Spark Newton has announced the recipients of its 2026 Nancy Quint Schön Arts Scholarships, awarded annually to Newton students pursuing a degree in the arts in higher
education.

The 2026 scholarship recipients are:

Clare Cho, a graduating senior at Newton South High School, will attend Harvard University, where she plans to double major in Psychology and Vocal Performance. Cho has performed with Newton South’s A Cappella group since 2023 and was a Regional Semi-Finalist in Musical Theatre at the New England
Musical Theatre Competition.

Lucy Yang-Schmidt, a graduating senior at Newton North High School, will attend Massachusetts
College of Art and Design (MassArt) to study Illustration. Yang-Schmidt serves as Costume Club Shop Manager at Newton North and received the Seal of Excellence in Theatre.

Sadie Mulligan, a graduating senior at Newton North High School, will attend the University of Southern
California this fall to study Theatrical Design. Mulligan has served as Shop Foreman for the Newton North
Stage Crew since Fall 2025 and has worked on eight school productions.

The scholarships are funded through the generosity of Newton sculptor Nancy Quint Schön, whose work
has been exhibited nationally and internationally. Schön is widely known for the “Make Way for Ducklings”
sculpture in the Boston Public Garden, based on the children’s book by Robert McCloskey.
Spark Newton recently hosted a reception for the scholarship recipients and their families at Schön’s
home. During the event, students had the opportunity to meet the artist, view selections of her recent
work, and hear about her career and artistic process.

“Nancy Quint Schön’s continued generosity and advocacy for the arts community have created
opportunities for these students to pursue their creative goals and to see firsthand the impact an artist can
have on the world around them.” said Spark Newton Executive Director Leandra Sharron. “At a time when
support for the arts and creative expression feels especially important, it is meaningful to be able to invest
in young artists at the beginning of their career.”
Founded to support and encourage emerging artists in the Newton community, the Nancy Quint Schön
Arts Scholarship recognizes students demonstrating commitment and achievement in the arts as they
pursue continued education in creative fields.

For more information about Spark Newton, visit sparknewton.org.

The attached photo is credited to Gloria Gavris and depicts, from left to right, Leandra Sharron (Spark Newton Executive Director), Lucy Yang-Schmidt, Nancy Schön, Clare Cho, and Sadie Mulligan.