Friends of Baycourt is pleased to announce three Tauranga Girls' College graduates are this year's winners of the FOB Annual Performing Arts Youth Scholarship.

Overall 2017 scholarship winner Teagan Wilson has been awarded $3000, first runner-up Danielle Sigley has won $2000, and second runner up Darrel Nitschke will receive $1000.

The annual scholarship is awarded to Western Bay of Plenty secondary school students, aged 16 and over, who intend to undertake tertiary education in their chosen field of the performing arts in the following year.

FOB chair Anna Finlayson Smith says due to the high standard of applications this year, selecting the three winners proved a difficult task for the judging panel.

'We are hugely delighted to be supporting the next generation of performers with this scholarship and it is wonderful to see the skills and strengths of the applicants. Friends of Baycourt wishes them all the very best in their next steps in gaining more qualifications in the area of Performing Arts.”

Next year, overall winner Teagan Wilson will commence fulltime study at Transit Dance Studio in Melbourne, Australia, where she has been accepted to study a two-year Diploma in Dance – Elite Performance.

Having danced since the age of seven, Teagan hopes her studies in Melbourne will eventually lead to a professional dance career.

'I feel like I've lived at Baycourt for most of my life with different dance shows and productions, so when I saw Friends of Baycourt was offering a scholarship I decided to try my luck and see what happens.

'This was my first time applying for a scholarship and I am so grateful for the support I've been given from Friends of Baycourt.”

First runner-up Danielle Sigley plans to shift north next year to undertake a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Drama and Education at The University of Auckland.

Heavily involved in drama and singing, Danielle says her future goal is to become a drama teacher, on top of continuing her involvement in the local theatre community.

'I've never won a scholarship before so it's really quite a big deal for me, especially because I'm extremely passionate about the performing arts.

'Being involved in performing arts is so rewarding. It's the inclusiveness, anyone can take part, and it's fulfilling being able to put your everything, your creativity and emotions into it.”

As for second runner-up Darrel Nitscheke, in 2018 she will travel south to Victoria University of Wellington where she will study towards a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Theatre and a minor in Political Science.

Though she's focused mainly on music over the years, Darrel's dabbled in drama too and hopes to expand on her experience and become a director of a theatre company in the future.

'I feel absolutely fantastic, especially because this scholarship is recognition for people in our local community who contribute to the arts and want to continue contributing to the arts.

'Because I've been going to Baycourt all my life, watching shows and things like that, being named as a recipient makes it all the more special.”