The Arts Council of Moore County announces the winners of the 2012 Barnes-Travis Arts Scholarships.

With 20 outstanding applicants and requests for more than $14,000, the scholarship panel faced another big challenge this year with only $2,260 in funds to award.

The 2012 winners of a general Barnes-Travis Arts Scholarship are:

Mary Kimrey, of Southern Pines, was awarded $500 to attend Mims Studio Youth Art Program. She is an eighth-grader at Southern Middle School.

Spencer Lynch, of Carthage, was awarded $200 to attend the UNCG Summer Music Camp in piano. He is a sixth-grader at New Century Middle School.

Duncan McDonald, of Aberdeen, was awarded $200 to take private guitar lessons with Steve McKenzie. He is in the 10th grade at Pinecrest High School.

Sara Simmons, of Cameron, was awarded $400 to attend N.C. Governor's School in theater. She is in the 11th grade at Union Pines High School.

Samara Wright, of Pinehurst, was awarded $200 to attend the UNC Greensboro Summer Music Camp in piano. She is an eighth-grader at West Pine Middle School.

The 2012 winner of a Carol Lawson Rouhier Visual Arts Scholarship is Elizabeth Underwood, of Southern Pines, who was awarded $500 to the N.C. Governor's School in art. She is in the 11th grade at Pinecrest High School.

The 2012 winner of the Sara Schrock Theatre Scholarship is Caleb Garner, of Robbins, who was awarded $260 for acting lessons at the Devan Ward Acting Class. He is in the 11th grade at North Moore High School.

The Barnes-Travis Arts Scholarship was established in 2000 to honor the memory of Harry Barnes and Vaud A. Travis III. The Carol Lawson Rouhier Visual Arts Fund was set up in Rouhier's memory to award scholarships to visual arts applicants, and the Sara Schrock Theatre Scholarship was set up in her memory to award scholarships to theater applicants. All four people were avid supporters of the arts and the Arts Council of Moore County.

The scholarship seeks to provide funds to Moore County middle and high school students with a demonstrated talent in the arts. The funds may be used for attendance to a summer arts program or private lessons with an art, music or dance instructor. Since the scholarship was created, the Arts Council has kept their memories alive by awarding more than $20,000 to 68 talented middle and high schools students.

The Barnes-Travis Arts Scholarship Fund is a convenient way to support the Arts Council and the many talented youth in our community. Donations to this fund may be pledged and gifted over several years, and a variety of gift options are accepted, such as cash, securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds and IRAs), personal property (cars, artwork, etc.), real property (real estate, homes, business property, etc.), trusts (charitable remainder trusts, annuity trusts, family trusts, etc.), insurance, and bequests (i.e., gifts received at death directed by a will or living trust). Any and all gifts will help grow the scholarship fund and the artistic growth of a future musician, artist, dancer, actor and writer.

For additional information, call the Arts Council at (910) 692-2787 or visit www.mooreart.org.