Board of Directors

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990′s

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Thea Partners

The mission of the Thea Foundation is to advocate the importance of the arts in the development of our youth.

Foundation Overview

The Thea Foundation is a nonprofit, public foundation founded in 2001 by the parents of Thea Kay Leopoulos, Linda and Paul David Leopoulos. The founders and Board of Directors have adopted the mission of carrying Thea’s legacy forward through advocating the importance of art in the development of our youth through educational and promotional activities and to encourage individual participation in art through scholarship, partnership, and other programs.

Thea blossomed after discovering her artistic gifts in painting, writing, speech and drama. Getting in touch with her talents seemed to inspire Thea to share her enthusiasm and love of life with others. The Thea foundation was created soon after Thea’s untimely death as a way to provide other young people the opportunity to develop their gifts.

Thea Scholarship Program

Awarded over $1,500,000 in Scholarships to 169 Arkansas High School Seniors.

To participate in THEA scholarship program there are no grade point, or test score requirements.  Winners do not have to major in art or drama to qualify for this money. The hard work and dedication they gave to develop their talents is being rewarded.

Over the past nine years the Thea Foundation has established partnerships with 24 public and private schools that add to the Thea Scholarship if the winner selects their institution. These partnerships leverage the dollars awarded to these students. Thea Foundation collegiate scholarships are for Arkansas High School seniors in the visual and performing arts and film.

Thea Foundation Workshops

The Foundation presents workshops throughout the year. One of the most successful is the Actor’s Workshop for Arkansas’ high school junior and senior students. Attendees are brought together with established actors to share ideas, open minds, and expand the “what’s possible” concept of these students. Mary Steenburgen, Lawrence Hamilton, Ted Danson, Harry Thomason, Elizabeth Williams and Judge Reinhold have all shared their talents and hearts with hundreds of Arkansas’ young people through the THEA Foundation Actor’s Workshop.

Thea’s Art Closet

Since 2006 has delivered $914,500 in quality art supplies to 384 schools supporting 100,000 students across the state.

A chronic problem are the budgets of public school art teachers.  A few have adequate funds to support effective art classes, however, most art teachers have to beg and borrow to support their classes.  More times than not, they pull money from their pockets to support their students.  So the Art Closet finds businesses who will donate art supplies or money to purchase supplies, then we distribute them to art teachers in need through the school districts.

Art Across Arkansas

Since 2006 installed 176 schools with exhibits of original art affecting 125,000 students, parents and schools personnel.

This educational program was created and sponsored by The Thea Foundation and the William J. Clinton Foundation. The mission of the program is to interest, inspire, and involve young people by placing fine art in the schools for a school year. Every participating school will receive a new exhibit each school year

Thea Foundation’s Advocacy

Improve all Arkansas schools creative instruction.

Thea’s advocacy is based best practices of schools that have successfully motivated and engaged students in learning through an arts-infused delivery system of instruction for the curriculum. An arts-infused delivery system means teaching math, science, social studies, history, spelling, writing, speech, and literature using art, drama, music, and rhyme to enhance the learning process.

Thea begins its 10th year on November 5 of 2010.  Much has been done to help generate confidence in many students across the state of Arkansas.  The map below shows THEA’s reach to date.  There is much more to do to improve all Arkansas schools.  Won’t you help us accomplish our mission?  Donate and volunteer today.

Thanks to Our Supporters

Through the generous support of individuals, families, small businesses, foundations, city government and corporations, the Thea Foundation is making a difference in the lives of young people and their families. If you are already involved with the Thea Foundation, we thank you. If not, we invite you to join us.

We’ve come a long way, but we have a long long way to go, until every child in Arkansas can dream and visualize his or herself moving forward into a productive and happy life.