Since its inception, the Outer Banks Forum for the Lively Arts (OBFLA) has enjoyed a strong connection to Dare County Schools. In recent years the organization has worked alongside students interns and supported arts education through scholarship and, thanks to a grant from Dominion Energy, this tradition continues.

Each year OBFLA gives scholarships to students who plan to study the performing arts in a college or advanced program. The awards are competitive, with winners selected on their academic achievement, participation in the arts and the strength of their personal recommendations. “Dominion Energy’s grant supports the education mission of the Forum: to promote local arts education with scholarship award for college-level study in the arts,” noted an OBFLA news release.

“We acknowledge Dominion, our education sponsor 2022-2025, for being a valuable community partner and helping us in our mission to bring high quality entertainment to the Outer Banks and support a vibrant future for the arts through scholarship,” said Carl V. Curnutte, president of the Outer Banks Forum.

“We were very pleased to encourage and reward young talent in our community,” he remarked. “Student interns are trained by the Forum to run lights and manage the seven-show music series held annually at David E. Oaksmith Auditorium in First Flight High School in Kill Devil Hills. This spring we were pleased to award scholarships to three exceptional students: Heath Miller, Ava Nultemeier, and Riya Braunstein.”

According to the OBFLA release, Miller’s heartfelt passion is music of which he has been most successful having performed in jazz bands, concert and marching bands, and string orchestra groups locally at First Flight High School and regionally with Eastern Regional Orchestra and East Regional Jazz Band. He was accepted to study music at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he intends to study this fall.

Nultemeier was accepted at Appalachian State, UNC Greensboro, UNC Charlotte and NC State. While pursuing her passion for dance, Nultemeier intends to study music production and earn an engineering bachelor’s degree, noted the release. While a student at First Flight, she attended NC Governor’s School of the Arts for dance. She has taken dance classes since age two and has participated in several arts organizations.

Braunstein is heading to the New School in New York this fall, majoring in film and double-minoring in screenwriting and drama. Over the years she has been active locally on and off the stage with The Lost Colony, Theatre of Dare, and Manteo High School’s Stage Left. She recently served as president of MHS Stage Left productions.

“On behalf of Dominion Energy North Carolina, we are proud to show our support for the Outer Banks Forum for the Lively Arts and their continued efforts to enhance and support the performing arts through scholarship,” said Winnie Wade, external affairs manager of Dominion Energy North Carolina.

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