17 year old Painted Post resident Sharada Shashidhar recently won a coveted YoungArts Award in Miami, Florida. Sharada, who has been performing since the age of three, won an award in the Voice Category. YoungArts, which was established in 1981, provides emerging artists with life-changing experiences and validation by renowned mentors, access to significant scholarships, national recognition, and other opportunities throughout their careers. YoungArts serves as the exclusive nominating agency for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, the country's highest honor for young artists. Each year, they receive thousands of applications to YoungArts from 15-18 year-old (or grades 10-12) artists, and from these, approximately 800 winners are selected.It has been an exciting year for Sharada, who also attended the prestigious Grammy Camp in 2015. Last year, we caught up with Sharada in Corning and featured her in the following WSKG Arts & Culture Short. Take a look at her time in Los Angeles!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHFPzkX6MwcFor more information about the YoungArts Awards please visit youngarts.org