Friends Of OHEKA Announces 2021 Otto Kahn Award Winners

HUNTINGTON, NY — Five winners of the Otto Kahn Award scholarship were announced by Friends of OHEKA on Thursday. The high school seniors throughout the Town of Huntington were each presented with $1,500 by Friends of OHEKA, a nonprofit based out of OHEKA Castle.

The following award winners each plan to pursue their passion for art:

• Elias Giuliano of Northport High School
• Ashlin Hanley of Walt Whitman High School
• Niurca Chabla Leon of Huntington High School
• Juliet Marinello of Huntington High School
• Grace Wildermuth of Huntington High School

The students normally perform at the annual June garden party held at OHEKA Castle or have their art displayed, but the event was not possible this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The students were instead honored with a brief ceremony at the castle.

Friends of OHEKA, to date, has raised more than $180,000 for high school seniors who are pursuing an education in the arts, which carries on the passion that Otto Kahn had for supporting the arts. Kahn was the builder and original owner of OHEKA.

Gary Melius, the current owner, and the board of Friends of OHEKA, care deeply about carrying on the tradition despite the pandemic, according to the release.

The next garden party is scheduled for June 8, 2022.