JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Students in the Arts Alliance and the Florida School of the Arts announced Wednesday that Abagail Henderson has been named the inaugural recipient of the FloArts Talent Scholarship.
The announcement was made in Jacksonville Beach, establishing the new award to recognize emerging student artists in the region.
The scholarship was established through a partnership between Students in the Arts Alliance and the Florida School of the Arts at St. Johns River State College. Designed to support students pursuing an associate degree in visual arts for the 2026–2027 academic year, the award is part of an effort to expand year-round arts programming across Northeast Florida.
Henderson, a recent graduate of Oakleaf High School, was nominated for the award by her art instructor, Corey Ackerman. “I personally have taught thousands of students, but Abagail is a rare commodity for a future ‘who’s who’ in American art,” Ackerman said.
Students in the Arts Alliance, the nonprofit organization behind the annual Deck The Chairs holiday event, organized a scholarship committee to review nominations submitted by educators within its partner schools. Kurtis Loftis, executive director of Students in the Arts Alliance, noted the program’s goal of supporting young artists across the region.
“This scholarship is part of SITAA’s expanded mission to advance the future of the arts by connecting student creativity with community year-round,” Loftis said. “It is also especially meaningful for me as an alumnus of FloArts, a school that shaped my early artistic endeavors.”
The Florida School of the Arts is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with a fully renovated facility. Emily Strickland Schafer, dean of the Florida School of the Arts, welcomed the new recipient while pointing out the broader context of arts education.
“We are thrilled to partner with Students in the Arts Alliance on this scholarship and welcome Abagail to our campus,” Schafer said. “At a time when arts funding is decreasing, scholarships like this are all the more impactful.”
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