to raise the awareness and support necessary to help fast-track ocean conservation action.

A panel of judges including The Ocean Agency and design industry experts reviewed the final projects and determined the winners based on visual appeal, their ability to meet the client’s requirements and brand aesthetics, as well as their professional use of Adobe Creative Cloud applications. The First-place winner, Salma Sanchez, received $7,000, Second $3,500, and Third $1,500.

“If there’s one thing that the pandemic has shown us, it’s that creativity is needed now more than ever. These creative students have demonstrated an astounding level of talent in the Adobe Championship,” said Ray Murray, Vice President and General Manager, Certiport. “Seeing what these finalists are able to create in just eight hours, it’s apparent that they have a deep understanding of digital design concepts and can leverage their Adobe skills to in a real-world work scenario.”

Sanchez Acevedo will start her graphic design career this Fall Valencia College with the help of Osceola County’s Osceola Prosper program that pays Valencia tuition for 2022 graduates.

Next year, Certiport will host the 2023 Microsoft Office Specialist and the Adobe Certified Professional World Championship at Orlando, Florida, from July 30-August 2, 2023.