The Pennyroyal Arts Council announced the 2023 Barbara Gardner Scholarship recipients Thursday.
The organization said the scholarship recognizes a local educator and student engaged in creative projects and expanding access to arts and creativity within the community. The educator and student award recipients each received a $500 unrestricted cash award and were recognized at the Pennyroyal Arts Council’s May Board Meeting. The scholarship fund was created using proceeds from selling the late Barbara Gardner’s art in August 2022.
The educator recipient is Craig Hodge, the director of the Drama Department at Heritage Christian Academy, director of the joint school musical theater productions for Christian County Public Schools, and director of the teen summer theater camp with Campanile Productions. The funding will allow the purchase of a version of QLab software, used to coordinate music and lighting cues for all theatrical productions.
The student recipient is Sarah Walker, a senior at Christian County High School. She plans on attending Hopkinsville Community College in the fall and the funds will aid her in purchasing books, and art supplies to create more art and earn a degree.
Barbara Gardner was a prominent member of the Hopkinsville Art Guild and a contributor to the area’s artistic community. Gardner was also a self-employed artist and art teacher that taught hundreds of students in the Hopkinsville area during her 45-year career.
