2014 Vincent Legacy Scholars

On Saturday night, July 12, Starlight audience members had cause to celebrate before settling in to enjoy Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. That’s because the three young people selected as Starlight’s 2014 Vincent Legacy Scholarship recipients were formally presented on our Cohen Community Stage.

The aspiring young performers who will now hone their skills with training funded by their $2,500 Vincent Legacy Scholarships are:

• Zachery Garner. Zachery completed eighth grade at Arrowhead Middle School in Kansas City, Kansas, in May. His enthusiastic interest in acting and puppetry made him an ideal choice for a scholarship. He has acted in plays at school and church, sang in church choirs, and even interned with Paul Mesner Puppets. His drama teacher says Zachery is a born performer and the student he looks to whenever he needs an actor to step into the spotlight! Starlight is thrilled to work with Zachery and his parents to provide training that will advance his acting abilities.

• Amari Lewis. Also a student at Arrowhead Middle School, Amari will enter seventh grade this fall and is already a veteran of the stage. She has performed in several Lyric Opera productions and also shares her talents with the less fortunate by singing to nursing home residents during the holidays. Amari’s theatre teacher says she is “uniquely teachable and has the sensibility of an actress.” Starlight is proud to work with Amari and her parents to provide advanced vocal training.
• Katy Werner. A homeschooled student who will be a freshman this fall, Katy is dedicated to dance. Watching a performance of The Nutcrackerwhen she was just 5 years old got Katy hooked on performance, and she loves studying ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop. Katy also enjoys baking and spending time with her mother and five younger siblings. Starlight is very pleased to work with Katy and her mother to continue her dance training at Miller Marley and begin private voice lessons.

Starlight established the Vincent Legacy Scholarship Fund in 2006 with a generous contribution from longtime season ticket subscribers Greg and Rebecca Reid. The scholarship provides ethnically diverse youth in Kansas City the opportunity to pursue professional training in the performing arts.

To qualify, sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students must display talent and passion for the performing arts; be nominated by a current instructor; have strong grades, attendance and interest in community service; and, after all that, they have to audition in front of a Scholarship Committee.

Twenty-two Vincent Legacy Scholarships, with a total value of $55,000, have been awarded since the program’s inception.

To contribute to the Vincent Legacy Scholarship Fund to help future students pursue their performance dreams, please contact Shelly Doucet at 816.997.1127 or shelly.doucet@kcstarlight.com.