Council for the Arts of Herndon awards $9,000 in Youth Art Scholarships

On May 14, 2013, six local students received scholarship money from the Council for the Arts of Herndon (CAH) to further their arts education.  A proclamation was made at the Herndon Town Council Public Session, where CAH has presented scholarship awards for over the past decade. 

Among the recipients of the scholarships were a dancer, Ashley Birman; a singer, Mary Peterson; three instrumentalists, Tiberiu Baicoinanu, Stephen Readyoff and Patrick Miller; and a digital and graphic artist and aspiring filmmaker, Leilani Wolf. 

According to Board President Michael O’Reilly, former Herndon Mayor, “This is one of the most important programs the Council for the Arts is engaged in. By providing these scholarships we are able to allow these young adults to begin or continue their interest in the arts which will benefit our entire community. “

“This is one of my favorite programs,” said CAH Executive Director Signe Friedrichs.  “This is our opportunity as an organization to contribute substantially to the art education of these talented students who give back to their community.”  Friedrichs highlighted the extremely challenging programs to which these students had been accepted, and praised their community service.  Most had volunteered for the Council at the Herndon Festival’s Children’s Hands-on Art tent demonstrating crafts and engaging the littlest children in fun arts activities.  Others volunteered with their church, synagogue, or professional and medical programs.  These students were not only some of the best and brightest, but some of the most involved in their communities.  “That’s what we look for in a scholarship recipient,” explains Friedrichs.  “Talent, community involvement, outreach, giving back.  These young people are our future.  I look forward to seeing how they will use their talents.”

The scholarships are given each year to Herndon area students, ages 13-21, to continue their education in the visual or performing arts.  Families of the applicants must be members of the Council for the Arts in good standing at the time of application.  Community service in Herndon is heavily weighted in the decision-making of the Scholarship Committee.  Council for the Arts Board members present included Elma Mankin, who bestowed the scholarship checks, President of the Board Michael O’Reilly, Secretary Laura Readyoff, Board members Cathy Lanni, Elysa Birman, and Town Council members Grace Wolf and Sheila Olem. 

Next years’ application will be available at the Council for the Arts website (www.herndonarts.org) in January 2014.