Ari Yehiel Blattstein Endowed Presidential Scholarship

A message from the family of Ari Balttstein to the recipients of the Ari Yehiel Blattstein Endowed Presidential Scholarship:

On August 12, 1991, Ari Yehiel Blattstein rode off on his bike just as he had done more than a hundred times before. He was riding with his older sister to the community center. Only this day was different. Ari did not make it. He was pinned between a tall curb and a twenty-six ton truck which could not wait the 10 to 15 seconds for Ari to get out of the way. It ran him over. In its wake it left a family devastated by the loss of this wonderful little boy who brought so much to the lives he touched.

This scholarship is one small way to keep Ari’s memory alive. He would have liked to know he was helping someone else.

Ari was 8-years-old when he was killed. He was a happy child who had lots of interests and had done so much in his short life. He especially liked animals and nature. His favorite place to visit was the “Mazoo” as he called the Sonora Desert Museum. He also loved art—he drew pictures and wrote poetry. One poem won the Earth Day City Wide Poetry Contest for 1^st grade entries in 1990. But his favorite medium was clay and ceramics. He made numerous pieces that he often gave to friends and relatives. He not only liked to do art himself but had an appreciation beyond his years for the works of others. Shortly before his death he visited the world famous Jerusalem Museum, which houses art and artifacts going back to the cradle of civilization. He spent over 4 hours going through and studying the exhibits, frustrating not only the other children but also most of the adults who were with him and whose attention spans were not so long. Ari had a fine collection of American Indian fetishes and kachinas, which he prized.

Ari was an outgoing and friendly boy. He was liked by everyone who knew him and he is missed by many. If you are the recipient of this scholarship, when you are down (and everyone has those moments or days), think of Ari and push forward and keep going. And then someday when you create something that you feel is especially special—particularly good or important or just special to you—dedicate it this special little boy who could have created not only art but joy in people’s lives if he had been allowed to continue on in life. Help us to keep his memory alive.

Do well. We know you will. Being the recipient of this scholarship makes you special and places on you a responsibility to do your best and to succeed in your objectives.

Best of luck,

Deborah, Abraham, and Ayelet Blattstein—Ari’s Family.