The Educational Theatre Association's 2022 scholarships awarded a grand total of $49,750 to theatre students in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and British Columbia.
Among this year's recipients were Aaron Sullivan of Bastrop High School in Bastrop, Texas, taking the $1,250 Mark Drum Scholarship, awarded to AAPI theatre students; Jace Petrovich of Klein Collins High School in Spring, Texas, recipient of the $1,000 Dr. Kenny D. Hasija Scholarship for BIPOC theatre students; Catherine Mennenmeyer of Troy Buchanan High School in Troy, Missouri, receiving the $1,000 Christopher L. Hunt Scholarship for students looking to study theatre marketing; and Charles Duval of Iolani School in Honolulu, Hawaii, taking the $1,500 Michael Peitz Leadership Scholarship for students who demonstrate outstanding leadership.
Both the $1,000 Gai Laing Jones Theatre Educator Scholarship and $1,500 Future Theatre Educator Scholarship are awarded to students pursuing careers in theatre education, with Audrey Burgoon of Salina Central High School in Manhattan, Kansas, and Mitchell Pace of Oregon City Senior High School in Oregon City, Oregon, recipients of this year's Jones scholarship and Karina Guerra of Ocoee High School in Ocoee, Florida, receiving the Future Educator Scholarship.
The EdTA President's Leadership Scholarship, which awards $1,000 to thespians who successfully demonstrate leadership abilities, went to Alexander Mitchell of Cherry Creek High School in Centennial, Colorado, and the EdTA Board of Directors Scholarship, awarding $1,000 in honor of past and current EdTA board directors, went to Isabella Ambroise of the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts in Nevada.
This year's recipients join students awarded with additional scholarships at this year's International Thespian Festival, which included five $6,000 Grace Kelly scholarships along with internship stipends and professional mentorship awarded to graduating seniors Kevin Anderson and Nicholas Wilkinson of Tri-Cities High School in East Point, Georgia; Adam Flores of Tuloso Midway High School in Corpus Christi, Texas; Daiara Garcia of Alief Taylor High School in Houston, Texas; and J’Kyil Poole of George Washington Carver Magnet High School in Houston, Texas, and five $1,000 training scholarships awarded to Denver Dickenson of Casteel High School in Queen Creek, Arizona; Wyatt Hardy of Sullivan High School in Sullivan, Missouri; Lexi Limin of Fleetwood Park Secondary School in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada; Ginny McGee of the Rock Ridge High School in Ashburn, Virginia; and Caroline Yim of Juanita High School in Kirkland, Washington. Corgan Atkins of Willow Canyon High School in Surprise, Arizona, was also awarded the $2,500 Amy Bennett Musical Theatre Scholarship at the Festival.
The non-profit also announced the winners of this year's EdTA Awards, which has recognized 11 individuals and four schools for their achievements in theatre education.
The Administrator's Award, for administrators who have demonstrated exemplary support for educational theatre, went to Dr. Kristi Gibbs of Brownell Talbot College Preparatory School in Omaha, Nebraska; Dr. Brian Nichols of New Kent High School in New Kent, Virginia; and Dr. Tara Taylor of Fairfax County Public School in Fairfax, Virginia.
The Honorary Thespian of the Year Award, recognizing individuals who have gone above and beyond the standard duties of a volunteer in service to educational theatre, went to Dr. Gibbs, Casey Garrigan, and Liz Zellner, honoring their work in rebuilding Brownell Talbot's program after two years of no performances due to the pandemic.
The EdTA Hall of Fame Award, presented annually to EdTA members who have dedicated 20 or more years to promoting and supporting educational theatre, went to Dorothy DeLucchi of Severn, Maryland, and Victor Pilolla of River Grove, Illinois.
The Outstanding School Award went to Topeka West High School in Topeka, Kansas (Topeka West was also the winner of the Outstanding Impact Award); Floyd Central High School in Floyds Knobbs, Indiana; Cairo High School in Cario, Georgia; and Brownell Talbot College Preparatory School in Omaha, Nebraska. The Impact Award winners, recognized for their advocacy work, will each receive a free license to perform a Disney show of their choosing from Disney Theatrical Group.
The International Thespian Society Inspirational Theatre Educator Award went to Jamie Micheletto of Schaumburg High School in Schaumburg, Illinois; Michael Penna of Collier High School in Wickatunk, New Jersey; and Marty Strohmeyer of Visitation Academy in St. Louis, Missouri.
This year's EdTA Award winners join the previously announced Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Teacher of the Year Award winner Christina Pla-Guzman of Miami Country Day School in Miramar, Florida.
For more on the Educational Theatre Association and International Thespian Society, visit SchoolTheatre.org.