The Scholarship Foundation honored 20 student artists during a presentation and reception at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art on February 6. Selected as winners of the Foundation’s 2025 Art Scholarship Competition, the students addressed family members and supporters in the museum’s Mary Craig Auditorium. Each will receive a scholarship, and their selected art submissions will be exhibited at the museum through February 18.
Event photos available here
“Now in its 46th year, our art scholarship program continues to attract exceptionally talented student artists from South County high schools,” said Melinda Cabrera, president and CEO of the Scholarship Foundation. “We are very pleased to recognize this year’s winning artists and provide them with opportunities to continue their studies. The exhibited works at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art are not to be missed!”
Each year the Scholarship Foundation invites high school seniors in Southern Santa Barbara County to submit a portfolio of original work for its art scholarship competition. A panel of prominent local artists judge the submissions. Judging for the 2025 competition took place January 23 at the Assistance League of Santa Barbara. Forty-five student artists competed this year. Each winner will receive a scholarship in the amount of $3,000 or $3,500; the best of show winner will receive an additional $1,000 scholarship. Serving as judges this year were Scott Anderson, Isaac Hernandez, and Sara Hetyonk Duron.
Carolina Rodriguez, who attends Santa Barbara High School, was awarded the Schall Family Best of Show Prize. The other 2025 art scholarship winners are Eva Amendolagine (Dos Pueblos High School), Stephanie Barraza (Bishop Garcia Diego High School), Sam Blakely (Dos Pueblos High School), Caitlyn Buist (Santa Barbara High School), Noah Burgess (Dos Pueblos High School), Otis Carter (San Marcos High School), Pilar Duran (Santa Barbara High School), Olivia Farley (Dos Pueblos High School), Julieta Garcia-Gonzalez (Santa Barbara High School), Keeley Harper (Dos Pueblos High School), Finley Helzer-Koch (Dos Pueblos High School), Tove Ibsen (Santa Barbara High School), Kate Mebane (Dos Pueblos High School), Gianna Mills (San Marcos High School), Danielle Ramirez (San Marcos High School), Sophia Senn (Santa Barbara High School), Amelia Vander May (Dos Pueblos High School), Noah Zakrzewski (Dos Pueblos High School), and Alondra Zarate (Dos Pueblos High School).
For the first time in its history, the Scholarship Foundation held a separate art competition for seniors at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School on January 30, and will host a reception for the winning students at the California Nature Art Museum in Solvang on February 13.
“We are grateful for the donors who fund our art scholarships and encourage other community members to support this unique and treasured program. If you are interested in contributing to the Scholarship Foundation’s efforts to recognize local student artists, please do not hesitate to contact us,” said Ms. Cabrera.