The Missouri Fine Arts Academy provides a unique program of artistic, extracurricular, and social opportunities to Missouri's talented high school students, and has done so since 1996. Click here to learn more about MFAA...
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"I look at the website every summer and feel nostalgic about my years there as a student, RA, and RA Director. . . . It was an amazing part of my life. I am graduating medical school in May. . . . With some time to reflect recently, I realize how important the arts still are to me and I know... " Click here to read more
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posted: 2/4/2010 | updated:
To All 2010 MFAA Nominees
Thanks for your interest in the 2010 Missouri Fine Arts Academy (MFAA). Nomination materials are now being reviewed by the student selection team.
Because the nomination deadline was extended due to severe weather that caused many schools to close in early January, the notification of selection or non-selection to MFAA has been extended to Friday, February 12. On February 12, the MFAA office will email all nominees and school contacts about nominees’ selection status. Letters will follow immediately. All nominees invited to participate in the 2010 MFAA must accept or decline their invitations by contacting the MFAA office by Thursday, February 18. Contact information will be included in emails and letters.
Students who are accepted to MFAA should be aware of the following:
All MFAA students are automatically enrolled in a college level course called IDS101-Interdisciplinary Seminar. Students who successfully complete MFAA will receive three hours college credit at no additional cost. The syllabus for IDS101 will be online by Friday, February 12 at the MFAA website: http://mfaa.missouristate.edu under “Curriculum.”
By February 18, MFAA administrators will confirm scholarship information completed by nominees in conjunction with their parents/guardians on page 4 of the 2010 Student Nomination Form. This information is considered a final statement of financial obligation unless students notify the MFAA office of changes by Thursday, February 18. As a reminder, below is the information on page 4 of the Student Nomination Form, along with a reminder of Important Deadlines, also included on the Student Nomination Form.Scholarship Information:
Below are the federal government guidelines for eligibility for free and reduced price school meals. Students qualifying under these guidelines, even if they have not applied for free or reduced price school meals at their sending schools, may apply for MFAA scholarships. Certification of eligibility will be required when nominees are selected.
|
Household Size |
Maximum Household Income Eligible for Free Meals |
Maximum Household Income Eligible for Reduced Price Meals |
|
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Each add’l member |
Annually Monthly Weekly $14,079 $1,174 $271 18,941 1,579 365 23,803 1,984 458 28,665 2,389 552 33,527 2,794 645 38,389 3,200 739 43,251 3,605 832 48,113 4,010 926
+4,862 +406 +94 |
Annually Monthly Weekly $20,036 $1,670 $386 26,955 2,247 519 33,874 2,823 652 40,793 3,400 785 47,712 3,976 918 54,631 4,553 1,051 61,550 5,130 1,184 68,469 5,706 1,317
+6,919 +577 +134 |
Selected students from families meeting the eligibility for free school meals are eligible for full tuition scholarship to the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, and will pay $0 in tuition fees. Selected students will be required to provide certifications of eligibility.
Selected students from families meeting the eligibility guidelines for reduced price school meals, are eligible for partial scholarships to the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, and will pay $300 in tuition fees. Selected students will be required to provide certifications of eligibility.
Selected students from families that do not meet the eligibility guidelines for free or reduced price school meals are not eligible for tuition scholarships to the Missouri Fine Arts Academy and will pay $1,200 in tuition fees.
Important Deadlines:
Feb 12, 2010: Deadline for MFAA to notify all selected and non-selected nominees and school contacts. Wait list is maintained until March 1, 2010.
February 18, 2010: Deadline for selected nominees to accept ot decline invitation to MFAA.
March 1, 2010: Deadline for MFAA to confirm wait-listed nominees.
March 15, 2010: Postmark deadline for first tuition installment. Students who do not meet tuition deadline will be dropped from MFAA.
March 16, 2010: 50% of all tuition fees will be returned for students who withdraw or are dropped between March 16 and May 15.
April 15, 2010: Postmark deadline for second tuition installment. Students who do not meet tuition deadline will be dropped from MFAA. 50% of all tuition fees will be returned for students who withdraw or are dropped through May 15.
May 15, 2010: Postmark deadline for final tuition installment. No tuition fees are returned for students who withdraw or are dropped after May 15.
Thanks again for your interest in Missouri Fine Arts Academy.Leatha Ault, MFAA Coordinator
Julie Bloodworth, MFAA Director
Ray Castrey, MFAA Lead Teacher
posted: 1/13/2010 | updated:
Latest Student Nomination Information-MFAA 2010
1. The postmark deadline for student nomination materials has been extended to Tuesday, January 19 because inclimate weather across the state has caused a number of school closings.
2. Non-refundable nomination fees may be paid by checks made out to Missouri State University. The MFAA will also accept Purchase Orders from school districts for nomination fees.
posted: 12/22/2009 | updated:
Alumni Appeal!
Dear Missouri Fine Arts Academy Alumni,
Over the past fourteen years, we've heard from many of you, citing MFAA as a positive turning point in your artistic lives. We hope you feel that you were fortunate to have benefitted from the state's decision to fully fund the academy so that you could participate in this unique program completely free of charge.
Students selected for the 2010 MFAA will not be so fortunate.
In the wake of the economic downturn, state funding for MFAA has been cut drastically, leaving less than 1/3 of the funds necessary for the academy's operation. To make up for the funding shortfall, students selected for next summer's academy must pay tuition. Many deserving students, of course, simply can't afford to do so.
Will you "pay it forward" by contributing what you can so that MFAA can offer scholarships to deserving students who can't afford to pay for the experience? We will use your support as evidence of the value of our program as we seek funding with the legislature, with corporate and individual donors, and with granting agencies.
Look, we know that many of you are starving artists. (We are too!) That's why we're not asking for a specific donation amount. Give what you can, and we'll combine the donations from our generous alumni--there are over 2500 of you--and make as many scholarships as we possibly can. They'll be named MFAA Alumni Scholarships and will remind the students who receive them that they are reaping the benefit of those of you who went before.
Of course, if you've made it big in whatever field of endeavor you've chosen and want to contribute a full scholarship (or two--or three) in the amount of $1,500 each, we'll proudly and gratefully accept those, as well. Donors who fund a full scholarship (or two--or three) should let us know how those scholarships should be applied. (Shall we give a scholarship to a student in your artistic discipline, from your home town, in the greatest financial need?) We'll name the scholarship after you and give you props in several ways:
1) Scholarship donors and recipients will be printed in Opening and Closing Convocation Programs and posted on the MFAA website.
2) Scholarship donors and recipients will be announced at Closing Convocation, the graduation ceremony.
3) Certificates acknowledging donors will be sent to all high schools that nominated scholarship students.
We have in place a funding model for future academies that we think will be sustainable, regardless of the economic climate. It asks for small contributions from a variety of stakeholders in MFAA: the state of Missouri, high schools that nominate students, students selected for MFAA, community businesses, Missouri State University, and you--MFAA alumni and your friends and families.
If you'd like to help--and we hope you do--here's what you can do:
* Write a check for your tax-deductible donation. (Before January 1 if you want to claim your donation for 2009!)
* Make out the check to "Missouri State University Foundation"
* Write "Missouri Fine Arts Academy Endowment" on the Memo line.
* Send it to Missouri Fine Arts Academy
901 South National Ave.
Springfield, MO 65897
Donations received by March 8, 2010 will benefit 2010 MFAA students; those received after March 8 will benefit 2011 MFAA students.
Respectfully and fondly,
Julie Bloodworth, Director
Ray Castrey, Lead Teacher
posted: 9/8/2009 | updated:
Haley Stevens succumbs to ALS Disease
Haley Elise Stevens, 17, lost her courageous two-year battle with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease, on September 3, 2009,in Springfield, Missouri. Haley visited the 2009 Missouri Fine Arts Academy with her mother, Gretchen Teague, on Arts Advocacy and Community Service Day. Gretchen spoke to the MFAA students about the family's experience with ALS, and Haley and Gretchen were presented with a ceramic bowl representing the Academy's fund-raising project, selling hand-made bowls to benefit the ALS Association. A donation of $1,000.00 is being made to the ALS Association in Haley's name from the 2009 Missouri Fine Arts Academy Community. Haley's bright life and brave struggle are an inspiration to everyone who knew her. Condolence cards from MFAA community members will be delivered to the Teague family. Please send cards to: The Teague Family c/o Missouri Fine Arts Academy, 901 South National, Springfield, Missouri 65897. Donations to the ALS Association in Haley's name may be sent to Keith Worthington Chapter of the ALS Association, 1721 W. Elfindale St., Ste. 101, Springfield, MO 65807.
posted: | updated:
Open Letter from MFAA Parent
The following are excerpts from a letter written by Diane Marshall, parent of 2009 MFAA student, Emma WitbolsFeugen.
"One of the most important discoveries that young artists like my daughter make at MFAA is their connection with a great community of like-minded and purpose-driven young artists like themselves. Because true artists are few in proportion to the general population, they are often marginalized and isolated. I like to think of Missouri Fine Arts Academy as a "No Artist Left Behind" program because it unites art students of all stripes across Missouri based solely on artistic merit and character recommendation regardless of their ability to pay. Unfortunately this program is no longer free due to legislative cuts. This means that the program will be less democratic because once again, students of promise who are isolated in rural or inner city situations will not have the support needed to participate in programs like these.
To those legislators who regard art as a superfluous endeavor demanding a disproportionate amount of money benefitting a small segment of the population: You overlook the fact that art is the glue that holds all our enterprises together. It renders flags and logos and banknotes instantly recognizable; it puts a lump in your throat when anthems and arais soar; it dresses up political websites. It is the avant-garde that spawns endless cycles of imitation in the profitable fashion and media industries. It is the originality that supports both black market pirates and patent lawyers. Commerce would be a dull, sluggish business without the improbable ingenuity of artistic appearances. High art inhabits a rarified demi-monde but its lucrative influence is everywhere. None of the translation from the poetry of art to the prose of industry is possible without educated artists of all disciplines.
Sincerely,
Diane Marshall