John Robert Powers Offers ipop Las Vegas Winner College Scholarship

March 18, 2008 - PRLog -- JOHN ROBERT POWERS OFFERS iPOP! LAS VEGAS WINNER COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP

Ron Patterson, Chairman and Owner of the John Robert Powers Franchises Establishes College Fund for Russian Orphan  

When Ron Patterson, Chairman and President of John Robert Powers took the iPOP! Awards Stage last July in Las Vegas the audience of 3,000 talented children and teen singers, dancers, actors and models and their parents were expecting Mr. Patterson to announce winners in several iPOP! categories. The audience was touched to hear Mr. Patterson start talking of a young 8 year-old girl and her mother who he had personally met in Scottsdale, Arizona in March 2007 at an iPOP! audition.  Apparently, Mr. Patterson learned from the young girl’s mother that this child was found roaming the streets of Moscow alone at the age of three.  She was sent to an orphanage in Russia and was eventually adopted by an American family and brought to live in Phoenix.  While Mr. Patterson was sharing this story a little girl in the iPOP! audience named Yana Smith leaned over to her mother, Debbie Smith and said, “Hey Mom, I am from Russia too.”  At that moment Ron Patterson asked Yana and Debbie Smith to come up to the stage where he not only presented Yana with a special iPOP! acting award but then proceed to tell Yana and her mother Debbie that he would be establishing a college scholarship in Yana’s name in the amount of $20,000.  Needless to say there was not a dry eye in the audience from that moment on.

When Debbie Smith was asked her about that very special evening in Las Vegas last July, she had this to say, “To be honest with you, Yana and I were shocked Mr. Patterson even remembered meeting us at the iPOP! audition in Scottsdale last March.  There must have been at least 300 children that auditioned for him that day.  I remember Mr. Patterson telling Yana how interesting he thought she was and then I told him about her story of living in an orphanage in Russia for the first three years of her life and how my husband and I adopted her.  That was pretty much it.” Debbie recalled. “When Mr. Patterson asked Yana and I to come on stage that night, I thought oh boy, I haven’t even showered or put on my make-up.  When he announced Yana’s scholarship fund I just about passed out!” exclaimed Debbie Smith. “I don’t think Mr. Patterson has any idea how his generosity has truly affected my family’s life.  We are forever grateful.”  

In 2003, Debbie Smith and her husband, Kevin were living in Phoenix and already had three children Preston (13), Laura (8) and Ryan (6). That summer the Smith family agreed to host two young orphaned boys from Russia named Ethan (14) and Jacob (11) as part of an exchange program.  Within two weeks Debbie and Kevin Smith knew they wanted to adopt the boys.  After discussing it with their children and the Russian boys everyone agreed it would be “totally awesome” to put it in the words of the all the children.  
Debbie and Kevin began the adoption process only to learn that Ethan and Jacob also had a three year old sister named Yana who was still in the orphanage.  The Smiths had no intention of splitting up the family so they decided to adopt Yana as well.  Four years later the Smiths now have six children ranging from sixteen to eight years of age and they couldn’t be a happier family.

Since attending iPOP! Yana has jumped head first into the acting business and has already been signed by the prestigious Brown Leader Management in Los Angeles.  Yana will be making the rounds in Hollywood auditioning for upcoming films and television shows.

Ron Patterson couldn’t be more thrilled with Yana Smith.  “To me,” Ron Patterson recently said, “it just doesn’t get any better than this.  I met Yana in Arizona and could just tell there was something very special about this young girl.  When I met her mother and was told about Yana’s journey I was so touched by Yana’s courage and the unconditional love that the Smith family had for Yana and her brothers.  I am so fortunate to be part of John Robert Powers and iPOP!  Nothing satisfies me more than to see children such as Yana be given an opportunity to live a happy and meaningful life.  If she continues to pursue acting I will be glad and if she chooses something else that will be wonderful as well.  John Robert Powers and iPOP! just want to give children such as Yana the ability to pursue their dreams.  

International Presentation of Performers, iPOP! is the successful merger of fashion and modeling with the music and entertainment industry, creating one of the largest and most well respected showcases for aspiring, actors, singers, models and dancers. iPOP! introduces new talent to perspective agents, managers and talent scouts while also providing a unique and intense workshop environment for young talent to learn their trade from top professionals in their fields.  
John Robert Powers is an internationally recognized school system with locations throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.   For over eighty years, John Robert Powers has been training students in acting, singing, dancing, modeling and etiquette.  Emphasizing personality development, John Robert Powers provides every student with the schooling, guidance, and confidence to further their individual potential and reach their highest career goals.  Famous alumni thru either the school or the John Robert Powers agencies include First Ladies,  Jackie Kennedy and Betty Ford, Princess Grace of Monaco, Raquel Welch, Lucille Ball, Ann Margaret, Diana Ross, Faith Ford, Josh Duhamel, Janice Dickinson, Ryan Locke and Nikki Taylor.


Contact: Tas Steiner
Tas Steiner Public Relations
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Tas@TasSteinerPR.com

Website: www.johnrobertpowers.net