The Rotary Club of Simcoe has awarded four Norfolk County students the 2025 Gord Watts Arts Scholarship, each receiving $1,500 toward their post-secondary arts education. Amber McKnight of the Rotary Club, explains the scholarship was established in 2012 in memory of Dr. Gord Watts—a respected local dentist, Rotarian, and passionate artist.
The scholarship celebrates Watts’ artistic legacy through support from the Rotary Club and the Watts family.
This year’s recipients are Maeve Henderson of Simcoe Composite School (SCS), Bria Swance of Delhi District Secondary School (DDSS), Emma Adams of Holy Trinity, and Fiona Nykamp of Waterford District High School (WDHS). Henderson is heading to OCAD University to study experimental animation. Swance will attend Nipissing University for a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a concurrent Bachelor of Education. Adams is enrolled in the Art Fundamentals program at Sheridan College, and Nykamp will study Studio Art at the University of Guelph.
Applicants must submit a portfolio of five original works, two letters of recommendation, and a completed online application in the spring. Henderson told us a little about their art and what she submitted in her portfolio.
Henderson has always loved the hustle and bustle of Toronto and is excited for the opportunity to experience something new. She will be studying experimental animation, a program that focuses on special effects and 3D modeling for film and animation. Henderson described receiving the scholarship as a “full circle moment.”
An exhibition showcasing the work of past scholarship winners is on display at Lynwood Arts Centre until September 7, highlighting the lasting impact of the scholarship and the artistic talent emerging from Norfolk County.
Written by Jeremy Hall