JULY 15 - TORONTO - From motion picture production, makeup artistry, drama studies, visual arts and dance, the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation is proud to announce that the jury for the Fine Arts Bursary awarded over $233,000 to 65 fine arts students this month.

This year's amount is almost $86,000 more than last year's total amount of $147,200.
 
This year includes the newly created Norval Morriseau bursary that awards $5,000 for First Nation Inuit and Métis on the basis of artistic merit to an emerging visual artist pursuing the development of his/her career. Inuk artist Beth Kotierk, 19, received the award and will be entering her second year of a four year Sculpture/Installation program at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto.
 
It was a landmark year for all the Foundation's bursaries with over $4.6-million disbursed to over 1,300 First Nation, Inuit and Métis students nationwide. NAAF is proud to provide much needed assistance to hundreds of Aboriginal students embarking on a new educational journey, continuing their quest for higher education or thinking about post-secondary education and careers.

"We are excited to announce our numbers for these bursaries and that the number of applicants from First Nation, Inuit and Métis is also increasing," said Roberta Jamieson, President and CEO for the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation.

"In 2004-05 NAAF provided $1.9 million in scholarships and bursaries in contrast to 2008-09 in which we provided $4,630,750. This is impressive; however, NAAF can do more when the stats are seeing a 38% rise in applications this year alone and NAAF is only able to meet 27% of the needs of the students who applied. It is NAAF's goal to help students realize their dreams and aspirations to build brighter futures."

Following is a cross section of students NAAF funded in the Fine Arts category:

Mimi Gellman (Toronto) $6000 to enter in the first year of a four year PhD Cultural department and Visual Studies program at Queen's University; Sarah Hager (North Vancouver)$4500 to enter in the first year of a three year Motion Picture Production program at Capilano University; Tanis Parenteau (New York) $4500 to continue in the second year of a three year Masters of Fine Arts program at The New School for Drama; Maria Black Plume Bracko (Calgary) $500 to complete a one year Fashion Arts Diploma program at John Casablancas Institute; and Louis Waters (Queen Charlotte) $4500 to complete a one year Audio Engineering and Production and DJ Arts program at Trebas Institute.

Besides the fine arts awards, NAAF also supports students in the categories of post-secondary education, health careers and oil and gas, trades and technology.

NAAF is pleased to confirm that during the 2008 - 2009 fiscal period the Foundation funded students in an exciting variety of fields including: registered nurses (163), teachers (73), doctors and dentists (74), Engineers (21), Masters Degrees (120), PhDs (54) and MBAs (9) to name a few.

Each successful student receiving a bursary is contacted directly by NAAF education staff and their name is also posted on the website.

For more information, please contact:
 
John Ecker
Vice President, Communications and Media Relations
National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation
B: 416-987-0260
C: 647.408.5044
jecker@naaf.ca