Woodlawn Arts Academy in Sterling has been awarded a $5,000 grant from Do It Best Foundation to support the Academy’s four 2026 theater productions.

The grant will help cover the cost of the rights, costuming and sets for the shows.

“This grant helps us keep from raising tuition fees, allowing more students to experience the magic of putting on a live theater production,” said Christy Zepezauer, executive director of Woodlawn Arts Academy. “We are grateful to the Do It Best Foundation for investing in arts education and supporting a program that brings creativity, confidence and collaboration to students throughout our region.”

The Do It Best Foundation was launched in 2019 as a way to support not-for-profit community organizations and agencies that are committed to serving the needs of others. ‍

The Foundation is funded through community and staff contributions, along with generous support from Do It Best’s vendor community. The Fore the Cause golf tournament brings in hundreds of vendor partners annually to Do It Best’s Fort Wayne, Indiana, world headquarters and has raised several million dollars to support grant-making capabilities. To learn more, visit doitbestfoundation.org.

Woodlawn Arts Academy is an arts-based, educational institution. The Academy offers year-round daytime and evening instruction in visual arts, music, dance, theater and culinary arts, plus education programs that encompass its preschool program, as well as STEM and literary arts programming.