California teens get arts scholarships

Six California teenagers have been awarded $40,000 Herb Alpert Scholarships for Emerging Young Artists, a program in partnership with the California State Summer School for the Arts, known as InnerSpark.

The scholarships were awarded in six categories: animation and film/video, creative writing, dance, music, theater, and the visual arts. In each category, a student received $40,000, to be awarded over the course of four years. In addition, two students received single-year awards of $2,500 in each category.

The recipients of $40,000 awards are Keary Champi, 17, of San Diego, in dance; Juan De La Cruz, 18, of Montclair, theater; Sage Po, 14, Camptonville, music; Esra Senvardarli, 17, Santa Rosa, visual arts; Kristian Talley, 16,  Encinitas, animation; and Ashley Tapley, 18, Lakewood, creative writing.

Talley said he began taking his artwork seriously at age 12. As a student at La Costa Canyon High School in Encinitas, Kristian has re-started the art club and painted murals on campus.

“Receiving the scholarship is incredibly helpful to my family,” he said. “I am grateful, because it has lessened an economic stress for my family. I feel like a burden has been lifted. It has also made it much easier for my younger siblings’ college futures.”

Another recipient,  Champi, began dancing in the fifth grade and is now a freshman dance major at Stanford. As one of five children, there was some concern that he was not choosing a practical profession, but the scholarship “was the push I needed,” he said.

Scholarship recipients were selected by InnerSpark department faculties; selection criteria included talent, character and motivation, likeliness of success in a collegiate or professional training program, and financial need.

-- Mary MacVean

Comments

[Marc Tally]

Go Kristian
PROUD,
Grandpa here!