Thea Foundation is excited to announce the winners of the 2024/2025 scholarship competition. Inspired by the theme “Fluidity,” 300 students from across Arkansas applied for a chance at part of the $219,000 worth of scholarships.
“It was a pleasure to witness the wide-ranging talent of the many young artists who entered the Thea scholarship competition this year. The arts are alive and well in Arkansas! I am excited to see what the future holds for this exceptional group of talented students,” stated judge Tye Love, Assistant Artistic Director, Oklahoma City University.
The following 36 Arkansas seniors were awarded scholarships in five different categories:
Performing Arts
- $10,000 – Isabella Nguyen – Mount St. Mary Academy, Little Rock – Endowed by Clinton Family Foundation
- $9,000 – Addie Rose Castleberry – Little Rock Christian Academy, Little Rock – Endowed by Linda and Paul Leopoulos
- $8,000 – Sophie Chapman, Little Rock Christian Academy, Little Rock – Endowed by Ken Hammonds
- $7,000 – Graham Melton, Catholic High School for Boys, North Little Rock – Endowed by The Frueauff Family Foundation
- $6,000 – Olya Tryndyak, Little Rock Central High School, Little Rock – Endowed in Memory of Lawrence Hamilton by Chip and Cindy Murphy
- $3,000 – Gavin Melton, Catholic High School for Boys, North Little Rock – Endowed in Memory of Lindsey Robison Eastby Michelle Browning
- $3,000 – Andrianna Miller, The Academies at Jonesboro High School, Jonesboro- Endowed in Memory of Charles L. Cabe by Anita Cabe
- $3,000 – Maya Johnson, Mount St. Mary Academy, Little Rock- Endowed by Heflin Family Foundation
- $3,000 – Markael Thomas, North Little Rock High School, North Little Rock – Endowed by Gert and Gen. (ret.) Wesley Clark
- $3,000 – Aniya Foster, Parkview Arts & Science Magnet High School, Little Rock – Endowed in Memory of Robert T. and Elizabeth W. Seibert Robert and Joanna Seibert










Visual Arts
- $10,000 – Anniyah Williams, North Little Rock High School, North Little Rock – Endowed by Thea Foundation Board of Directors
- $9,000 – Aly Hubbard, Har-Ber High School, Springdale- Endowed by Windgate Charitable Foundation
- $8,000 – Lashaea Turner, North Little Rock High School, North Little Rock – Endowed by Robyn Horn & Dede and Karen Hutcheson
- $7,000 – Summer Davis, North Little Rock High School, North Little Rock – Endowed by Thea Foundation
- $6,000 – McKenzie Morris, Magazine High School, Magazine- Endowed by The Robin Orsi Family
- $3,000 – Erin Taylor, Bryant High School, Bryant- Endowed by the Olds Foundation
- $3,000 – Hannah Dalencourt-King, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts – Poplar Grove – Endowed by Janet and Glenn Davis
- $3,000 – Olivia Busby, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, Heber Springs – Endowed by The Munro Foundation
- $3,000 – Annabelle Maness, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, Benton – Endowed by Murphy USA
- $3,000 – Jamie Hernandez, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, Decatur – Endowed in Memory of Rita Curtis by George and Irene Davis










Creative Writing
- $10,000 – Disha Ram, Little Rock Central High School, Little Rock- Endowed by Betty Wilkinson
- $9,000 – Maci Bright, Harrison High School, Harrison – Endowed by Dr. Ben Meade and Jane Hunt
- $8,000 – Izabella Kirkendoll, Heber Springs High School, Wilburn – Endowed Nancy Dunaway & Tom Drewes
- $7,000 – Ava Whitaker, Greenwood High School, Fort Smith – Endowed by Thea Foundation
- $6,000 – Sophia Bridgers, Batesville High School, Batesville- Endowed by Thea Foundation
- $3,000 – Nevaeh Martin, Mansfield High School, Mansfield- Endowed by Thea Foundation
- $3,000 – Karis Martin, Little Rock Christian Academy, Little Rock – Endowed by The Rebsamen Fund
- $3,000 – Brayden Jackson, Rogers Heritage High School, Rogers – Endowed by Thea Foundation
- $3,000 – Emma Taylor, Sylvan Hills High School, Sherwood – Endowed by Thea Foundation
- $3,000 – Reese Dedman, Malvern High School, Malvern – Endowed by Thea Foundation








Film
- $10,000 – Addisyn Cain, Little Rock Central High School, Little Rock- Endowed by Natalie and Win Rockefeller
- $9,000 – Dennis Figueroa, Don Tyson School of Innovation, Springdale – Endowed by Morris Foundation
- $8,000 – Jonathon Grant Palmer, Catholic High School for Boys, Roland – Endowed by Kye-Yak International



Fashion
- $10,000 – Mia Edwards, Little Rock Christian Academy, Little Rock – Endowed in Honor of Jeanne McNeill Johansson by Linda and Rush Harding
- $9,000 – Aaliyha Simpson, Harrison High School, Harrison – Endowed by Thea Foundation
- $8,000 – Robert Apple, Thaden School, Bentonville – Endowed by Thea Foundation



Thea Foundation is excited to also announce the theme and deadline for the 2024/2025 competition. For students eager to get started, the theme for the 2024/2025 competition will be “Fluidity.” All rising seniors will need to submit their applications and work by January 5, 2025.
The annual competitions are for Arkansas graduating high school seniors, and remain a key resource for helping young people across the state receive financial help for higher education. Each of the five arts-based competitions provide Arkansas seniors with an opportunity to secure funding for college based on their talent alone. The organization’s first scholarship was awarded in 2002. The program is now endowed and has awarded more than $2.8 million in scholarships to Arkansas students since then.