For Immediate Release
Twenty-Sixth Annual Achievement in the Arts Awards
to Take Place on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at the historic Palace Theatre in Greensburg
GREENBURG, PA – On Tuesday, May 14th at 7:15 PM, Westmoreland Cultural Trust will proudly recognize fifty-six local Westmoreland County high school seniors for their exceptional artistic and academic accomplishments. Faculty and staff from eighteen area high schools nominated students for awards in the following categories: Instrumental Performance, Theatre Performance, Visual Art, and Vocal Performance. The awards ceremony is free to attend and is open to students, family, educators, and anyone in the community. The Palace Theatre is located at 21 West Otterman Street, Greensburg, PA 15601. For more information about this event, please reach out to Ari Burke, Event and Program Specialist, at aburke@wctrust.net.
The private pre-award reception, featuring light refreshments, will begin at 6:30 PM, with the awards ceremony set to commence at 7:15 PM, which is open to the public. The Trust will also honor the memory of Judges Debra Pezze and Richard McCormick. Both were integral to the creation of the awards ceremony in 1999. Their support and dedication to the arts were a large factor in this event’s success, which continues to impact students across the county.
Newly appointed Westmoreland Cultural Trust CEO Benjamin Luczak will provide remarks. The host for the evening will be Eric Barchiesi, a prominent supporter of the arts and frontman for EBTjazz. Some of the county’s most well-known supporters and influencers of the arts will also be on hand to assist the Trust in presenting the awards. These supporters include: Mr. Michael Rozell, Executive Director of the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra, for the Instrumental Performance award; Ms. Teresa Baughman, interim CEO for Westmoreland Cultural Trust, for the Theatre Performance award; Dr. Silvia Filippini-Fantoni, PhD, Richard M. Scaife Director/CEO of Westmoreland Museum of American Art, for the Visual Arts award; and Ms. Joette Salandro, retired faculty member of Greensburg Central Catholic, for the Vocal Performance Award.
Join Westmoreland Cultural Trust on this special night as they celebrate these bright young students who are paving the way as our next generation of artists and performers.
The following students will be honored at the awards ceremony:
Belle Vernon High School
- Leah Ackinclose: Instrumental Performance
- Jocelyn Siburt: Vocal Performance
Burrell High School
- Connor Andersen-Rearick: Visual Art
- Elizabeth Lagutta: Vocal Performance
- Alexander Platt: Instrumental Performance
- Haley Swauger: Theatre Performance
Derry Area High School
- Piper Anke: Vocal Performance
- Vincent Mastrorocco: Visual Art
- Cameron Smith: Theatre Performance
- Abigail Snyder: Instrumental Performance
Franklin Regional High School
- Luke Sunny: Theatre Performance
- Nora Vitale: Vocal Performance
Greater Latrobe High School
- Reese Crick: Visual Art
- Sarah Hoffman: Theatre Performance
- Henry Krom: Vocal Performance
- Abigail Wolfgang: Instrumental Performance
Greensburg Central Catholic
- Ava Kozar: Vocal Performance
- Claire Miedel: Instrumental Performance
- Benjamin Petnuch: Visual Art
- Madison Plunko: Theatre Performance
Greensburg Salem High School
- Caprice Copeland: Vocal Performance
- Nikki Garsteck: Instrumental Performance
- Lucy McChesney: Visual Art
- Callie Shirey: Theatre Performance
Hempfield Area High School
- Jocelyn Davis: Theatre Performance
- Carlene Fox: Vocal Performance
- Jack Krueger: Instrumental Performance
Jeannette High School
- Caleb Kuhn: Visual Art
- Kayla Matson: Instrumental Performance
- John Pollins: Vocal Performance
- Bailey Richardson: Theatre Performance
Kiski Area High School
- Mason Caldwell: Vocal Performance
- Ambur Orowitz: Instrumental Performance
- Brandon Ray: Theatre Performance
Ligonier Valley High School
- Clara Wallace: Visual Art
Monessen High School
- Nolan Blaze: Vocal Performance
- Lacey Caterino: Visual Art
- Alex Merritt: Vocal Performance
- Peyton Wareham: Theatre Performance
Mount Pleasant High School
- Shannon McCandless: Visual Art
- Hannah Townsend: Vocal Performance
- Hannah Tucholski: Theatre Performance
- Brandon Wilson: Instrumental Performance
New Kensington-Arnold Valley High School
- Nina Vigilante: Visual Art
Norwin High School
- Casey Rose Colcombe: Theatre Performance
- Jesse Rice: Visual Art
Penn-Trafford High School
- Patrick Boyle: Vocal Performance
- Sophia Laspina: Theatre Performance
- Eva Lichty: Visual Art
- Juliana Matteo: Instrumental Performance
Southmoreland High School
- Christopher Headley: Instrumental Performance
- Adra Pandullo: Visual Art
- Faith Tarr: Theatre Performance
Yough High School
- Michelle Bowers: Visual Art
- Hayden Cooper: Instrumental Performance
- Kaite Proctor: Vocal Performance
About Westmoreland Cultural Trust
Achievement in the Arts and The Palace Theatre are managed by Westmoreland Cultural Trust. Westmoreland Cultural Trust is a Greensburg, PA-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to stimulate cultural and economic development in the Westmoreland County region, to promote the performing arts; and to preserve and enhance the region’s assets for the benefit of the community. Visit WCT at: www.westmorelandculturaltrust.org
Press Contact: Daniel Stainer, Director of Marketing
Westmoreland Cultural Trust
724-836-1123 x252 / dstainer@wctrust.net