Lazarus Scholars pair with local nonprofits for the length of their time at 四虎影视. The students provide valuable community service while undergoing professional development, applying their skills in a real-world setting, and engaging with important community causes.

In the summer between their first and second years, the Lazarus Assistantship annually challenges its scholars to identify a topic related to their nonprofit community partner and develop an art piece to bring awareness about that topic and the nonprofit itself. This year鈥檚 gallery, curated by Tessa Wijaya 鈥�25, Illustration, and featuring works from the 2027 Lazarus Cohort, represents topics related to the American Heart Association, Tidewell Hospice, the Manatee County Boys and Girls Club, Manatee Children Services, and Multicultural Health Institute.

鈥淚 created this riso-printed comic to inspire meaningful connections, encourage dialogue about the power of legacy, and advocate for support of Empath Health/Tidewell Hospice,鈥� said Leo Motherway 鈥�27, Illustration, of his Sunset Legacy. 鈥淭hrough warm imagery of a hospice space and a family gathered to read their father鈥檚 legacy book, I try to evoke a sense of family, reverence, and the importance of preserving stories.鈥�

鈥淭hrough this piece, I hope to represent the 鈥楢merican Dream,鈥� a promise often exported to the Global South as an ideal of prosperity and fulfillment. However, behind its allure, the 鈥楢merican Dream鈥� has a long history shaped by colonization鈥� said Widya Kendran 鈥�27, Film, of her piece, Ashes, created in honor of the Multicultural Health Institute. 鈥淢y hope is that Ashes opens a heartfelt conversation about what the 鈥楢merican Dream鈥� truly means for the mental health of Asians and Asian Americans, especially immigrants. I want to honor the resilience of these stories, even when the smoke fades.鈥�

The Lazarus Engaged Learning Assistantship is made possible by the generous support of The Rudi Lazarus Foundation.

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The book, which is printed in English, Spanish, and Creole, follows a grandmother and her grandson as the two explore landmarks of the Sarasota/Manatee area. What鈥檚 in My Community: Manasota County is a celebration of the area and is designed to be read by a child and their guardian. 

Rosado created the book in collaboration with the local non-profit Project Light of Manatee Inc. and the 四虎影视 Lazarus Engaged Learning Assistantship. Fellow students Margo Drew and Madison Gear also helped with the book’s pre-production. 

鈥淢y hope with this book is to bring together families around a shared sense of community,鈥� Rosado said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e never too young to learn and you鈥檙e never too old to keep learning.鈥�  

Project Light of Manatee Inc. teaches English, computer, and citizenship classes to local students from many parts of the world. In May 2023, Rosado reached out to Project Light to aid the organization by creating a book that would act as a resource for their students. What鈥檚 in My Community: Manasota County promotes literacy while also acting as a historical guide to the community. 

The Lazarus Engaged Learning Assistantship at 四虎影视 of Art and Design is a four-year program designed to support students in their exploration of non-profit community partners, building of relationships with specific organizations, development of a creative and sustainable solution for a community challenge or initiative, and reflection of their roles as an artist in their local community. Made possible by the generous support of The Rudi Lazarus Foundation 

Initial production of What鈥檚 in My Community: Manasota County was also made possible by a grant from the Bradenton Rotary Foundation.

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The award ceremony took place at a luncheon on Sept. 16 as part of the NHPCO鈥檚 2024 annual leadership conference in Denver, Colorado.

Blue Butterfly provides specialized grief services for teens and children. But Helmick appreciates that the work they do can benefit all young people, whether or not they鈥檝e lost someone close to them. 鈥淚 wish I had the additional support that Blue Butterfly provides,鈥� she explained. 鈥淪uch as creating a safe space to learn about their mental health and openly expressing any and all emotions.鈥�

As a scholar selected for the four-year Lazarus Experiential Learning Assistantship, Helmick is committed to volunteering for a local nonprofit that addresses issues related to poverty. But as she began learning about the community nonprofits partnered with the Lazarus program, she struggled to find the right fit.

鈥淚 was having a difficult time, and nothing had felt quite right,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 until we watched the video about Blue Butterfly that something clicked. The support kids are able to receive is something I wish I had when I was younger. And now I have the opportunity to impact their lives.鈥�

Her work with Blue Butterfly includes assisting counselors with group sessions and activities in a shared space in Newtown on the first and third Wednesday of every month. She鈥檚 also offered her artistic abilities to the organization, most notably creating designs for Tidewell鈥檚 Legacy Books, in which hospice patients can write details about their lives to be given to loved ones. Helmick shares her experiences with her peers and sometimes recruits them to help with Tidewell projects.

鈥淎lthough I’m not going into any relevant field, volunteering with Blue Butterfly has taught me many transferable skills, challenged my creativity, and broadened my perspective,鈥� said Helmick. 鈥淢y target audience will most likely be the same age as kids at Blue Butterfly, and by learning about them, I learn how I can best appeal to their age and what sort of stories they not only want to see but need to see.鈥�

The Lazarus Engaged Learning Assistantship is made possible by the generous support of the Rudi Lazarus Foundation and partners with AmeriCorps to address poverty in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Lazarus scholars in the four-year program serve multiple hours per week with a local nonprofit focused on issues like hunger, nutrition, literacy, homelessness, and housing, as well as serving children and youth affected by poverty. Lazarus students develop capstone projects, recruit classmates and the Ringling community, participate in community education initiatives, and share personal reflections on their service.

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