About the Scholarship
The Excellence in ARTS Scholarship awards $2500 to AP® Arts Incentive Program students in the Dallas area. The purpose of this scholarship is to assist outstanding Advanced Placement™ students in attending and graduating from the four-year college or university of their choice. The scholarship also serves to encourage AP high school students who show promise of continued Arts excellence in higher education.
The award is to be used for full-time study at a four-year accredited college or university in the United States. Half of the scholarship, $1250, will be paid to help finance the student’s freshman year in college. Assuming the student maintains a satisfactory record during his or her freshman year, the other half will be paid toward the student’s sophomore year. Advanced Placement Strategies™, Inc. of Dallas, Texas, administers the program.
2006 Award Recipients
Sabrina Majeed
Colleyville Heritage High School
Teacher: Martha Gibson
College: Carnegie Mellon University
Future: Plans to major in commercial design
Essay: "With further training at Carnegie Mellon I will use what I have learned as a designer to aid in the visual communication of ideas and important issues—to reach a massive audience through an unpretentious medium such as art."
Teachers' Comments:
—"Sabrina demands only the best from herself, in both work ethic and personal spirit. Sabrina is an exceptionally talented and creative thinker who looks at the entire concept when approaching a problem. I have found her to be self-assured and positive in all respects."
—"Sabrina is one of the most talented students that I have had the good fortune to teach in Advanced Placement Studio Art. She has very unusual ideas and is willing to try those things even if she does not know the outcome. She is a risk taker. All of her artwork is very successful and I continue to see growth in her approach to her artwork and in the finished products."
Bijal Mehta
Newman Smith High School
Teacher: Fran Bolte
College: University of Texas at Austin
Future: Perhaps Major in Art History, Hopes to own an art gallery
Essay: "Since taking Art History in my junior year, I have become more appreciative and attached to the art world. I attend school art shows and visit our local museums.The respect I have for art and its power to soothe is something I will carry with me wherever I go, in whatever field."
Teachers' Comments:
—"[Bijal] has said that AP Art History opened her eyes to discover the passion in creating art, passion as it was related to historical events and cultures other than her own. Bijal is a leader, she is not afraid of taking some risks, she is organized, she is focused and still maintains a very even and positive attitude about everything in her life. I am a better instructor because of her passion for AP Art History."
—"Bijal is a scholar. She is one of those rare students teachers are fortunate to work with who enjoys learning for the sheer joy of learning. She comes alive and thrives when presented with a challenge, with an opportunity to gain knowledge and practice her intellectual capabilities. It is a joy to witness her mind work and she has earned the respect of her peers and myself."
Sydney McCaslin
Booker T. Washington High School
Teacher: Charlotte Chambliss
College: Baylor University
Future: Unsure, but plans to pursue the arts
Essay: "I will plan to make art a part of my future endeavors, in college and afterwards.Everything I have learned from being an artist has shaped who I am today, and has molded me into a unique individual."
Teachers' Comments:
—"Sydney is an exceptionally creative thinker. She has always displayed initiative and motivation. She prefers to use her talents in the more introspective pursuit of her art, both musical and visual. I have always seen Sydney as an extraordinary student, always at the top of her class and always distinguishing herself."
—"This is the first year that Sydney has been enrolled in any of the visual arts classes here at our school. She has produced phenomenal work this year. As testament to her outstanding abilities she had a piece of work selected to hang in an exhibition for area AP Art Students at the Dallas Museum of Art (January 26-February 26, 2006). She most assuredly possesses the qualities necessary to artistic success."
Grady Niblo
Duncanville High School
Teacher: Brian Merrill
College: University of North Texas
Future: Major in Trombone Performance
Essay: "Music is an extremely important part of my life, and I believe that it always will be. From learning to play instruments to taking theory and writing four part chorales, I believe that everything I do will help me to continue my education and academic growth in the arts."
Teachers' Comments:
—"Grady has the best skills in Music Theory I have seen in my 30 year career. I believe that Grady will absolutely thrive in the university environment. He will excel in all areas of music scholarship."
—"Grady has been an enthusiastic leader in both the marching and concert bands at Duncanville High School and has demonstrated a level of musicianship and passion for music that I would love to see in all of my students. I feel he has the ability to understand more about music than most others whether it's on the theoretical or emotional levels." |
