This new award recognizes Kaylee’s visual arts accomplishments as a student at Lisle High School (Class of 2019). Kaylee continued her visual arts studies at Western Michigan University before her tragic passing in August 2022. The foundation and school sincerely hope that this new award will also help us to celebrate Kaylee and other Lisle students that were tragically lost too soon.
The award and $4,000 scholarship will be awarded to the outstanding Lisle High School senior visual arts student (selected by a school committee) for excellence in their visual arts studies, including (but not limited to) architecture, computer graphics, fashion, graphic design, painting, photography, film, video, and sculpture. The initial Kaylee Ann Gansberg Art Award recipient will be announced at Lisle High School’s Honors Night on May 10, 2023.
“We are proud to add the Kaylee Ann Gansberg Art Award to honor Kaylee and to help future high-achieving art students at Lisle High School accomplish their future educational goals,” said Carlin Nalley Foundation President John Bartels.
The Kaylee Ann Gansberg Art Award can be supported through donations to the Carlin Nalley Foundation at https://donorbox.org/carlin-nalley-foundation-fundraising .
Kaylee Ann Gansberg graduated from Lisle High School in 2019 and was not only a talented artist and photographer but an individual with a heart of gold. She had an infectious laugh and a brilliant smile that could light up a room. Growing up in Lisle, Kaylee was always very creative and experimented with all mediums of art, which created an artistic talent that still shines brightly today. She participated in numerous art events and won awards at every scholastic level. One of her proudest moments was winning the I-8 All-Conference Art Award in 2019 during her senior year at LHS. Kaylee developed a focus and passion for photography during her college years at Western Michigan University and was on track to graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in April 2023. While she always strived for excellence in her academics, it was adventure, travel, and world experiences that drove her motivation. Dreaming of traveling the world to photograph architectural designs, she fearlessly sought out new experiences and was ambitious to pursue a career in photography. Kaylee never took no for an answer believing that nothing great ever comes easy or without perseverance. Being a role model to many, her outgoing personality captivated those who knew her. She will always be remembered as a loving, caring, and giving person who made the world a better place. Kaylee touched so many lives in a positive way, and we hope she can be a muse for young artists on a similar creative path that embody both the artist and the art as she did. Through the scholarship established in her name, Kaylee’s memory will live on to help others pursue their artistic dreams and aspirations.