by Rebecca Abrahamson, Booker High School

SARASOTA COUNTY – This past school year, several students in the Booker High School Visual & Performing Arts Program were awarded scholarship money to provide funding relief for enrollment in summer pre-college or collegiate programs in the arts. Scholarship funds—which totaled $16,000—came from the VPA’s inaugural Kaleidoscope of Creativity, a fundraiser designed to raise money to support students’ arts endeavors. The event raised more than $30,000; the rest of the funds are earmarked for master classes and other special opportunities.

Students were awarded up to $1,800 based on financial need as well as merit both scholastically and within the arts. Several students awarded these funds qualify for free and reduced lunch, the federal government’s threshold for identifying students living in poverty, or have faced severe hardships that might preclude their opportunities to participate in such programs.

Students receiving VPA Kaleidoscope scholarships are as follows:

• Matthew Abolafia, grade 12—Film and Animation: Ringling College of Art & Design, Sarasota, FL
• Christina Brush, grade 10—Theatre: Broadway Artists Alliance, New York City, NY
• Sophia Coscia, grade 11—Theatre: New York University | Tisch School of the Arts, New York City, NY
• Danny Bó Delongaig, grade 12—Theatre: Broadway Artists Alliance, New York City, NY
• Paige Dooley, grade 12—Visual Art: Ringling College of Art & Design, Sarasota, FL
• Emma Johnson, grade 12, Theatre: Actor Therapy Summer Intensive, New York City, NY
• Emma Katz, grade 12—Theatre: Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla.
• Lucille Lawrence, grade 12—Theatre: Broadway Artists Alliance, New York City, NY
• Colin Leonard, grade 11—Music: New York University | Steinhardt, New York City, NY
• Jatavian Peterson, graduate—Theatre: Pace University, New York City, NY
• Noah Race, graduate—Music: Daytona State College, Daytona Beach, FL
• Lauren Reasoner, grade 11—Dance: Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
• Taylor Reister, graduate—Theatre: Otterbein University, Westerville, OH

This is the first time in its nearly 50-year history that the Booker High School VPA Program has been able to provide funding like this to its students, and the organization will continue the Kaleidoscope of Creativity initiative to raise funds that will break barriers preventing students from achieving the highest level of training in the arts.

Individuals seeking to support students by providing access to quality educational experiences beyond the high school campus can contact Rebecca Abrahamson, VPA Coordinator at Booker High School, to learn about giving opportunities—(941) 355-2967, ext. 65244, or via email at rebecca.abrahamson@sarasotacountyschools.net.

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