MoCo Arts is pleased to name Niko McPherson as the recipient of the 2019 Arts for Life Scholarship – a scholarship fund established to honor long-time MoCo Arts board member, Maich Gardner. Niko has been part of the MoCo family for several years, and currently participates in both the dance and the theatre programs. The scholarship will help cover the cost of his tuition for classes at MoCo during the 2019/2020 school year.
With the help of Niko’s mother, Bonnie, we were able to surprise him with this honor just before fall classes began. Bonnie brought Niko to MoCo under the premise that they would be registering for fall classes. Unbeknownst to Niko, Maich Gardner and Ed Tomey, along with Reagan (MoCo’s Executive Director) and even Niko’s grandparents were waiting in the lobby to greet him. It was a perfect moment. And a wonderful example of the transformative power of the arts.
“MoCo is a safe haven from the rest of the world, a place where I can truly be myself and express myself through the arts,” said Niko McPherson, now a senior at Keene High School. “It was at MoCo that I was able to discover my passion for live theater and dance, a passion that I hope to continue into the future. This scholarship allows me to pursue this at a time where it might not have been so easy, and I am extremely grateful to Maich, Ed, Reagan [Messer], Marty [Hennum], and Danielle [Fitzpatrick] for making this possible.”
Established in 2014 by Ed Tomey and supported by donations from the Hoffman Family Foundation, the Gardner-Grinnell Charitable Fund, and more than 45 individual donors, the fund honors Maich Gardner, whose kind, generous, thoughtful voice has provided wisdom and guidance to MoCo for many years. Her enthusiastic support of the children, the process, and the arts educators brings joy to all. Maich believes passionately in MoCo’s mission of ‘transforming lives through movement and creative expression.’ The Arts for Life Scholarship is awarded annually to one or more students who are also passionate about the arts, and otherwise would be unable to benefit from all the creative opportunities available through MoCo Arts programming.
MoCo Arts is very proud of the accomplishments of all their students. Niko McPherson is a shining example of the MoCo mission at work, and through his hard work and dedication to the arts, he has earned this honor. We are very pleased to support his growth in the arts, and we’re excited to see where the future will take him. Congratulations, Niko!
