PARKERSBURG – Two students from Washington and Ritchie counties have been named the recipients of the 2026 recipients of the Donna Campbell Award for Excellence from Artsbridge.

Kaylea Boyd of Belpre High School and Ava Stout of Ritchie County High School were recognized for their dedication to the arts and their vision for future creative careers.

The Donna Campbell Award for Excellence is annually awarded to two graduating seniors in the Artsbridge service area who plan to pursue a degree in the fine arts in college. Recipients receive $1,500 to support their continued education.

The scholarship was created in 2015 by Maestro Luke Frazier, conductor and founder of the American Pops Orchestra, in honor of his grandmother. Frazier is a graduate of Parkersburg South High School.

Boyd will graduate this spring from high scout. She is active in her school and church communities and has been in the Belpre Marching Band for six years. She plans to complete her liberal arts transfer degree at Washington State College of Ohio before transferring to Ohio University in 2027 to pursue a career in interior design.

She hopes to one day lead her own firm and use her creativity to design spaces that inspire comfort, care and connection.

Stout discovered her passion for art at a young age, beginning with creative projects that grew into both digital and physical design work. During her junior year, she enrolled in the Mid-Ohio Valley Technical Institute’s graphic design program where she developed a strong interest in visual communication.

Stout will attend West Liberty University in the fall and continue her studies in visual communication and refine her skills for a future career in the field.

“Kaylea and Ava represent the future of the arts in our region,” Lyndsay Dennis, executive director of Artsbridge, said. “Their passion, creativity, and commitment to their craft reflect exactly what this award was created to support. We are proud to invest in their next steps and excited to see how they shape the creative landscape moving forward.”

Frazier also graduated from West Virginia University and Ohio University. The mission of the American Pops Orchestra is to present popular and classical music in innovative ways that will engage new and diverse audiences.

In addition to the Campbell Award, Frazier also established through Artsbridge the Janet Frazier Award for Excellence, also named for Frazier’s grandmother, that is given to two fine arts teachers in high school and in elementary school. Frazier Award recipients teach arts, music or drama in the Artsbridge service area and receive $1,000 for classroom supplies.

Applications for the 2027 Donna Campbell Award for Excellence will open in early 2027.

For more information about Artsbridge and its programs, go to www.artsbridgeonline.org or follow Artsbridge on social media.