The PPAC Community Outreach Committee Announces The Winners Of The Arts Scholarships 2023 Program!

The members of the Community Outreach Committee of the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) have announced the recipients of the ARTS Scholarships 2023 program, made possible by the generosity of Textron Charitable Trust and PPAC's Annual Fund Donors with support from the Ocean State Charities Trust.

The 2023 class of recipients is PPAC's largest ever with sixty-four of Rhode Island's aspiring middle-school artists each receiving a scholarship to an arts program or camp of their choice this summer. Additionally, the scholarship now provides funding of up to $600, an increase of $100 over previous years.

These scholarships have lowered financial barriers thereby opening doors for arts-based education for young artists in our state who may not otherwise have had access to these programs.

Seven ARTS Scholarships in memoriam will be awarded to students who exuded a love for theatre performance, music and dance in their applications. One student will receive the
Jo-Ann Ragosta Scholarship, given in memory of PPAC Board Director and ARTS Scholarships Committee Chairperson Jo-Ann Ragosta. Two students will each receive a Desiree Lee Mesolella Scholarship, given in memory of Desiree Lee Mesolella, an accomplished artist in fashion and photography. Two students will each receive an Andrew DePietro Memorial Scholarship, given in memory of Andrew DePietro, a young man who loved music, especially percussion. Two students will each receive the Keri Anne O'Donnell Scholarship, given in memory of Keri Anne O'Donnell, who was passionate about choreography and musical theatre.

The ARTS Scholarships 2023 awards will be presented during a special ceremony on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 for scholarship recipients and their invited guests at the Providence Performing Arts Center. Janet Fogarty, Chair of PPAC's Community Outreach committee, will present the ARTS Scholarships 2023 awards. Ms. Fogarty will be joined on stage by Lynne McCormack, Executive Director of the Rhode Island State Council of the Arts (RISCA), Karen Warfield, Community Affairs Manager at Textron and P.J. Prokop, Director of Marketing at PPAC.

For more information, please email Ricky Gresh at scholarships@ppacri.org or call 401.574.3105.

In 1996, with a portion of the proceeds from the First Annual Greater Providence Gospel Fest (a production of the Providence Performing Arts Center), the PPAC Marketing Department, working in partnership with the PPAC Board's Community Outreach Committee, created the ARTS Scholarships program. The ARTS Scholarships committee is comprised of PPAC Directors, Rhode Island educators, artists, and community leaders with an interest in the arts for young people; the Committee reviews each application and selects scholarship recipients.

P.J. Prokop, Director of Marketing at PPAC, said, "We are thrilled that since the program's creation in 1996, over 850 Rhode Island middle-school aged students have received an ARTS Scholarship! Everyone at PPAC feels tremendous pride in providing middle school students with the opportunity to pursue their interests and develop their talents in a discipline of their choice via summer arts education programs based right here in Rhode Island. Kudos to the students and their families, we hope this experience will help you follow your dreams."

 

The recipients of the ARTS Scholarships 2023 program are:
Alexa Adames - Del Sesto Middle School, Providence

Olivia Almilli - Portsmouth Middle School

Karol Villasenor Alvarado - Nathanael Greene Middle School, Providence

Daniel Alvarez - Del Sesto Middle School, Providence

Elianna Arce - The UCAP School, Providence

Alexus Bestman - Highlander Charter School, Providence

Angela Bonilla - The Learning Community Charter School, Central Falls

Chace Bridges - Del Sesto Middle School, Providence

Mia Burgess - Del Sesto Middle School, Providence

Galilea Ramierez Castro - Esek Hopkins Middle School, Providence

Kendal Chaves - Portsmouth Middle School

Hannah Christian - Winman Middle School, Warwick

Jacob Clarke - Highlander Charter School, Providence

Shaelyn Conroy - Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy, Cumberland

Katherine Corte - Ponaganset Middle School, North Smithfield

Malik Cross - Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts, Providence

Angel Cruz - Del Sesto Middle School, Providence

Alexis De Dios - Highland Charter, Providence

Abigale Detsvanah - Del Sesto Middle School, Providence

Tyrone Dickey, Jr. - Nathan Bishop Middle School, Providence

Elizabeth Dunlop - St. Mary Academy - Bay View, East Providence

Roshelyz Esparana - Esek Hopkins Middle School, Providence

Emil Estevez - The Learning Community Charter School, Central Falls

Jordan Fredericks - Home School, Cranston

Andersson García Gonzàlez - Del Sesto Middle School, Providence

Ernesto Hernández- Nathan Bishop Middle School, Providence

Katherine Holloway - Home School, Providence

Zion Jazmin - Community Preparatory School, Providence

Emily Jones - Nathan Bishop Middle School, Providence

Evelyn K. Koheh - Del Sesto Middle School, Providence

Jenalis Lebron - Nathanael Greene Middle School, Providence

Amienne Leger - Barrington Christian Academy

Evanny Sanchez Lopez - The Learning Community Charter School, Central Falls

Hevelina Makahsha - Esek Hopkins Middle School, Providence

Alexander Marshall - Barrington Christian Academy

Monserrath Melgar - Blackstone Valley Prep Upper Elementary School, Lincoln

Isabel Perez Moreno - Esek Hopkins Middle School, Providence

Nyomi Norville - Achievement First Iluminar Mayoral Academy Middle School, Cranston
Alyse Odumosu - Hope Highlands Middle School, Cranston

Olivia O'Leary - Hope Highlands Middle School, Cranston

Tate Pathoummahong - Esek Hopkins Middle School, Providence

Aviya Pelley - Barrington Christian Academy

Jazriella Plasencia - Del Sesto Middle School, Providence

Ally Reyes - Paul Cuffee Middle School, Providence

Zulenny Rodriguez - Esek Hopkins Middle School, Providence

Tess Ruhren - Curtis Corner Middle School, Wakefield

Israella Servrien - Paul Cuffee Middle School, Providence

Story Simpson - The UCAP School, Providence

Samantha Sipaque - Highlander Charter School, Warren

Goldy Sok - Western Hills Middle School, Cranston

Morgan Stone - Western Hills Middle School, Cranston

Jason Tallo - John F. Deering Middle School, West Warwick

Selina Torres - Joseph Jenks Junior High School, Pawtucket

Yailene Torrvallas - Esek Hopkins Middle School, Providence

Kashi Truong - Winman Middle School, Warwick

Ruby Wilkinson - Home School, Hope Valley

Persiah Oasis Williams - Gilbert Stuart Middle School, Providence

Andrew DePietro Memorial Scholarships

Ezra Celeste - Home School, Cranston

Cornelius Zmed - Warwick Veterans Memorial Middle School

Made possible by the generosity of the DePietro Family

Desiree Lee Mesolella Scholarships

Sadie Beatrice - Curtis Corner Middle School, Wakefield

Amanda Chen - Western Hills Middle School, Cranston

Made possible by the generosity of the Mesolella Family

Keri Anne O'Donnell Scholarships

Aaden Bessette - Winman Middle School, Warwick

Daniela Muralles Mendez - Blessed Sacrament School, Providence

Made possible by the generosity of the O'Donnell Family

Jo-Ann Ragosta Memorial Scholarship

Adam M. Khaykin - Home School, Smithfield

Made possible by the generosity of the Ragosta Family

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