State College of Florida grad wins inaugural Virginia B. Toulmin Leadership Scholarship

State College of Florida grad wins Toulmin award

Zuleima Martinez of Sarasota was recently named the inaugural winner of the Virginia B. Toulmin Leadership Scholarship by Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

Martinez, who graduated on May 3 with an associate’s degree from State College of Florida with a 3.72 GPA, will be pursuing a bachelor’s degree in communications at the University of South Florida in Tampa this fall. The scholarship includes a $15,000 award.

The Toulmin Leadership Scholarship is a merit-based award aimed at encouraging female students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievements and leadership qualities. Selby Gardens president and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki is the scholarship’s first mentor. The scholarship aims to provide a pathway for female leadership in the business and nonprofit world by providing mentorship, opportunities to observe leadership in action, and financial support to high-achieving juniors or seniors pursuing bachelor’s degrees and holding a minimum GPA of 3.5.

“Zuleima is a truly exceptional young woman who emulates the ideals of the Virginia B. Toulmin Leadership Scholarship," Rominiecki said. "She is extremely inspiring and exudes high scholastic aptitude, as well as outstanding leadership qualities.”

In addition to mentoring sessions from Rominiecki, Martinez will be appointed to Selby Gardens Advisory Committee, participating with community, scientific and business leaders, and also receive a one-year membership to Selby Gardens.

Choral Artists of Sarasota plans Memorial Day concert

Choral Artists of Sarasota will conclude its 45th season on Memorial Day with “United We Stand,” a concert commemorating the legacy of the women and men of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The May 26 performance will feature a tribute to the 80th commemoration of the D-Day Normandy invasion of World War II. The Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble under the direction of Joe Martinez will also perform with Choral Artists.

"We honor all Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defending freedom and liberty around the world," said Joseph Holt, artistic director. "As Choral Artists has been invited to participate in the 80th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremonies of D-Day in Normandy, France, this June, there will be a poignant musical reflection of the thousands of servicemen who gave their lives on that fateful day.”

The concert will begin at 4 p.m. at the Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. For tickets ($30-$60; students $5) and more information, visit ChoralArtistsSarasota.org or call 941-387-4900.

Booker High student earns WCA fine arts scholarship

Sophia Cavalluzzi, a senior at Booker High School, was honored recently with the 2024 Women Contemporary Artists Scholarship. Cavalluzzi will be continuing her studies at Parsons School of Design majoring in product design.

Working in 2- and 3-D materials, Cavalluzzi's work is inspired by taking “childlike abstractions into fruitions and sophisticated innovation and possibility.” Jeffrey Cornwell, one of her instructors at Booker, said she “knows what she wants and has her own clear voice. When there is an opportunity to learn, she acts on it and seeks to better herself by self-initiative and with enthusiasm.”

Women Contemporary Artists, a Sarasota-based regional organization, originated in 1984 and is committed to fostering and recognizing women’s accomplishments and contributions to the visual fine arts. For information, visit womencontemporaryartists.com.

Manatee teacher is named Crystal Apple Award finalist

Debra Cline, a sixth-grade digital arts teacher at Manatee School For the Arts in Palmetto, was a recent finalist for the 2024 Crystal Apple Award, which celebrates inspirational teachers from around the country.

Each year students, parents, administrators, fellow teachers, family, and friends nominate teachers who go above and beyond to touch the lives of students. Cline was one of 10 finalists from more than 600 nominees. The winners were from schools in Harrisburg, Pa., Uvalde, Texas, and Mansfield, Ohio.

The teacher recognition program is sponsored by School Specialty, which provides educational supplies and curriculum solutions. For more about the Crystal Apple Awards, visit SchoolSpecialty.com.

Sarasota Chorus of the Keys awards college scholarships

The Sarasota Chorus of the Keys recently awarded more than $6,000 in Sheridan E. Brown Memorial Scholarships to Troy Ashby of Sarasota High School and Caleb Blocker of Riverview for outstanding musical achievements.

The Chorus of the Keys, a chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, has been awarding college scholarships to deserving students for more than 20 years. Jeffry Olesen served as the scholarship committee chairman.

The Chorus of the Keys, celebrating its 75th anniversary, has been entertaining Suncoast residents with four-part a cappella harmony since 1949. For information, visit chorusofthekeys.org.

Submissions by Sarah Glendening, Nancy Seijas-Kipnis, Su Byron, Nancy Hielscher, Leah Carroll, and Roger Murphy.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: State College of Florida grad wins inaugural Toulmin Leadership award