Four local Douglas Anderson School of the Arts (DA) students were among the nearly 700 visual, literary and performing artists named as 2024 YoungArts award winners. Maurice Chakour (Jazz/Guitar), Ayanna Nelson (Voice/Jazz) and Ayviana Singh (Theatre/Spoken) were selected as competition winners. Kierra Reese (Visual Arts) was listed as a notable Winner with Distinction.
These students will join a distinguished community of artists who are offered creative and professional development support throughout their careers. As a Winner with Distinction, Reese is also invited to participate in National YoungArts Week and is eligible to be nominated to become one of the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
DA had one student make YoungArts’s 2024 60-nominee list for U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts – Niveah Glover, a 2022 YoungArts winner for writing. The nominee list will be reviewed by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars and the 20 winners will be announced in the coming months.
“The benefits of participating in the YoungArts competition extend beyond recognition; students who apply and enter automatically have their names sent to colleges across the country, opening doors to further opportunities in their artistic pursuits,” said DA Foundation Director Jackie Cornelius. “This recognition is a testament to the hard work and creativity of our students, as well as the dedication of our instructors.”
Additionally, the YoungArts Foundation acknowledged the instructors who have played a pivotal role in guiding and mentoring these students: Valerie Anthony, Michael Beaman, Ingrid Damiani, Deja Gee, Brian Griffin, Joe Kemper, Morgan Stuart, Khanh Tran, Barry Wilson and Don Zentz.
