South Valley Quilters award scholarships to area students

The South Valley Quilt Association awarded $4,000 in scholarships to local students who plan to pursue careers in the fiber arts and fashion design.
The nonprofit, all-volunteer organization presented the scholarships to five students at the SVQA’s June 11 meeting.
The SVQA typically awards one or two scholarships each year worth $500, with money raised from the association’s annual quilt show at the Taste of Morgan Hill festival, according to SVQA scholarship chair Geri Patterson-Kutras. This year, however, in celebration of the SVQA’s 10th anniversary, the quilters decided to up their offer to the community.
Presented with the scholarships are Live Oak High School students Victoria Hattick and Courteney Chavez; Live Oak alumna and West Valley College student Brisa Velazquez; and Cañada College students Glenn Tojoy and Michelle Paganini.
Velazquez won the scholarship award from SVQA last year and has maintained an A average at West Valley College where she is a fashion major, Patterson-Kutras said. Tojoy, a San Mateo resident, won a $1,000 scholarship and has been on the Dean’s List at Cañada College, and plans to attend graduate school in London, England to continue to study tailoring and design.
Paganini, also a Cañada College student, plans to transfer to the Fashion Institute in San Francisco, Patterson-Kutras said. She was awarded a $1,000 scholarship.
Chavez and Velazquez each earned a $500 scholarship at the SVQA’s June meeting, Patterson-Kutras said.
“We’re really excited about giving out these scholarships,” Patterson-Kutras said. “Anything we can do to help out, we’re really pleased to be able to provide that.”
The SVQA consists of 43 members – 42 women and one man – from the Morgan Hill and Gilroy areas. The organization’s primary activity each year is to conduct the annual SVQA quilt show, which takes place during the Taste of Morgan Hill festival. This year, the quilt show and Taste of Morgan Hill event take place Sept. 28 and 29 in downtown Morgan Hill.
The quilt show this year will feature a special exhibit of garments made by the five scholarship recipients.
The purpose of the annual show is to raise money for scholarships and local classroom grants, which usually range from $100 to $250 each, Patterson-Kutras said. Teachers can obtain applications for these grants at the SVQA’s website, www.svqa.org.
“The money over the years has been used to help children learn about the historical significance of quilts, making classroom quilts and to pay for speakers from the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles,” Patterson-Kutras said. “Over the years we’ve provided classroom grants to elementary schools, Girl Scouts troops and community service organizations that make quilts and blankets for the needy.”
SVQA volunteers have also worked at the Center for Learning and Loving in Morgan Hill, teaching immigrant women how to sew for their families, Patterson-Kutras added. Also, this year the SVQA conducted a “Kids Quilt Camp” at Quilts ’n Things in Morgan Hill and the Nimble Thimble in Gilroy.
“In addition to our community programs, our goal is to educate the public about quilting,” Patterson-Kutras added.
For more information about the SVQA, including how to enter a quilt or garment in this year’s quilt show, visit their website at www.svqa.org.