StriveTogether is excited to recognize four student artists from across the country with the 2019 Art Inspires scholarship. This year, winners found inspiration in two spoken word poems by\u00a0Christian Paige, \u201cTrees<\/a>\u201d and \u201cThe Eyes of Your Enemy<\/a>.\u201d The scholarship winners will receive a $1,000 college scholarship and have their work displayed at StriveTogether\u2019s Cincinnati headquarters. Join us in celebrating their artwork and their visions for the future.<\/p>\n

Artwork by Guadalupe Hernandez-Rodriguez<\/p><\/div>\n

Guadalupe Hernandez-Rodriguez has had a passion for art from a young age. From Bellevue, Washington, home of Cradle to Career Network member Eastside Pathways<\/a>, Guadalupe dreams of being a concept artist. This fall, she\u2019ll attend Western Washington University to study studio art or visual journalism.<\/p>\n

Guadalupe\u2019s scholarship-winning artwork connects with the theme of community. It shows three young people growing a tree together, symbolizing the desire to build an inclusive community. In this community, she says, youth will set an example for future generations that their goals are possible. \u201cNo matter the color of your skin, only you should define what you can amount to,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Artwork by Connor Johns<\/p><\/div>\n

Connor Johns is a student at the University of Cincinnati majoring in fine arts. He also grew up in Cincinnati, home of Cradle to Career Network member StrivePartnership<\/a>, and he said he\u2019s seen community transformation in his hometown. \u201cI got to really see the city change and transform into something completely different and something just so cool to be a part of,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Connor\u2019s scholarship submission shows a family interacting with a neighbor, a moment he says is key to improving a community. \u201cThese small gestures of just getting to know your neighbors and doing your part is really how a community begins to change,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Connor plans to work for a design firm after graduation and hopes to mentor younger designers to pay forward the support he\u2019s received.<\/p>\n

Artwork by Toscya Jordene Williams<\/p><\/div>\n

Toscya Jordene Williams is from Green Valley, Arizona, home of Cradle to Career Partnership<\/a>. She\u2019ll attend the University of Arizona to study biochemistry and pursue a career in medicine, inspired by the women in her family who have done the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a pediatrician, I will be able to transform young lives by being a positive role model, overseeing not only their physical growth, but their mental and emotional health as well,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Toscya\u2019s art depicts the connections, support and growth involved in an educational journey. Encouraged by her family to take school seriously, she believes every kid should have the opportunity to take advantage of education. \u201cThey should be able to dream about being anything they set their minds to. Whether that be as graduates, valedictorians, doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, activists or scientists,\u201d Toscya said. \u201cThey can pursue all of this with the aid of an education.\u201d<\/p>\n

Artwork by Aileen Shi<\/p><\/div>\n

Aileen Shi is from Charleston, S.C., a community supported by Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative<\/a>. She plans to attend Ringling College of Art and Design to study computer animation, focused on her goal of creating stories with a range of representation, including people of color and the LGBT community.<\/p>\n

Her scholarship-winning art shows a confident young woman carrying books, smiling with the knowledge that she is a force of progress. Aileen says the opportunities opened through education make students and communities unstoppable.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy using the power gained through education, you can overcome the expectations of those who underestimate you, and ultimately reveal the true potential of both yourself and your community.\u201d<\/p>\n

The selected artwork from the four scholarship winners will join the work of our 2018 winners at StriveTogether\u2019s Cincinnati office. You can read about last year\u2019s winners on our blog at these links: <\/em>Denzel Chase<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Lauren DeMarco<\/em><\/a>,<\/em> Amaia Johnson<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Camille Richmond<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Shani Salinas<\/em><\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

StriveTogether is excited to recognize four student artists from across the country with the 2019 Art Inspires scholarship. This year, winners found inspiration in two spoken word poems by\u00a0Christian Paige, \u201cTrees\u201d and \u201cThe Eyes of Your Enemy.\u201d The scholarship winners will receive a $1,000 college scholarship and have their work displayed at StriveTogether\u2019s Cincinnati headquarters.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50,"featured_media":11573,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":""},"categories":[228],"tags":[81],"class_list":["post-11669","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-strivetogether-news","tag-blog","category-228","description-off"],"yoast_head":"\n