Danielle Medrano, a student at Wichita (Kansas) The Independent School, has been selected the 2015 Section 5 recipient of the "National High School Heart of the Arts Award" by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

The National High School Heart of the Arts Award was created by the NFHS to recognize those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the positive heart of the arts that represent the core mission of education-based activities. This is the second year that the National High School Heart of the Arts Award has been offered.

In a bit of role reversal, rather than Medrano’s mother being the person raising her daughter as the adult in a single-parent household, Medrano has played an equally important role as her mother’s primary full-time caretaker.

Since Medrano was born, her mother has battled multiple sclerosis. Despite the many hours Medrano devotes to caring for her mother, she still maintains exemplary grades, participates in a variety of sports, and has been very involved in the arts.

In the classroom, Medrano carries a glittering 3.8 grade-point average made further challenging by taking three advanced placement courses. Her academics are recognized and validated by her membership in the school’s chapter of the National Honor Society.

An extremely well-rounded athlete, Medrano plays four varsity sports at The Independent School – basketball, softball, soccer and tennis.

However, it is in the arts in which Medrano makes the biggest impact both within the school setting and with her mother. With numerous awards in recognition of her work with glass, this year Medrano has served an internship at Rayer’s Bearden Stained Glass, which has given her additional real-world experience.

Taking that to the next level, Medrano has given her mother a true gift by teaching her how to prepare glass for being soldered or leaded. By doing so, she has helped increase her family’s quality of life as she has given her mother an opportunity to successfully participate in a tangible project.

About the Award

The NFHS divides the nation into eight geographical sections. The states in Section 5 are Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Nominations for this award were generated through NFHS member state associations and reviewed by the NFHS Heart of the Arts Award Selection Committee composed of state association staff members.

While the national winner will be recognized June 29 at the NFHS Summer Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, the section winners will be recognized within their respective states and will receive awards before the end of the current school year.