Warner Bros. Studio. and the Hispanic Heritage Awards Foundation
(HHAF) recently announced the creation of a new Youth Award for
Arts
&
amp; Entertainment as part of the Foundation
’s seventh annual search for top Hispanic high school seniors in
the San Francisco Bay Area. The award, which seeks to encourage
Hispanic youth from across the country to pursue careers in arts
and entertainment, offers thousands of dollars in educational
grants, a chance for a laptop computer, an
d the opportunity to appear on the nationally televised Hispanic
Heritage Awards.
Warner Bros. Studio. and the Hispanic Heritage Awards Foundation (HHAF) recently announced the creation of a new Youth Award for Arts & Entertainment as part of the Foundation’s seventh annual search for top Hispanic high school seniors in the San Francisco Bay Area. The award, which seeks to encourage Hispanic youth from across the country to pursue careers in arts and entertainment, offers thousands of dollars in educational grants, a chance for a laptop computer, and the opportunity to appear on the nationally televised Hispanic Heritage Awards.
“We are thrilled to partner with Warner Bros. to create this new Youth Award,” said Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of HHAF. “As leaders in their industry, Warner Bros. took it upon themselves to encourage young Hispanics to enter the field of entertainment by celebrating and rewarding their accomplishments in the arts. The new Arts & Entertainment Youth Award will find the next generation of graphic artists, writers, sound engineers, and more. I applaud Warner Bros. for reaching out to Hispanic youth and taking a proactive approach to diversifying the industry.”
“Our goal is for Warner Bros. to be the studio that the most talented and diverse communities come to with their creative and business ideas both in front of and behind the camera,” said Barry Meyer, Warner Bros. chairman and CEO.
Students can apply for an Hispanic Heritage Youth Award online at www.HispanicHeritageAwards.org or pick up applications at Subway restaurants. Applications are due Feb. 10. Students can apply to win a Gold or Silver Medallion in seven categories, including the Arts & Entertainment category. Other categories include Academic Excellence, Community Service, Engineering & Mathematics, Healthcare, Journalism and Sports.
To qualify for the awards, applicants must demonstrate an interest in the category to which they apply in addition to excellence in academics and a commitment to community service. The candidates must also write an essay about the influence of their Hispanic heritage in their lives. Local selection committees in each of the 12 regions select the winners, who are then honored at a local ceremony. Regional Gold Medallion winners receive a $3,000 educational grant and a chance for the National Award. Silver winners receive a $2,000 grant.
Seven National Youth Award Winners (one from each category) are selected from the pool of Regional Gold Medallion winners, and receive an additional $5,000 educational grant and a laptop computer. In addition, the seven winners receive all-expense paid trips to the National Youth Award presentation in Miami, and to the star-studded Hispanic Heritage Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., which is televised nationally on NBC stations.
Beyond the Youth Awards, HHAF celebrates the outstanding achievements of Hispanic Americans and provides role models to inspire youth. For 18 years, the organization annually honors five notable Hispanics who have distinguished themselves in the arts, sports, literature, education and leadership.
