Record $3,000 in Scholarships Awarded by Arts Center
120 Students from Eight Area Schools Participated

The Shiawassee Arts Council awarded a record $3,000 in scholarships to nineteen area high school students at the 39th Annual SAC Scholarship Show held at the Arts Center on Sunday (April 17). This year a total of 120 students from Owosso, Corunna, Byron, Chesaning, Morrice, New Lothrop, Ovid-Elsie and Perry schools participated.

The 2011 $1,000 SAC Award was presented by SAC president, JoEllen Hartley to Jennifer Dykeman, a senior at Perry High School. Her teacher is Susan Cornell. Funds for this award are raised from the SAC's annual Art & Antiques sale, which will be held this year on May 7 at the Amos Gould House in Owosso.

The $500 Jerry Power Award was presented to Chesaning Union High School senior, Crystal Gross. Award-winning pastel artist, Jerry Power passed away in 2009 and his family his given this award in his memory for two consecutive years.

A $400 SAC Portfolio Award was presented to Perry High School senior, Mercedes Joy Knapp, who also received the $100 Barbara Baumgartner Cox Award, given in memory of Susan Cornell's mother.

The Liz McEwan Scholarship Awards totaling $500 were presented to Courtney Seamon, a junior at New Lothrop High School, who received a $200 award, and Damien Smith, OHS junior, Travis Brimmer, OHS sophomore and Mat Smith, Morrice High School sophomore, who each received $100 awards. Liz McEwan, who passed away in 2008, was a patron of the arts from Chesaning. Her family has given these awards in her memory for three consecutive years.

A $100 SAC Director's Award was presented to Keifer Hall, an Ovid-Elsie High School senior. The $100 Leone Thorne Award was presented to Zachary Markell, a senior at Morrice High School. Leone Thorne, a longtime supporter of SAC, endowed this award through her estate after her death in 2007. The $100 SAC Artist Guild Award was presented to Madelyn Walters, a junior at Corunna High School.

Four $25 SAC Artist Guild Honorable Mention Awards were presented to Corunna senior Courtney Brooks, Chesaning freshman Alexandra Greenfelder, Perry junior Jordan Jennings and OHS senior Sarah Kimble.

Four $25 SAC President Honorable Mention Awards were presented to OHS senior Leah Merrow, Perry junior Codia Ording and OHS seniors Zakk Paez and Amber Szabo.

For 39 years the Shiawassee Arts Council has offered scholarships to talented young art students. Since the establishment of SAC in 1972, more than $60,000 in scholarships and awards have been granted to provide students with recognition and financial assistance in their artistic growth. The judge's for this year's show were Juanita Baldwin and Gretchen Foster, both professional artists from Okemos. They judged the work on originality, creativity, technical skill and presentation. Sponsors of the show are Dr. Azmy Allam, Owosso Medical Group, Dr. & Mrs. William Knecht and Dr. Roger & Phyllis Seelye. Chairperson, SAC Art Education Director, Linda Ruehle thanks her Co-chairman, Brian Bruff and all the volunteers who helped. The show continues on display through Friday, April 22.

The Shiawassee Arts Center is located at 206 Curwood Castle Drive in Owosso and is open year round Tuesday through Sunday, 1-5pm. The Arts Center features the artwork of local and statewide artists in eight galleries including the Frieseke Gallery and a specialty Gift Shop. The public is welcome and there is no admission charge. The Shiawassee Arts Council, celebrating its 39th anniversary in 2011, is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to encourage participation and appreciation of the arts. For more information about the exhibit call the Arts Center at 989.723.8354 or visit www.shiawasseearts.org.