2021 Barbara Benson Memorial Art Scholarships Winners

TUSTIN AREA COUNCIL FOR THE FINE ARTS
2021 Barbara Benson Memorial Scholarship
Student Biographies

Katie Adamson, Graphic Design, is a senior at Beckman High School. She plans on attending Biola University in the fall to earn a BFA in Art with a concentration in design. Her goal is to work freelance or within a corporation with a team of designers. Katie’s mentor is her mother, Janice, because she always positive, happy, and understanding. She is where she is as an artist because of her mother. Katie says, “I want my art to impact people’s lives and make them feel intrigued by pieces that I have created.”

Jack Conrad, Film, a senior at Foothill High School, will enroll at Chapman University in the fall to study Film Production with a focus on Visual Effects. He credits his father, a software engineer, as his mentor who shared his love of movies and together with Jack enjoys trying to figure out how different visual effects are achieved. Upon graduation, Jack plans on working in the film industry creating visual effects and traveling the world.

Alyssa Fukumoto, Visual Arts,  is a senior at Beckman High school. She will attend California State University Fullerton in the fall in Fine Arts with a concentration in Illustration. She says her drawing and painting teacher and mentor, Samantha Squieri, has been extremely supportive and gave her the courage to open up and illustrate her experience with sibling loss. After she completes her degree, Alyssa hopes to create art driven by storytelling as an illustrator for children’s books, animating music videos, and designing concepts for animation. She wants to help people with her art by sharing her personal experiences and those of others.

Halia Lindauer, Drama, a senior at Foothill High School, will attend The New School – College of Performing Arts in New York City in the fall to study drama. Her two mentors, her theater teacher, Brianna Manasas, a former TACFA Scholarship recipient, and her father emphasize that theater isn’t just about being a better actor, but being a better person. Her father’s success in his career as a graphic designer is a perfect example of the drive and passion one can have in art and creativity. In the future, Halia hopes to work in the theater/film industry as a performer and director.  She wants to continue to inspire others to find their passion and love for the arts.

Rachel Ta, Dance, is a senior at Orange County School of the Arts. Rachel will enroll at the University of Southern California (USC) in the fall with a major in Sociology and a minor in Dance. Her goal is to pursue ways in which she can become a bridge between her community and accessibility of arts education. Rachel’s mentor is Mr. Hyde, director of the dance conservatory at OCSA. He has helped her grow as a dance and an artist and believed in the impact she has as a leader in the community. After college Rachel sees herself working in curriculum development with school districts to help increase accessibility to arts education and incorporate the arts into children’s daily lives.

Ivanna Tjitra, Graphic Design, is a senior at Beckman High School. In the fall, Ivanna plans on attending Chapman University to major in Graphic Design. Her two mentor, Gigi Manning and Nathan Boice, have taught her that there is no artistic vision or concept that she cannot achieve. She will cherish the lessons they have taught her both inside and outside the classroom. After completing her degree, Ivanna’s goal is to be an art director or a creative director within the film industry, combining her love of graphic design, journalism, and film as a storyteller.

Tristan Wani, Vocal and Instrumental Music, is a senior at Beckman High school. Tristan will attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA under the undergraduate major of Music Production and Engineering. Tristan’s mentors are his guitar teacher, Steven Strombeck and his choir teacher, Nancy Stück, who have as supported Tristan’s growth as a musician and taken on any challenge with him. Their passion and love of teaching have inspired Tristan’s own passion for music. Tristan’s goal is to form and develop a musical project during his years at Berklee so he will be ready to commit to touring and producing music for that project. He eagerly awaits his journey.