Overview | Eligibility | Recipients
Name: Omina Jagusah
High School: Davenport Central
College: Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
What’s your passion?
“All my hobbies are art and what I can do while making art. I like painting, digital art and illustration. I listen to podcasts and YouTube videos while I’m working on those. For fun, I like to design characters.”
What inspires you?
“I’m inspired by the minority groups I’m part of and even the ones I’m not. I like the stories that haven’t been told. I look at life and the issues facing us, and use my art to make a story that mirrors that. I use art to make little narratives.”
How does it feel to be a Light the Spark scholarship recipient?
“It feels great. I’m putting money toward college, and I didn’t know how I was going to afford a laptop, so now I can get the materials I need. It was a huge relief.”
What’s your dream career?
“I want to be a graphic designer, and I also want to do illustration on the side.”
Name: Wyeth Platt
High School: Davenport Central
College: University of Iowa
What’s your passion?
“I’m a writer, and I’ve been one since sixth grade – arguably before them. I’ve always loved writing and reading. My father read Harry Potter to me, and that ignited my passion for reading. Once I was introduced to The Lord of the Rings, I realized J.R.R. Tolkien’s creation of a world was a more mature representation of imagination, and I began to let my own imagination run wild.”
What inspires you?
“I love stepping into others’ shoes and seeing different perspectives. As I’ve written more, I’ve picked up techniques. I draw inspiration from multiple sources – looking at environments, what to compare things to, and how the people around me talk.”
How does it feel to be a Light the Spark scholarship recipient?
“I was excited, and I was surprised by how silently I took the news. I’m very humbled that I’ve been noticed beyond social means and in a financial way for something I’m so passionate about.”
What’s your dream career?
“I want to be a novelist. I’m working toward advancing my style. I’d love to get paid to write, and I want to write for an audience that enjoys the piece.”
Name: Micah Green
High School: Davenport Central
College: Iowa State University
What’s your passion?
“I like making videos. I started on my mom’s iPhone when I was 10, and then I built on it over time. I like being able to express ideas.”
What inspires you?
“I’m inspired to make a job out of making videos, so I keep learning more. I like to exaggerate reality – take things that look normal and make them dramatic by making clones or making things giant. I really enjoy it. Once I discovered it could be a job and saw it as possible, I haven’t stopped. It’s pretty cool.”
How does it feel to be a Light the Spark scholarship recipient?
“It feels great. I didn’t think I was going to win. I just applied to see why not. It’s pretty cool to think about, and it’s one of those things that shows me it’s possible to pursue this.”
What’s your dream career?
“Video editing – I want more commissions but with a bigger budget.”
