The Steve Silver Foundation And 'Beach Blanket Babylon' Announce The 2019 'Scholarship For The Arts' Finalists

Jo Schuman Silver, producer of Steve Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon, announced today the nine Bay Area high school seniors selected as finalists for The Steve Silver Foundation and Beach Blanket Babylon "Scholarship for the Arts." Each of the finalists will perform live in front of family, friends, and a panel of celebrity judges on Monday, June 3. One winner in each category-singing, dancing, and acting-will be presented with a $15,000 check towards their college education. The nine high school senior finalists who will perform are:

ACTING
Dante Cokinos - Novato High School, Novato
Estefan Granucci - Archbishop Riordan High School, San Francisco
Luke Preute - Novato High School, Novato

DANCING
Kyleigh Colchico - Clayton Valley Charter High School, Concord
Ian Debono - Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, San Francisco
Gracie Merit - Alameda High School, Alameda

SINGING
Armand Akbari - Sacred Heart Preparatory, Atherton
Thomas Fong - Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, San Francisco
Ellie Lang-Ree - The Harker School, San Jose

"With this year's submissions, I am once again amazed at the caliber of young talent from around the Bay Area," said Schuman Silver. "As with previous years, it was a challenge to narrow our choices to this year's nine finalists. The finals on June 3 once again promise to be an exciting evening."

The celebrity panel of judges scheduled to appear includes: Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Tracy Chapman, actor and American political satirist Will Durst, composer and philanthropist Gordon Getty, famed opera composer Jake Heggie, SFJAZZ Center's Founder and Executive Artistic Director Randall Kline, KMEL's Lady Ray, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts' Chief of Civic Engagement Jonathan Moscone, KCBS AM & FM's Jan Wahl, ODC Founder and Artistic Director Brenda Way, and jazz and cabaret singer Paula West.

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