After 10 years of continuous growth in providing a diverse program of the Arts to the lower Rio Grande Valley due largely to the loyal and generous support of sponsors and members, The El Paseo Arts Foundation, Inc. decided by a unanimous positive vote of our Board of Directors to give back to our community.
The board also decided the youth, the next generations of leaders and art lovers in our communities, should be the direct recipients of this action.
Thus, in 2012, the foundation began the “El Paseo Scholarship Program” to recognize local high school seniors who have chosen to continue their education in a field of study in any of the Arts Genre.
In 2012 the organization awarded one $500 scholarship.
In 2013 two were awarded, then three in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
In 2013 the foundation all lost a wonderful, talented, giving person so special to El Paseo and so many others in our local area — Guy Blatnik.
The Board immediately moved to name our scholarship program “The Guy Blatnik Memorial Scholarship Program.”
This year not only is the foundation awarding two new scholarships, but also awarding one renewable award to a recipient from our 2016 program.
So long as an awardee continues their successful studies in an arts genre, and verified by a documented process, the foundation will renew the scholarship for up to two years.
The ability of El Paseo to execute this wonderful program for the deserving youth of our communities is only possible through the goodness, bigheartedness, and generosity of all of the members of our communities who have played such an active role in this magnificent program.
In April, for example, El Paseo friends and partners at Paragraphs Bookstore, hosted a superb concert by two of our fabulous local musicians, Nancy Cook and Brett Marshall, raising over $2000 for our Scholarship Program.
The winners of this year’s awards are Abigail Cisneros and Dalton Swink. Marina Wise-Herring.
