(MADISON, NJ)  -- Morris Arts will present the 2022 Ehlers and Coladarci Arts Scholarships at its largest public event, Giralda Music & Arts Festival at Giralda Farms in Madison, NJ on Sunday, June 26. 

Each year, Morris Arts offers two scholarship opportunities for graduating high school seniors who have exhibited artistic excellence in dance, drama, music, or visual arts and plan to pursue post-secondary studies at an accredited institution or acknowledged arts school or fine arts program. The Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship, in the amount of $5,000, and The Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship, in the amount of $1,500, were created to recognize artistic excellence, encourage the artists of the future, and to celebrate the value of the arts to the human experience. 

The Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship was established in 2002 in memory of Elaine Ehlers (1953-2001), a health-care administrator by profession, who had a voracious appetite for all things artistic and musical. She derived intellectual and emotional sustenance from the arts and supported programs at many museums and musical institutions. By establishing this scholarship, an enduring legacy has been created to reward those who possess artistic talent and who plan to further their arts education. 

The 2022 Ehlers Arts Scholarship winner, bassoonist Jack Pasacreta, graduated from Chatham High School and will pursue studies in bassoon performance and music education at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music. During the past 4 years he studied at the Mannes School of Music's Prep (pre-college) Division and Juilliard's Pre-College Division as well as pursuing summer training at the Kinhaven Music School in Vermont. He has been a bassoonist with both the selective New Jersey and New York Youth Symphonies and has performed at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Halls with various ensembles. His Juilliard teacher commented that Jack  "...always plays with character and panache...I see both excellent accomplishment and enormous potential...and know that he has an excellent future ahead of him. " 

Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship was first awarded in 1999 in memory of Eugenie R. Coladarci, who was Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations at Chase Manhattan Bank and an active member of Morris Arts for eleven years. She was completing her first term as Board Chair when she passed away in 1997. As a statewide champion of the arts, Genie encouraged the development of young artists and believed in the value of the arts to the quality of life. The idea of a scholarship to assist talented young people wishing to continue their study in the arts was very important to her. 

This year's Coladarci Arts Scholarship winner is actor, Kyra Longenecker, a graduate of Madison High School who will be attending Rider University's BFA Musical Theatre program in the fall. Kyra participated in the Papermill Playhouse New Voices Summer Conservatory (on full scholarship), The Performing Arts Project, studying voice with Thomas Sellwood and dance with Jaquelynne Radcliff. One recommender stated,  "…Kyra's ability to make new and interesting choices on stage is her greatest artistic gift. " Another recommender stated,  "I have not met a student so dedicated to their art before… " and  "Kyra is hands down the first student I can see making it onto the big stages."

Morris Arts' Executive Director, Tom Werder shares,  "Morris Arts is honored to offer these scholarships to these two young extremely talented artists. We are making an investment in their future as they pursue their artistic career in college. "

Both recipients will be presented their scholarships during Morris Arts' program portion of the event prior to the New Jersey Symphony performance. Gates will open for the Giralda Music and Arts Festival at 4:00pm where an arts show and sale, children activities, a picnic contest, 50/50 raffle and more will also be occurring. Pre-show performance will be by Chico Alvarez & the Palomonte Afro-Cuban Big Band. Tickets are available for purchase online.

Morris Arts, located in Morristown, NJ, is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1973 dedicated to building community through the arts. Using the arts to inspire, connect and engage, Morris Arts serves as a resource for Morris County with a special focus on arts programming in the schools and in the community, arts advocacy, creative placemaking and support of the Morris Area community of artists and arts organizations.