Each year, Center Place Fine Arts and Civic Association awards the Patricia B. Odiorne Scholarship to a deserving high school senior. This year was no different. However, instead of one, it awarded two scholarships.
This year’s scholarship recipients are Kate Ohme from Newsome High School and Audra Nikolajski from Bloomingdale High School.
The scholarship was created in memory of Patricia B. Odiorne, who was a community leader and was focused on making the Greater Brandon area a better place to live, work and raise a family. Odiorne was involved in many civic endeavors and received awards including the Key Citizen Award and the Alice B. Tompkins Community Service Award.
Odiorne was instrumental in helping to establish the Brandon Cultural Center, which is now known as Center Place.
According to Lisa Rodriguez, marketing director of Center Place, “This year’s committee narrowed the applicants down to two students who were equally deserving of this honor. The committee simply could not choose between the two.”
Ohme plans to attend the University of Florida and study either accounting or something in the engineering field.
Ohme said of the scholarship, “I was so honored when I found out I received the award. I feel this scholarship shows how connected I am to the arts. I want to inspire people with my artwork and music abilities.”
Nikolajski plans to triple major in journalism, psychology and education. She would like to become an author and one day earn a PhD and become a professor.
Nikolajski said of the scholarship, “I was both honored and elated to receive the award. The Patricia Odiorne Scholarship is such an incredible thing to be awarded because those selected are meant to be kind, creative and dedicated pillars in the community.”
Rodriguez added, “Pat’s leadership and enthusiastic demeanor enabled us to grow and become Center Place, where art and community come together. We thank the Odiorne family for all their help and support at Center Place.”
For more information, please visit www.centerplacebrandon.org.
