Six local students have been named the recipients for a collective $27,000 in scholarships from the Larry Wilson Scholarship Program, which supports students in pursuing fields of interest within literature and the performing arts.
Bryce Johnson received both the Lawrence Wilson Scholarship for Drama and the Dorothy Wilson Scholarship for Traditional Dance.
“It’s a huge honour to receive two scholarships again, because I was also privileged enough to win scholarships from the same program last year,” said Johnson, who is currency in his second year attending the Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto. “Going forward into the future, it's just a big support and pushed me in the right direction.”
Ha’Keena Maneso was also awarded two scholarships, the Gerald B. Wilson Scholarship for Musical Theatre and the Marlene Wilson Scholarship for Contemporary Dance.
The other recipients for this year are Jaidyn Gieni, receiving the Sylvia Wilson Scholarship for Vocals; Shantelle Mayo, receiving the Kathleen Wilson Scholarship for Instrumentals; and Kendall Bistretzan and Amelia Mitchell, each receiving a Lawrence Wilson Literary Scholarship for the pursuit of writing, journalism or screenwriting.
Administered by the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation and Moose Jaw Arts In Motion, the scholarships are established using funds from the estate of the late Larry Wilson and are awarded annually.
Regina Sagal-Hendry, chair at Moose Jaw Arts In Motion, is pleased to see such an impressive amount of money made available to those pursuing the arts this year.
“[These awards] are really honouring two people, Larry Wilson and Gary Hyland, who both have brought an incredible opportunity to the students studying in the fine arts,” said Sagal-Hendry. “He just wanted to show appreciation and offer an opportunity, [and] help the students in Moose Jaw, and $27,000 is a huge amount of money to be putting out [this year.”
The program was a project near to Wilson’s heart, who wanted to provide more opportunities for performing artists in Moose Jaw, and with the help of the late Gary Hyland, who also had a huge influence on the local art scene, arranged the Larry Wilson Scholarship Program to do just that.
For Johnson, as he looks ahead to another year in his program and then pursues his career, he expressed gratitude for the scholarship program and both it's partners, and shared what it means for performers like himself going after a career in the arts.
“Having something so local is amazing to me, [for] something in Moose Jaw like this to be something so substantial,” said Johnson. “It's such a tight community here, and it's amazing they we’re able to do this and that Moose Jaw Arts in Motion will do this every year.”
The awards offered by the program have no age limit, said Sagal-Hendry, as both Wilson and Hyland recognized that education in the arts is an opportunity fit for all kinds of people.
“You can be 70 years old and apply for these because we realize that education is continuous, and it doesn’t end when you’re 24 or when you’re 40,” said Sagal-Hendry. “And sometimes the problem is that people don’t know these are available, [so we’re happy to share.]”
More information on the Larry Wilson Scholarship Program can be found on the Moose Jaw Arts in Motion website at artsinmotion.ca/scholarship.
