Doodles to Dreams: Former DPSF impact report artist, recent DPS graduate Grace Ferguson will attend Chicago art school with $80K scholarship

Before graduating Jordan High School this spring, Grace Ferguson received some exciting news. They had received an $80,000 SAIC Recognition Merit Scholarship to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago—one of the most prestigious art schools in the country. 

Ferguson provided artwork for the 2020-21 DPS Foundation (DPSF) Impact Report. They are a proud 2025 Durham Public Schools graduate.

Ferguson had attended DPS schools since the 1st grade at Southwest Elementary. Throughout the years, they grew into an incredible student artist whose passion shines through every piece they create. 

Ferguson describes themself as someone who was always “doodling in the margins,” and their classrooms nurtured that early spark. From elementary school art projects to more intentional work in middle and high school, DPS gave them the space to explore their creativity and purpose.

A pivotal influence in Ferguson’s journey was their 7th-grade social science teacher at Githens Middle School, Maggie Donnelly. Donnelly introduced them not just to textbook history but to the lived realities of communities often left out of dominant narratives. That experience shaped Ferguson’s understanding of art as a tool for storytelling, advocacy, and truth-telling. 

“Ms. Donnelly, she was one of the first teachers who, especially in something like social studies, did a really good job of not just teaching by the book and showing people, like, ok, here is what the narrative is and here is what the reality was. Which is obviously a difficult line to walk with seventh graders, but … that class is the one I cite for my reason for being interested in social sciences and learning about other people,” Ferguson said.

Donnelly even inspired Ferguson to create a novel they will soon publish through Jordan High School’s creative writing program, “Seas of Storm and Ruin.” The novel is dedicated to Donnelly. 

In 2021, Ferguson was chosen as the student artist for DPSF’s Impact Report; every year, DPSF picks a DPS student to enliven the Impact Report by creating the front and back cover and providing illustrations for the inside. This experience allowed Ferguson to gain some professional experience in the artistic world and learn how to make meaningful art while on a deadline. 

“That was super cool. I was not expecting it at all,” they said. “It was one of the first professional interactions I had with art.” 

Their advice to young artists? Don’t be afraid to look for art in your everyday life, and don’t be afraid to explore your talent.

“A lot of times, there’s a lot of pressure to be like (other artists, so we worry) it doesn’t look like something that someone else made,” they said. “And good! It’s your art, and it should look like your own. Comparison is the thief of joy.”

For Ferguson, art is more than just expression. Art is a way to challenge assumptions, provoke thought, and inspire dialogue. They hope to continue using their creativity to drive social change while attending the art school in Chicago. There, they plan to merge their passion for art with a deep commitment to justice and advocacy through architecture. 

We can’t wait to see what Grace creates next and how their vision will shape the world around them.