We had a special awards ceremony for SOHO last Friday morning!

SOHO received the statewide Shining Star Award, part of the Dominion ArtStars awards given through Virginians for the arts. These awards celebrate arts and education in the community, recognizing arts organizations that best demonstrate and advance synergy between the two. Shining Star awards emphasize the contributions of arts organizations through their partnership and collaboration with schools across the commonwealth. In honor of this big occasion we threw an awards ceremony! We were so happy to see mentors from past years – all the way back to SOHO’s very first year. SOHO would like to thank Richmond City Councilman Parker Agelasto, Delegate Betsy Carr, and the representative from Congressman Bobby Scotts office who attended for coming to the ceremony and celebrating this achievement with us.

The ceremony included speeches by VisArts CEO Ava Spece, Iris Holliday with Dominion, Emily Smith – board member for Virginians for the Arts and program staff for SOHO – Tesni Stephen, Jordan Roeder and Liana Elguero. We concluded this with a few stories from past and present SOHO mentors.  We are so thankful for this award and for the support represented that morning through all of our lovely attendees. Go SOHO!