Salem Arts Association Awards 3 College Scholarships

SALEM, MA — Three high school graduates from Salem were honored with Salem Arts Association scholarships during a ceremony at the Salem Arts Galleries and Shop on Derby Street this weekend.

The SAA recognized Lena Faeskorn, Leena Sarhan and Arianna Shalhoub as they head off to pursue arts studies in college.

Faeskorn earned the 2022 Ellen Hardy Memorial Scholarship.

Faeskorn is graduating from a homeschool program and will attend Savannah College of Art and Design where she intends to focus on film and television with a minor in music production.

She participated in a film program at Raw Artworks in Lynn — a program that fosters growth for young and emerging talent in media and artwork. She plans to gear her work in the area of documentary filmmaking.

"I would perceive this scholarship award as my hometown putting its trust in me to make good on my intentions to work hard and to share my creative work with a wider audience," she told the SAA. "It would be an honor and a privilege to attend SCAD knowing that the local arts community has my back."

Sarhan earned the 2022 Paula Beaulieu Memorial Arts Scholarship. She is a Salem High graduate who plans to attend Boston University.

Sarhan plans to focus on printmaking and photography at BU. With a Palestinian family heritage, she has expressed her creative output with editorial and artistic photographs depicting her ancestral and adopted cultures.

The SAA said it is proud to recognize Sarhan's courage in expressing her Palestinian identity.

The new Creative Collective Innovation Award went to Shalhoub, who is an Austin Prep graduate on her way to Tufts University.

She was a member of the National Honor Society, was a cheerleading captain, Best Buddies Club officer and volunteered with several other sports, dance and other extracurricular activities. She also founded her school's Animation Club and was a commissioned freelance illustrator as a self-taught artist.

"Arianna Shalhoub is a leader with an innovative spirit," the SAA said. "It's our honor to recognize Arianna's innovation in visual and performing arts."

Since incorporating as a non-profit corporation in 2007, Salem Arts Association has produced hundreds of exhibitions, events and workshops for Salem's residents and visitors.

Salem Arts Galleries and Shop are located at 159 Derby Street. Regular gallery hours are noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)