Cincinnati, Ohio, Oct. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Twelve students from San Antonio will each receive $1,000 Art Inspires college scholarships from StriveTogether, a national network of nearly 70 communities committed to building a future where a child’s potential isn’t dictated by race, ethnicity, zip code or circumstance.
Local organizations SAY Sì and Our Tomorrow, which is a youth-led coalition of StriveTogether network member UP Partnership, hosted a competition for student work to be showcased at a December exhibit in San Antonio. Of the 70 student submissions, StriveTogether is featuring 12 pieces at its national convening Oct. 4-8 and awarding those artists college scholarships.
Now in its third year, the Art Inspires Scholarship launched with the goal of both providing funding for youth and curating inspirational student artwork from across the country for StriveTogether’s headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. Students will have the option for their work to be displayed in StriveTogether’s office to inspire staff and visitors after the December exhibit. The 2021 Art Inspires awardees are:
- Chloe Shaw, ninth grader at Legacy of Educational Excellence High School/North East School of the Arts (NESA) Visual Arts, for the painting, “Grocery Aisle,” depicts barren grocery store shelves, a vivid memory from the initial days of quarantines brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Fabiana Espinoza, 12th grader at Theodore Roosevelt High School, for the photo, “Ostracism,” serves as a metaphor for society’s mistreatment of people without stable housing.
- Elisa Duran Salina, ninth grader at NESA Visual Arts, for mixed media, “Colors of Mexico,” that illustrates the colors Mexicans bring to a new country.
- Carolina Carrizales, 12th grader at the Alameda School of Art and Design, for digital illustration, “A Beautiful Life,” that represents Mexican culture.
- Kaya Andreassen, 11th grader at International School of the Americas, for the stop motion video, “Every Grain Counts,” that offers perspective from those who struggle with hunger.
- Anisa Lopez, 11th grader at NESA Visual Arts, for the illustration, “Family Portrait,” inspired by the realization on the importance of family during the pandemic.
- Sara Homma, 12th grader with TMI Episcopal and SAY Sì, for the graphite, “The Things between Us,” a nod to the pandemic and the horrors and sacrifices it has had on physicians like her father, a pulmonologist.
- Briana Chavez, 12th grader at Communications Arts High School, for the oil and acrylic painting, “Defeated but Hopeful,” that reflects uncertainty, depression and negative feelings brought on by the pandemic.
- Elle Reede, 12th grader at Health Careers High School, for the acrylic painting, “Sunset Before Approaching Storm,” that represents the current political landscape and the pandemic.
- Cheyenne McBane, ninth grader at MacArthur High School/Northside Alternative High School, for the illustration, “The Colors of Culture,” that advocates for unity and change.
- Joshua Rivera, 12th grader at Smithson Valley High School, for the collage, “Walk in my Shoes,” that captures the life of a young Latino using cultural staples and shoes.
- Sarah Fernandez, ninth grader at Health Careers High School, for the illustration, “Stop Growing!” that reflects personal struggles with rapid changes brought on by the pandemic.
For the scholarship’s initial launch in 2018, students made art inspired by StriveTogether’s core values, community, courage, equity, progress and results.
About
StriveTogether partners with nearly 70 communities across the country, providing coaching, resources and rigorous approaches to create opportunities and eliminate inequities in education, housing and more. Together, the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network impacts the lives of more than 11 million youth — including more than 7 million children of color — across 30 states and Washington, D.C.
