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The recipients have been announced for the 2026 Carbonell’s Jack Zink and Hap Erstein Memorial Scholarships recognizing students’ commitment to theater or journalism.
The award was created as a memorial by the families of Florida theater critics Jack Zink of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and Hap Erstein of The Palm Beach Post and the Palm Beach Arts Paper.
The selection of recipients is based on talent, experience and demonstrated commitment to either theater or journalism, with one student winner from each of the three participating counties.
They are awarded to graduating high school seniors who have achieved a minimum 2.5 GPA and are intending to enroll in college to pursue a degree in theater or journalism. Each of the three winners will receive $3,000 when they have enrolled in college.
The awards will be presented at the 49th annual Carbonell Awards on Monday, November 16, at FAU’s University Theatre in Boca Raton.
The recipients are:
Sofia Bornia – Palm Beach County
A senior at the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, Sofia Bornia has appeared in multiple shows at the school (A Chorus Line, The Drowsy Chaperone, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), Delray Beach Playhouse (Something Rotten!), Lake Worth Playhouse (The Prom, West Side Story), and more.
Avery Garfinkel – Broward County
A senior at the Cooper City High School, Avery Garfinkel very early found a home in the technical booth, specializing in both stage management and lighting design. At school, she handled both positions for The SpongeBob Musical, Sweeney Todd, Six, and Descendants. Other areas of her expertise include directing, set design, choreography, puppetry design, and more. Her college goal is to pursue a BFA in Stage Management.
Matthew Aidan Sanchez – Miami-Dade County
A senior at Miami Arts Charter School, Matthew Aidan Sanchez was inspired by the magic of Disney at an early age. He has been connected to theater ever since, beginning his training in Winston Park K-8 Center’s Performing Arts program and later becoming a Student Ambassador for the Adrienne Arsht Center. In high school, he had lead roles in Little Shop of Horrors, Mamma Mia, Into the Woods, and Legally Blonde, and appeared in The Addams Family, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast at Area Stage. Most recently, Matthew was cast in the title role in The Phantom of the Opera at Mini Mirage Theatre.
For the first time, the three talented runners-up this year will each receive a $500 Hap Erstein Memorial Scholarship: Maya Beaufort (Miami-Dade County), Jay Hendrix Boegem (Broward County), and SkyLynn Silver (Palm Beach County).
The annual Carbonell scholarships are named for:
+ Jack Zink (1947-2008) who was a major voice in South Florida entertainment coverage for more than three decades. During his long career, he was employed as entertainment editor, columnist, critic and reporter at each of South Florida’s major newspapers—The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, The Miami Herald, The Palm Beach Post & Evening Times, and The Fort Lauderdale News. Mr. Zink was the founder and a past president of the Carbonell Awards, a past president of The American Theatre Critics Association, and during his lifetime was a recipient of both the Sun-Sentinel newspaper’s highest honor, The Fred Pettijohn Award, given annually to the publication’s top reporters, and South Florida’s George Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts.
+ Hap Erstein (1949-2025) who spent over 40 years, first at the Washington Times in the nation’s capital and later at The Palm Beach Post and the Palm Beach Arts Paper. He also was a longtime judge for the Carbonell Awards and, in 2022, was a recipient of the nonprofit organization’s prestigious Charlie Cinnamon Award for significant contributions to the arts in South Florida. Highlights from. Erstein’s career included interviews with Kennedy Center Honors recipients such as Katherine Hepburn, Bette Davis, and Stephen Sondheim. He loved live theater and loved writing about it. This scholarship is given in the hope that this love is shared with the next generation.
