The Regional Arts Council, which has been working to help expand the arts in Tomball for nearly three decades, completed its final $7,500 payment for an arts scholarship endowment at Lone Star College–Tomball.

The Regional Arts Council's $15,000 endowment provides an annual scholarship to a LSC–Tomball student older than 25 and majoring in some form of the arts. The scholarship pays for tuition, books and supplies.

"What TRAC is doing continues art in many areas because it is giving the opportunity to have a paid scholarship to train in any field of the arts," the nonprofit's Chairwoman Paula Whitaker said.

Whitaker presented LSC–Tomball's President Susan Karr the check on Jan. 27. The endowment celebrates The Regional Arts Council's 26 years of providing arts to the community.

"We are leaving a legacy for art and education," Whitaker said. "Education changes lives."

The Regional Arts Council was an advocate for building LSC–Tomball's 30,000-square-foot Performing Arts Center, which has become a centerpiece for the arts in Tomball. The center offers a variety of arts throughout the year, including music performances and theater.

"We're thrilled to have such a wonderful performing arts center," Whitaker said. "No one needs to go downtown when you have fabulous performances right here."

LSC–Tomball offers a variety of arts including music, performing arts, visual arts, photography, graphic arts, art history, painting and drawing.

During the 2012-13 academic year, LSC-Tomball's Drama Department earned 14 awards including the Bill Morton Challenge Acting Award, college spokeswoman Nicole Finkbeiner said.