The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara honored a dozen student artists during a reception and exhibition at the California Nature Art Museum in Solvang on Thursday, February 13. The 12 seniors at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School had taken part in the Foundation’s inaugural Santa Ynez Valley Art Scholarship Competition at the school on January 30. The five winning students will each receive a college scholarship. Art submissions from all participating students will be exhibited at the museum through March 9.
“We could not be more pleased with the turnout for this reception – despite the threat of rain! – or the extraordinary hospitality shown us by the staff at the California Nature Art Museum,” said Melinda Cabrera, president and CEO of the Scholarship Foundation. “I sense that there is a real hunger for an art scholarship program in this part of the county, and we look forward to building on this early success with help from members of the community and our partners at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School.”
The Scholarship Foundation invited seniors at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School to submit a portfolio of original work for its art competition on January 30. A panel of prominent local artists judged the submissions in the school’s board room. Serving as judges were Renée Kelleher, Karen McLean-McGaw, and Ginny Speirs.
Selected as winners were Sadie Godfrey (Hazen Family Foundation Best of Show Scholarship), Brayden Mlodzik (Carver Family Art Scholarship), Malia Ortiz (Children’s Creative Project Art Scholarship), Natalie O’Shaughnessy (McIntyre Art Scholarship), and Ilan Torres (Hazen Family Foundation Art Scholarship). Each will receive a college scholarship in the amount of $3,000 or $3,500.
The new art scholarship competition is an expansion of an existing Scholarship Foundation program that has served South County high school seniors for 46 years.
“The first year of the Santa Ynez Valley Art Scholarship Competition was an incredible success, showcasing the immense talent and creativity of our students,” said Santa Ynez Valley Union High School Assistant Principal Tori Martinez. “We are thrilled to have provided this opportunity to support young artists in their educational journeys, and we can’t wait to see the program grow in the years ahead. This is just the beginning of something truly special for our community.”
The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara is the nation’s largest community-based provider of college scholarships, having cumulatively awarded in excess of $150 million to some 62,000 county students since its founding in 1962. A nonprofit organization, the Scholarship Foundation also provides free financial aid advising services. For additional information, visit www.sbscholarship.org.
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