2015 Art Merit & Best Essay Winners

The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) Scholarship Fund presents the 2015 Academic and Art Merit Awards which were bestowed to 22 Foreign Service high school seniors whose parents are AFSA members on May 1, 2015. A total of 115 students submitted applications in this year’s competition. Recipients receive $2,500 as winners and $1,000 as honorable mention winners. This year AFSA introduced a more substantive Community Service Award sponsored by a memorial bequest from Linda K. Fitzgerald, a USIA Foreign Service secretary whose retired in 1983. Below lists the Community Service Award winner along with the Art Merit Awards winners, and Best Essay Award winner. Judges are members from the AFSA Scholarship Committee and individuals from the Foreign Service community. The prizes total $45,250 this year. With the Fitzgerald award, AFSA has now 10 named sponsored awards.

For more information on the AFSA Scholarship Program, visit www.afsa.org/scholar.

Aaron Hilton

Art Merit Award Winner - $2,500 / Performing Arts

Aaron Hilton – son of Olivia P. Hilton (State) and Robert B. Hilton (State); graduated from Professional Children’s School in New York, New York; attending Princeton University, majoring in political science. Recognized as the Academic Merit Embassy Risk Management Scholar and the Art Merit Award winner for his ballet performing arts submissions.

Click here to watch Aaron's performing arts submission.

 

Sterling Butler

Art Merit Award Honorable Mention Winner - $1,000 / Visual Arts

Sterling Butler – son of Alexious Butler (USAID); graduated from Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild, California; attending University of Arts (London, England) majoring fashion design. Click on the links below to view Sterling's visual art submissions.

 

Colin Evans

Art Merit Award Honorable Mention Winner - $1,000 / Performing Arts

Colin Evans – son of Mark R. Evans (State) and Kristen S. Evans; graduated from Yorktown High School in Arlington, Virginia; attending Northwestern University, majoring in literature. Click on the links below to listen to Colin's performing arts submissions.

 

Ellen Rank

Art Merit Award Honorable Mention Winner - $1,000 / Creative Writing

Ellen Rank – daughter of David H. Rank (State) and Mary Rank; graduated from George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Virginia; attending Virginia Commonwealth University, majoring in cinema. Click on the links below to read Ellen's creative writing submissions.

 

Selena Everitt

Best Essay Award Winner - $750

Selena Everitt – daughter of Ann Marie Everitt (State) and Richard J. Everitt (State); graduated from American Embassy School in New Delhi, India; attending Florida International University; majoring in business.

Click here to read Selena's essay.

 

Salma Badeh

Linda K. Fitzgerald Memorial Community Service Award Winner - $2,000

Salma Badeh – daughter of Mohamed Badeh Farah (State) and Lul A. Abdalle; graduated from Mansfield Frontier High School in Mansfield, Texas; attending University of Texas at Arlington; majoring in biology.

Salma’s community service activities in Arlington, Texas in 2013-15 included her being a public library volunteer for a year and a half along with volunteering at a senior care center playing bingo and visiting with residents. Salma also volunteered with the Make A Difference Foundation in the summer when her father was posted in New Delhi in 2014. She enjoys meeting new people and giving back.