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Two arts scholarship awards will be among the highlights at TroyFest 2023 this weekend in downtown Troy.

The Jean Lake Scholarship is sponsored annually by the Troy Arts Council and TroyFest has proudly announced the awarding of the Charles Adams Memorial Scholar this year. Both scholarships will be presented at the noontime awards ceremony Saturday at the Johnson Center for the Arts.

The recipient of the 2023 Jean Lake Scholarship is Marie-Victoire Gallie, a senior at Charles Henderson High School. The $1,000 scholarship award is sponsored by the Troy Arts Council.

Hannah Sparrow, also a senior at Charles Henderson High School, is the recipient of the Charles Adams Memorial Scholarship. The $500 scholarship is sponsored by TroyFest.

For Marie-Victorie, the prestigious scholarship award was a very welcomed endorsement of her work.

Although she has been a student of art since sixth grade, Marie-Victorie began to put more emphasis on her artwork in the 11th grade.

“Things have been tough for me, socially,” the award-winner said.  “I’m shy so I’ve been by myself a lot.”

Feeling alone much of the time, Marie-Victorie looked to herself for much of her artwork.

“I’ve done a lot of self-portraits,” she said with a smile.

Most of the works in Marie-Victoire’s exhibit at the JCA are self-portraits in different head positions that illustrate “feelings.”

However, she is not afraid to step out of her comfort zone and “try something new,” including digital illustrations and animation.

Marie-Victoire is looking forward to the learning opportunities that await her at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland.