Monterey County graduating seniors receive $2,500 arts scholarship

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) The Arts Council for Monterey County awarded seven $2,500 scholarships to graduating seniors pursuing college degrees in the arts field, including graphic design, performing arts, literature and filmmaking.

Congratulations to 2021's College Arts Scholarship recipients:

Brooke Toomey is graduating from Salinas High School. She's on her way to Columbia University to study Film & Media Studies and Creative Writing. She hopes to become a film director and cinematographer. One of the videos she produced even won an award in 2019.

hi my names brooke & i made this video which won my district film festival and my next goal is to win an oscar so watch & retweet this so maybe my dream can come true, thanks https://t.co/FKpoVuZ7mV

— bruukie (@brooketoomey_) April 26, 2019

"I am so thankful for this award and honor, and its recognitions like these that help me feel confident in pursuing my career goals of becoming a film director and cinematographer," Toomey said. "I am so thankful for the Arts Council and all that they do to help support artists within our community such as myself,”

Scholarship recipients, Leila Cheyenne Chappell from Carmel High School and Zoe Blankenship from North Salinas High School are both pursuing music. Chappell is studying local performance in the fall at Berklee College of Music. Blankenship is pursuing a music education with an emphasis in voice at San Jose State University to become a music teacher.

For Tawny Hoang, this isn't the first time she gets recognized for her artistic achievements. The Soledad High school senior also won first place in the Poetry Out Loud competition in February.

"This scholarship is helping me by showing me that there is people supporting me even if they're anonymous to me and even if I don't know them," Hoang said about the Arts Council of Monterey Bay. "It just shows people are supporting you no matter what and what I'm doing in my life is being supported and I really needed that encouragement."

Another Soledad High School senior, Noelle Raneses is hoping to use the scholarship money to help pave her path to becoming a professional digital artist. Raneses will be attending California State University, Monterey Bay to get her bachelor's degree in Communication Design.

Pianist and theatre lover, Leanne Mae Lonto from Marina High School is San Francisco State University-bound. Lonto is majoring in theater and possibly minoring in cinema.

"I will be using the scholarship money to help pay for my tuition," Lonto said. "It will be a huge help for me and my family. "

Laurel Bowen from Pacific Grove High School was another award winner.

"I'm so grateful I have a group of talented respected artist that appreciate my work and believe that I have and will continue to positively impact my community with my music, acting and poetry," Bowen said.

According to the Arts Council for Monterey County, the awards were thanks to donations from Monterey County Gives.

"During this past critical year, we are so thankful to the amazing generosity of our community!” said Jacquie Atchison, Arts4MC Executive Director. "This is definitely the time to support our youth in their career endeavors, and ease a little of the financial burden of a college education."

Recipients shared how they plan to use the scholarship money.