Six High School Students Receive GAC Youth Awards

In 1982, Guelph Arts Council established the Youth Awards Program to acknowledge excellence, creativity and talent in the performing and/or visual arts. This year,†six deserving students were presented with a cash award and a hand-lettered certificate designed by local calligrapher Susan Nelson.

The Youth Awards are made possible through a Trust Fund. In 1994 this fund was increased by an endowment from R.E. Smith and D.C. Jordan in support of the award for Centennial Collegiate.

6uelph Arts Council congratulates the 2000 recipients.

 

 

 

 KIM MOFFIT

St. James High School

(Performing Arts)

Since the age of three, Kim has been fine-tuning her involvement in the performing arts, particularly in those areas which highlight her passion for dancing and singing. Kim’s talent for dance, be it jazz, tap, or ballet, and her love of music are evident in the numerous community theatrical productions in which she has performed, which at this point number over ten! Some of these productions include Oliver, Brigadoon, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Maestro Orpheus and the World Clock. In 1998, Kim was a Kiwanis Festival provincial voice finalist where she placed first runner up. An honour-roll student, Kim has received numerous awards and scholarships in voice and piano. Kim’s other interests include volunteering at Rogers Television and flying. Kim intends to study journalism at Carleton University and obtain her private pilot’s licence.

MARY-KATHRYN STEVENS

Our Lady of Lourdes

(Performing Arts)

Music has played a critical role in Mary-Kathryn’s life in both school and extracurricular activities. Her talents in the arts are reflected in the numerous awards that she has received over the years. For two consecutive years, Our Lady of Lourdes awarded her the Highest Level of Excellence in Instrumental Music. Between 1997 and 2000 she was chosen three times by the student body to receive the Ambassadorship Award because of her extensive community involvements. While maintaining high academic standards, Mary-Kathryn has managed to study, for the past three years, at the Young Artists Performance Academy of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto — an 18-hour-per-week commitment. In 1999-2000 she was co-principal viola of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. In spare moments she likes to read and develop her photography skills. Mary-Kathryn plans to become a professional violist after she completes a performance degree at a university in Canada or the United States.

ULLI REITERER

Centennial Collegiate

(Performing Arts)

During her time at Centennial, Ulli excelled in the writing and producing of plays. For her drama classes, she wrote plays based on fairytale classics such as Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, and Cinderella. |hese plays were subsequently produced at the Guelph Public Library. Ulli also wrote and performed in a one-act play called The Dating Game which was a spoof on a game show. She was actively involved in organizing, promoting, and hosting various Mayfest/ûJunefest Evenings which are internal school drama festivals held to demonstrate creative talent in the performing arts. Extracurricular activities include playing the guitar and piano. At a Kiwanis Music Festival piano competition, Ulli was awarded Gold. She also enjoys travelling, hiking and reading. At the moment Ulli is keeping her options open, but plans include further study in the areas of human resources and public relations.

LEAH DAWN MCCREIGHT

Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute

(Visual Arts)

Leah’s interest and skills in visual arts have been nurtured through numerous years of taking and giving art lessons. Using various media such as pencil, conte and acrylics, she likes to produce portraits and cartoons of family and friends. In 1999, Leah was responsible for the design of the Guelph Kiwanis Music Festival brochure. She also has designed T-shirts for the Guelph Royals Woman’s Field Hockey team, and she designed and painted an image on the gym doors at G.C.V.I. In 1999-2000, as a volunteer at Douglas Street Studios, she was able to learn more about photography which is one of her interests. Graduating as an Ontario Scholar, Leah also received The Margaret Armstrong Award which is presented to a student attending a community college applied arts program as well as The Helen Carscadden Memorial Art Scholarship, presented to a worthy student continuing in

the study of art. Currently, Leah is attending Georgian College where she is studying the fundamentals of art.

SHALEEN HUDDA

John F. Ross Collegiate

(Performing Arts)

While a student at John F. Ross, Shaleen was very active in the performing arts both as an actor and a stage manager. Shaleen acted in John F. Ross’s mainstage production of Charlotte’s Web. In 1998, she was involved with Reflections which toured schools throughout southwestern Ontario for a year. She assisted with the stage management of Intimate Betrayal which also toured schools in southwestern Ontario in 2000. Both productions were selected to represent Canada at a drama festival held annually in Lincoln, Nebraska. While at Ross, Shaleen was on student council and helped to run the drama club. At thû school’s recent graduation ceremony, Shaleen, an Ontario Scholar, received The Ron McCrae Memorial Scholarship which is presented annually to acknowledge excellence and potential in the field of theatre and dramatic arts. Shaleen was one of only 20 Qtudents accepted into the performing arts program at the University of Windsor.

MATTHEW JOHNSON

College Heights Secondary School

(Performing Arts)

When Matthew was a student at College Heights, he successfully completed two co-operative education placements at the River Run Centre where he developed his interest in and skills for the technical side of theatrical production. During these placements, he worked on two productions — Kingdom of Earth and Wimzie’s House — assisting in such tasks as lighting set up and placement, rigging and flying duties for the set, sound preparation, running the sound board set and striking sets. Matthew’s extracurricular activities include curling, building models, drafting designsûfor and helping to construct a porch for the family home, as well as volunteering at the River Run Centre. He particularly enjoys working with his hands. His future plans involve working in the area of theatre arts production once he has completed his studies at Cambrian College of Applied Arts and Technology in Sudbury.

BACK TO CONTENTS