Three annual RYT bursaries available to graduating SD 71 students.
1) Betty Dixon Memorial Bursary (Amount: $500)
Betty and her husband, Harry, were spectators during the first season of Rainbow but became enthusiastic supporters thereafter. Betty was a member of Rainbow for many years, serving on the Board, behind the scenes, and on stage. When Betty passed away in early December of 2000, Harry and the family requested that donations in her memory be made to Rainbow Youth Theatre. This generous bequest has allowed Rainbow to offer a bursary each year to one of its members graduating from high school and continuing on to post secondary education in the Arts.
2) Thelma Oliver Memorial Bursary (Amount: $500)
The Thelma Oliver Memorial Bursary is available to grads embarking on post secondary education in the Arts. This second bursary has been made possible thanks to the generous support of Thelma’s family and friends.
3) Mike Butler Bursary for Technical Theatre Skills (Amount: $500)
Mike Butler is one of the founding members of Rainbow Youth Theatre Society and the longest serving member on the RYT board of directors. He was the President of RYT for 20 years. Mike is a tireless volunteer who has provided his skills and expertise in the areas of lighting design and technical production for over three decades The RYT Board honours Mike s selfless dedication to its youth focused organization and the general Arts Community in the Comox Valley with a $500 bursary. This bursary is intended to support a graduating student who plans to pursue a career in sound, lighting, set design, props and prop-making, set painting, stage management, and directing.
RYT encourages students in the Comox Valley who are in their final year of high school to apply for one of these three separate bursaries (however it is possible for one student to be awarded more than one of the bursaries). In your application it is not necessary to identify which of the three bursaries students are applying for although the Mike Butler Bursary is focused on more of the technical side of performing arts production.
Please note that RYT considers post secondary education in the Performing Arts to include drama, dance, music, opera, magic, spoken word and circus arts.
To be eligible, students must:
• be graduating from grade 12 in School District 71
• have been an RYT member and participated in one or more RYT productions
• plan to pursue further education in the performing arts; and
• exemplify the spirit of Rainbow Youth Theatre, Betty Dixon, Thelma Oliver and Mike Butler.
How to Apply
Your submission should come in the form of a letter outlining the required criteria listed below, a photocopy of your most recent grades and copies of any relevant reference letters that you may have.
1. The applicant must be a SD 71 Grade 12 student enrolling in a post secondary institution for further study in the performing arts.
2. The applicant must be enrolled in at least one Grade 12 level performing arts course (incl. music, choirs, bands, etc.)
3. Academic Requirements: a) the applicant must meet university or college entrance requirements in academic subjects and b) obtain a Grade of “B” or better in his/her performing arts course(s)
4. The applicant must list the Rainbow Productions that they have participated in, either on stage or in a technical capacity.
5. Further Considerations: a) please list community involvement in the Arts and volunteer work with other community agencies. b) please list details of any private training which you have taken.
6. If you are submitting outside of your school’s process, please mail applications to: Rainbow Youth Theatre P.O. Box 3527 Courtenay, B.C. V9N 6Z8 PLEASE MARK the envelope “RYT BURSARIES”
7. Deadline for applications for these 3 RYT Bursaries is April 30th (of each year). Thank you for your interest in RYT.