Bringing Awareness to Artists in the Special Needs Community
Vive The Special DREAM Art Exhibition 2009
October 16, 2009.
The Academy of Special Dreams announced today its first-ever award of cash scholarships at a reception for Vive The Special DREAM Art Exhibition 2009 hosted by the Alhambra High School Library, Alhambra, California, during which the creative talents of adults with special needs were recognized. The scholarships were awarded to Hugo Velasco, Nick Nordwood, Jenithursday Miller, Christian Ramirez, Megan Maloney and Jonathan Kono, each of whom has contributed original works of art, creative writing and photography for the exhibition at the Alhambra High School Library.
“The creative talents of these young people deserve to be recognized,” said Michael Dergar, President and CEO of the Pasadena-based Academy of Special Dreams. “The Special Academy’s mission is to provide opportunities for adults of the special needs community to encourage, promote and showcase their artistic expressions. We give many thanks to the Alhambra High School Library for collaborating with us and the Woo Education Foundation for its financial support.”
“We are so proud of our collaboration with the Academy of Special Dreams by opening our school library this fall semester as the venue for Vive The Special DREAM Art Exhibition 2009,” noted Terry Cannon, Library Technician, Alhambra High School Library, curator of the exhibition. “Our library continually seeks ways to teach students about the diversity of our community and this exhibition is a testament to the creativity of our friends with special needs. And, it is especially notable that each of the featured artists is or has been a student at Alhambra High School.”
Vive The Special DREAM Art Exhibition 2009 will be on display at the Alhambra High School Library through November 29, 2009. For further information or directions, phone the Alhambra High School Library at (626) 308-2340.
SPECIAL THANKS TO HELEN WOO FOR HER GENEROSITY AND FOR MAKING THE SCHOLARSHIPS POSSIBLE.
I want to thank everyone who participated, donated their time and those who supported our artists by coming to this very special event! It was such a fun-filled, inspiring evening and I want to congratulate all of our scholarship winners! Jennithursday, Megan, Hugo, Jonathan and Nick- please continue in your artistic and creative endeavors and always remember to live your dreams!
Special thanks to Terry and Mary Cannon for all their support and hard work in helping us to plan this event, James Ruiz for his beautiful music, and Toni Gilyard for her beautiful and inspirational poetry readings! It was an amazing evening and one that I will treasure in my heart.