Student Scholarships

Introducing the 2021 Spicewood Arts Scholars!

Spicewood Arts is proud to announce six winners of the Spicewood Scholars scholarships selected from the graduating senior classes of Lake Travis and Marble Falls High Schools and five returning winners of previous scholarships. Each receives a $1,500 award.

All have passed a rigorous grading process requiring them to submit samples of their work, show classes in the arts, competitions, and other awards, and were ranked by grades earned. Each student will be pursuing further studies in arts-related fields.

With this year’s awards, Spicewood Scholars has awarded more than $100,000 and the number of scholarships given yearly has tripled. The scholarships are supported by the Spicewood Arts annual fundraiser in February and individual donations throughout the year.

This year’s winners from Marble Falls and Lake Travis High Schools include:

Olivia Carter

Lake Travis High School

Olivia will attend UT-Austin, majoring in (RTF) Radio, Television and Film. Olivia has already written, directed and produced award-winning films in numerous competitions in Texas and beyond. She was a featured artist in an Austin American-Statesman article on Reel in the Votes Film Festival and on KOOP Radio for Girl Improved Film and Theater Festival. She volunteers at the SAFE Alliance and Lake Pointe Elementary, adding to volunteer work at Tune Into Teens and the Lake Hills Church.

Callie Flores

Lake Travis High School

Callie will attend the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, with a major in Painting and a minor in Creative Writing. Callie’s art has garnered perfect scores and a medal in VASE competitions for 2021 as well as Gold and Silver Keys in regional Scholastic Art and Writing contests. She created, produced, wrote, and performed her podcast, Bloodlines, from 2020 to the present. A vice-president for the National Art Honor Society and a teacher’s aide, she was also editor in chief of Lake Travis’ Literary Magazine.

Macy Dot Neal

Lake Travis High School

Macy will major in Songwriting and Music Business at Belmont University. She is becoming a major talent in country music, winning the Texas Country Music Association’s 2020 Young Artist of the Year and chosen as top 5 finalist for the previous four years. A member of the National Honor Society and Senior Yearbook Editor, she’s also a varsity cheerleader and was voted “Most Likely to Win a Grammy” by the current squad. She donates her talent and time to help people in the community.

Jared Sierra

Marble Falls High School

Jared will attend UT-Butler School of Music as a Music Performance Major. Jared started playing trombone in the sixth grade and hasn’t stopped since. He’s gathered numerous awards, including regional band, region jazz band, the All-State Jazz Ensemble, and superior ratings all four years. Currently he’s the drum major for the Mighty Mustang Marching Band. He plays bass trombone in the professional Armadillo Swing Band and The Flashbacks, as well as the Seth Shaw Quartet. He teaches free lessons at the high school and volunteers as a counselor for after school music and art clubs for Marble Falls Middle School.

Claire Thessen

Lake Travis High School

Claire plans to attend Texas A & M, school of architecture majoring in architecture and studying animation. With a perfect 4.0 GPA and fluency in Spanish, Claire is Historian for the National Honor Society and helped found the National Spanish Honor Society, serving as its Creative Director. She tutors students and designed a mural for the high school celebrating Hispanic art and culture. She was a 2020 double Gold Key recipient for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards and a 5-time Rating 4 Medalist at the Texas State VASE Art Competition.

Eula Tomamao

Marble Falls High School

Eula will attend UT-Austin majoring in Arts and Entertainment. Eula’s middle school experiences led to her love of music and theatre. She plays the marimba and competed in the University Interscholastic League’s Solo and Ensemble competition, earning a Division 1 rating and advancing to state. Beginning as a lead actress in middle school productions, directors at MFHS later recognized her talent in digital drawing and she became a technician, creating award-winning costume designs, projections and posters. She’ll be pursuing animation at UT and acquiring more theatre-related skills, aimed toward someday producing and directing.

Berkley Powell

Telecommunications Media and Journalism, Texas A & M

Third year recipient
 

Abigail Storm

Musical Theater, Ball State

Second year recipient