Patricia A. LaPorte Scholarship for the Creative Arts

05/01/2025

It was a distinct pleasure to be able to head back to Lemont last night to present this year's class of scholarships to two of LHS's best and brightest shining creative talents, Shea Holt and Ana Treanor. Both present astounding promise and it's an honor to add fuel to their artistic fire.

(Giving a speech that quoted W***y Wonka, & giving the winners special Golden Tickets? Chef's kiss)

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05/05/2022

Thank you so much to all who have contributed! We have two BIG NEWS items!

1) We have just selected the awardee(s) of the Patricia A. LaPorte Scholarship of the Creative Arts in its first inaugural year!

2) with our latest contributions, we've just crossed the threshold to having our 2nd year fully funded!

Our intention is to fully fund five years for the scholarship, and are SO GRATEFUL for your assistance in helping make this an actualized reality for Lemont High School's graduating students!

03/07/2022

We've just about done it! We're coming close to funding the first scholarship for 5 years!

LHS students in the visual arts, music, drama & music will be submitting their applications soon, and we're very excited to start reviewing their material.

NEW CHALLENGE: TWO $1,000 scholarships per year!

If we are about to hit our next benchmark of $10,000, we will be able to fund 5 years worth of TWO $1,000 scholarships! It will no longer be just an America's Got Talent contest putting discipline against discipline— students in the arts, music & creative writing will be aiming for one of TWO scholarships!

Time is running out in this first inaugural year. Now would be the time to make a contribution so that we can solidify our plans. Thanks!

01/29/2022

We're nearing the $3,000 mark! Scholarship applications will be coming in from students in several disciplines: visual art, music, creative writing and the performing arts.

We are raising both for longevity— to fund the scholarship for five inaugural years, and with hopes to be able to award more than one scholarship per year so that applicants in the different disciplines maybe represented.

But what's possible: how many scholarships are available for how long in the foreseeable future, relies on your generosity.

We've got high hopes, just as these budding artists, musicians & writers have big dreams and lofty aspirations.

01/21/2022

01/19/2022

Friends, Facebook, Countrymen, lend me your ears!

https://donorbox.org/patricia-a-laporte-scholarship-for-the-creative-arts

I've started a scholarship for graduating students at my old high school who are going into the creative and performing arts: art, music, creative writing and the performing arts.

4 scholarships - $500 each - for 5 years. (**Hoping for $1000 each**)

10 people donating $50 = one of the scholarships. That's easily doable, right?

I've now donated the full 5th year of 4 scholarships, and I need some help with the first 4. Every bit gets us closer, and it's really quick to donate!

And let's face it: I work at Sesame Street, not Goldman Sachs. I need a little help getting this effort off the ground & into the air.

So if you'd be so kind, DONATE – and SHARE this post to spread the word!!

The scholarship is named in my mom's honor; it was her waking my groggy butt up in the morning to make it to 7AM Early Bird Art class that got me started on this life's path toward graduate studies at the School of Visual Art and on to Sesame Street & - it still shocks me to say - 3 Emmys. So I've got a whole lot to be thankful for & want to give back.

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A while ago, Patty Melei, LHS English teacher, offered my sister and I an amazing opportunity to meet with her Creative Writing class to discuss careers and collegiate study in the creative arts. I was astounded at the breadth & support for the creative & performing arts that has grown and flourished at LHS! We’re talking flabbergasting offerings available to the students who by their displayed talent alone show that they’re taking full advantage of the opportunities.

An idea struck which I just couldn’t stifle: to provide a stepping stone for graduating students with the talent and ambition to advance their studies.

Thank you thank you thank you thank you THANK you. (Oh, and donations are completely tax deductible)

I couldn’t have gotten it off the ground without the resounding support & assistance of Patty Melei, Denise Dalton, Tony Hamilton and the volunteers with the Lemont High School Education Foundation.

The Patricia A. LaPorte Scholarship for the Creative ArtsThis scholarship in honor of Patricia A. LaPorte is spearheaded by her son, Ed Kulzer, a Lemont High School graduate and a three-time Emmy Award winning editor. He loves his work in the crea...