Student Scholarships
2008 PTO Scholarship Awards Announced!
Lily Gladstone, a former Acting student at the University of Montana, is this year's recipient of a scholarship to attend a three day workshop with Augusto Boal. Ms Gladstone works with Greg Johnson, head of the Montana Repertory Theatre on establishing a branch of the program tentatively called "Eagle Theatre Works". This theatre is devoted to strengthening the voice of Native Communities in the Arts. She also has been invited to lead an introductory workshop to Forum Theatre for youth through the University of Montana's Upward Bound Program in the summer of 2008.
Natalie Marlena Renteria Goodnow, from Austin Texas, received the Travel and Housing scholarship. Ms Goodnow works with Theatre Action Project, a nonprofit organization with the mission of igniting community dialogue, self discovery, and social change with Austin-area youth through theatre and the creative arts. She also teaches afterschool enrichment classes at an elementary school and performs in the bilingual, interactive performance "The Heroes/Los Héroes" that tours to Austin elementary schools. "The Heroes/Los Héroes" uses the tools of creative dramatics, theatre-in-education, and theatre of the oppressed to teach conflict resolution skills to kindergarten, first-, and second-grade students.
"We received applications from people around the globe, all of whom were worthy of awards," said Karen Mitchell, PTO executive board member who organized this year's scholarship selection. "Our hope is that this scholarship fund will continue to grow, allowing us to provide more scholarships for participants who demonstrate financial need."
This year's gathering includes workshops and a public "legislative theatre" session in Omaha City Council Chambers with internationally acclaimed theatre maker and political activist Augusto Boal. In addition, key sessions will be offered by liberatory education expert Dr. Donaldo Macedo of the University of Massachusetts, Boston and Dr. Sonia Neito, professor emerita at the School of Education, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Other recipients of student scholarships covering conference fees are:
Alison Urban
MA Drama Candidate
Department of Drama
University of Alberta
Canada
Taína Del Valle Asili
Albany, NY
Meriah Sage
MFA Graduate Student, Eastern Michigan University
Program of Study: Drama and Theatre for the Young
Celina Aguilar
Chicago, IL
Katherine Rose Young
Occupational Therapy
University of Southern California
Verónica Martínez Colomé
Doctorate in Performing Arts at Institut de Teatre
Theater University of Barcelona
Nicole Mailer
Applied Theatre
Manchester, UK
Yi-Hsin Lu
MFA Drama/ Theatre for the Young
Eastern Michigan University