Welcome to the
BKF Performing Arts Foundation!
We’re proud of our first two scholarship winners, Abby Rogers (2020) and Rachael Gomez (2021)! Watch them discuss how the BKF scholarship has supported them at their respective universities, Drake and Belmont University. They let their talents shine performing our theme song, “Dancing in the Tune,” composed and performed by Rebecca Renfroe-Borneman.
The application period for the 2023 Betsye Kay Finch Performing Arts Foundation Scholarship is
between January 19th and Feb. 7, 2023 at 12 noon. To apply, please visit the Polk Education Foundation, which manages our application process.
“Listen to the rhythm, dance in the tune.”
-Betsye Kay Finch
What We Do
Betsye Kay Finch Performing Arts Foundation, Inc. was founded in 2019 to honor Betsye Kay Finch, a jazz, tap and ballet dancer, and a beloved Lakeland dance teacher who directed the Betsye Kay School of Dance for three decades. Launched by her daughter, Alexis Rocker, to keep her mother’s exuberant spirit and joy of dance alive, the BKF Performing Arts Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, offers annual scholarships to high school seniors aspiring to pursue an education in dance or musical theatre. “This is a tribute to our mother whose entire life was inspired by dance and musical theatre,” says Alexis Rocker. “We’re working hard to raise funds and award scholarships to high school seniors in the Lakeland area aiming to pursue education in the arts, which our mother so loved.”
This year BKF Foundation will offer a scholarship to an aspiring performing artist. The foundation will sponsor annual fundraising events to grow its funding base. To support this scholarship fund, please consider donating today. Donate here. Thank you!
Mission Statement
Betsye Kay Finch Performing Arts Foundation funds scholarships for deserving high school seniors majoring in dance or musical theatre at post-secondary institutions.
Vision Statement
Betsye Kay Finch scholarships will give awardees the ability to pursue their passion in the performing arts and to make an impactful contribution to the quality of life. The scholarships will target graduating high school seniors in the Lakeland, Florida area.
2022 Scholarship Awardee
Oshea Darrington
May 12 Award Ceremony at Hollis Garden, Lakeland
Photo: Robin Phillips of Phillips Photography
Our 3rd annual $2,500 scholarship goes to
Oshea Darrington, an extraordinary singer, dancer, songwriter, and 2022 graduate of Harrison School for the Arts. “I grew up with music all around me,” says Oshea, whose father, Quentin Darrington, is a Broadway singer/performer. Oshea, of Lakeland, made his first stage appearance in kindergarten in
A Christmas Story. Since then, he’s been in many musicals, including Frozen at Lakeland Community Theatre and Hairspray, Newsies, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, among others,
at Harrison. He also sang in ‘Broadway for Biden’ starring Jennifer Hudson. Oshea will pursue a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre at Millikin University in Illinois.
On what would have been Betsye Kay's 93rd birthday, October 25, 2019,
Betsye Kay Finch Performing Arts Foundation was launched!
To celebrate, Alexis and Al hosted a lunch at their mother's "old stomping grounds", Sardi's, in New York City. Here are some highlights of that afternoon. Please enjoy!
Where it all began...
In Memoriam
Edie Yates Henderson, Treasurer
passed on November 10, 2020
The board of directors express our profound sadness over the loss of our dear friend and Foundation Treasurer, Edie. We were blessed with her exceptional commitment to the Lakeland community, and her deep love and caring for her friends and family. As Treasurer of the Betsye Kay Finch Performing Arts Foundation, Edie generously contributed not only her accounting expertise, but her enthusiasm, energy, and wonderful ideas. For this we will be forever grateful.
Join Our Mailing List For Upcoming Events
Do you use Amazon to shop? Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible Amazon purchases to your favorite charity, so please support the Betsye Kay Finch Performing Arts Foundation!
How it works: Go to smile.amazon.com. Then select “choose a charity”, and follow the prompts to register for Smile.Amazon.com. Then choose “Youth & Education”, and enter Betsye Kay Finch Performing Arts Foundation, Inc.
After registering, your Amazon 'home page' will become smile.amazon.com. It’s a duplicate of your regular Amazon account, including your past purchase history—
it’s just a different Amazon portal.
All of your Amazon purchases, whether Amazon Prime or not, will give our Foundation 0.5% from Amazon (not you)!
Thank you for supporting the Betsye Kay Finch Performing Arts Foundation.
Be sure to share this with your friends and family!
