Honoring Passion and Talent at EAB 

The Maria Felicia Award for the Arts & Butterfly Fund were created to honor the life, passions, and legacy of Maria Felicia Pannell, a beloved EAB student whose love for the arts and desire to make a meaningful difference continue to inspire our community.

Her memory lives on in the Butterfly Garden on our campus, a space dedicated to her fondness for butterflies and the symbolism they represent: transformation, beauty, and hope. Each year, our art students paint new butterflies for this special place, adding color and renewal while keeping her spirit present in a visible and lasting way.

The Maria Felicia Award for the Arts

Each year, the Maria Felicia Award for the Arts recognizes one outstanding IB Visual Arts or IB Theatre student for their passion, creativity, and dedication to the artistic fields Maria Felicia loved most.

The award celebrates not only technical skill, but originality, commitment, and the courage to express ideas through art. In doing so, it ensures that Maria Felicia’s appreciation for artistic expression continues to shape and inspire future generations.

The selected student receives an official EAB certificate, presented by distinguished art educators, recognizing their artistic achievements as they prepare for university and beyond.

The Maria Felicia Butterfly Fund

In keeping with Maria Felicia’s generous spirit, the Butterfly Fund extends the impact of this award beyond our campus.

Funds raised during our the IB Visual Arts Exhibition and our beloved Celebration of the Arts event are directed to organizations that support children in vulnerable communities. Each year, a different charity is selected based on need, transforming artistic expression into meaningful support for those who need it most. Through this initiative, Maria Felicia’s love of the arts continues to inspire generosity and positive change.

For the 2025–2026 school year, the selected beneficiary is Creche Alecrim,
a non-profit childcare center located in Estrutural, in Brazil’s Federal District.

Creche Alecrim was originally created to provide a safe and nurturing space for the children of women who worked as waste pickers at the local landfill, ensuring their children had a secure place to stay while their mothers worked. Today, the organization cares for approximately 80 children from birth to five years old, prioritizing families facing the greatest social vulnerability.

The center operates entirely through donations and the dedication of volunteers, who devote their days to preparing meals, caring for the children, organizing activities, and creating a safe and loving environment where they can grow and thrive.

Through the Butterfly Fund, the creativity celebrated at EAB becomes something even greater: an opportunity to uplift young lives and extend Maria Felicia’s legacy of kindness far beyond our school community.