On May 1, the Mancos Creative District announced the 2024 recipient of the 81328 Creates Scholarship for $1,000.
Each year, the Mancos Creative District chooses a college-bound senior at Mancos High School for the $1,000 award. This year, judges Lisa Taylor, Tom Yoder and David Mallin chose Mandi Peacock.
Peacock will attend Colorado State University to study animal sciences, adding that she’d like to do preveterinary studies.
While Peacock is planning on going into a science-related field, she said that art is a hobby that has been part of her life for years.
“I’ve been doing artwork since I was just a little girl,” Peacock said. “I would just make random little things and draw animals most of the time. And the main things that I usually use artwork for is to make gifts for other people, especially like birthday cards and Christmas cards. My family loves to see them.”
In her scholarship application essay, Peacock focused on how art has allowed her to connect with other people.
“It helps me connect with others. I find things they like or things that we’ve done together, and I make that into a card,” Peacock said. “I made a card for one of my brothers, and he really likes the game ‘Zelda,’ so I created the opening scene of ‘Breath of the Wild,’ but the castle was a huge cake and he had a fork instead of a sword.”
“It’s just finding those little things,” Peacock said. “They really appreciate it. My siblings often say, ‘You know, if you look really close in these drawings you can find very slight details, and when you notice them you’re like “Oh, I remember talking about that or you knew that I like that,”’ and that makes me smile a lot.”
She had to submit an example of her artwork as part of her application, and she submitted a photo of a dragon that also won her school’s art contest.
“While all of the applicants were impressive, Mandi’s application stood out. Not only does she have a stellar GPA, she states on her application that creating art ‘has always allowed me to express myself and connect with others.’ She spoke to the various mediums she uses including paint, digital art and photography,” Taylor said.
Peacock was also chosen by her peers to be president of the National Honor Society in Mancos, where she organizes fundraisers and is “known for her extraordinary level of follow-through.”
Her teacher’s recommendation shared a comic book on Edgar Allan Poe that Peacock created during COVID and the height of virtual learning.
“It was a difficult decision for this year’s judges because all of the applications were exemplary. Mandi Peacock’s application stood out to us in both her essay and her recommendation letter. Her teacher’s recommendation stated that Mandi follows her own moral compass and she is a role model for others. Mandi Peacock is a person that peers and adults can count on. That is exactly the kind of leader for tomorrow that is needed,” Taylor said.
Taylor went on to thank Tiffany Aspromonte for coordinating the Mancos High School applications and Maggie Goodell for “her years of stewardship of the 81328 Creates Scholarship.”
Peacock closed by encouraging her fellow graduates to look forward in anticipation of the future while holding their passions close.
“We’re so close,” Peacock said. “There’s greater and better things off in the future that you can look forward to, and whether that’s pursuing further education, a career, just make sure that you’re able to mix the real, grown-up world with things that you’re passionate about, because I’m going to continue doing artwork, even if my schedule gets busy.”
