Six SC students participating in National YoungArts Week in Miami
This week 166 of the nation’s most promising young artists in the literary, visual, design and performing arts will converge in Miami, Fla., for the 36th Annual National YoungArts Week. These students were chosen as finalists in the YoungArts Competition held in the fall. South Carolina had six finalists from four high schools.
Julia Dotson, from the Charleston County School of the Arts, is a finalist in the Design Arts category. Amber Magnuson, from the Fine Arts Center in Greenville, is a finalist in the Poetry category. Jessica McCallum, from D.W. Daniel High School, is a finalist in the Cinematic Arts category. Samuel Gee and Jamiya Leach are finalists in the Creative Non-Fiction category and are students at the S.C. Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities (SCGSAH), and Cam’Ron Stewart, also from the Governor’s School, is a finalist in the Spoken Theater category.
During National YoungArts Week, students take master classes and workshops from internationally recognized professionals and compete for higher honors, while enhancing their artistic development.
In total, South Carolina had 13 winners, including the six finalists. While only the finalists participate in YoungArts Week, all competition winners become part of a professional network of over 20,000 alumni artists and are eligible to participate in YoungArts’ regional programs as well as nominations as a U.S. Presidential Scholar of the Arts.
Additional South Carolina winners are Governor’s School students Joshua Simpson (Spoken Theater), James Stevens (Baritone), Helen Coats (Creative Non-Fiction), Alyssa Mazzoli (Short Story), and Aidan Forster (Short Story); Richland Two Charter High School student Kierra Gray (Singer/Songwriter); and Clover High School student Derrick Ostolaza (Cinematic Arts).
“The YoungArts Competition is one of the most competitive opportunities in the nation for students exhibiting artistic excellence, with over 8,000 submissions from 42 states,” said Dr. Cedric Adderley, SCGSAH president. “We’re very proud that eight of the winners came from the Governor’s School, as this is an esteemed accomplishment for our students, our schools and our state.”
Image: The Upstate’s five YoungArts Competition finalists at the Atlanta airport on their way to Miami. Pictured left to right: Samuel Gee, Jessica McCallum, Amber Magnusum, Jamiya Leach, and Cam’Ron Stewart.
Via: Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities