Local Students Receive Art Scholarships

Piedmont Arts Immediate Past President and Scholarship Committee Member Joan Montgomery (left) presents a 2016 Work Scholarship to Rocky Ankeny at the 14th Annual Clyde Hooker Awards on June 9.

Piedmont Arts awards art scholarships to nine students from Martinsville-Henry County

Piedmont Arts awarded nine local students with scholarships at the 14th Annual Clyde Hooker Awards ceremony on June 9. 

The museum granted a total of $5,500 in scholarship funds to the students, who are each pursuing a degree in the visual or performing arts at an accredited four-year college.

“Through the generosity of the families of Nicodemus Hufford and Harold Knowlton Work, Piedmont Arts is able to provide scholarship assistance for talented young people who are pursuing a degree in the arts,” said Executive Director Kathy Rogers. “Being able to play a small role in helping these students, who are so gifted and dedicated to their art, achieve their dreams makes all of us here at Piedmont Arts extremely happy and proud.”

Nicodemus Hufford Memorial Arts Scholarship

The Nicodemus Hufford Memorial Arts Scholarship was established by the Hufford family in 1987 to provide scholarships for graduating high school seniors from schools in Martinsville-Henry County who have been accepted into a fine arts program at an accredited college or university. Over the past 10 years, $79,000 in Hufford Scholarship funds have been awarded to local students. 

This year’s recipients are:

Cassandra (Cassie) Cardarelli

Cassie will attend Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., to study music performance on French horn. She is a graduate of Bassett High School.

Kelsey Newman

Kelsey will attend Emory University in Atlanta, Ga., to study music performance on clarinet. She has also attended the Virginia Residential Governor’s School for the Arts, the Interlochen Center for the Arts Summer Music Camp and has marched with the U.S. Army All American Marching Band. Kelsey is excited to study under Laura Arden, principal clarinetist of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. She is a graduate of Bassett High School.

Haley Reid

Haley will attend Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., to study graphic design and minor in accounting. She is a graduate of Magna Vista High School.

Harold Knowlton Work Memorial Scholarship

 
The Harold Knowlton Work Memorial Scholarship was established in 2006 by his wife Julia Ascough Work to provide scholarships for rising college sophomores, juniors and seniors who attended schools in Martinsville-Henry County and are pursuing a degree in the visual or performing arts. Over the past decade, $30,750 in Work Scholarship funds have been awarded to local students. 

This year’s recipients are:
 

Rocky Ankeny

Rocky is a rising junior majoring in music education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He was awarded Piedmont Arts’ Work Scholarship in 2015 and 2016. He has marched with Drum Corps International’s Cadets and assists the Bassett High School marching band as Visual Coordinator. He hopes to become a high school band director. Rocky is a graduate of Bassett High School.

Damaris Dailey

Damaris is a rising senior majoring in music therapy at Radford University in Radford, Va. She has received Piedmont Arts’ Work Scholarship her sophomore, junior and senior years. She has maintained a 3.91 GPA while at Radford, is a member of the honors academy, the president-elect for the Music Therapy Student Organization, an active member in her church’s outreach program and a tutor for students in music theory, anatomy and physiology. Damaris is a homeschool graduate.

Haley Ferguson

Haley is a rising senior double majoring in art education and craft and material studies at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. She is preparing for a career as a future art educator. She volunteers regularly with Carver Promise, a one-on-one mentoring program at a Richmond elementary school, and has served with the YMCA and 4-H in Henry County and Martinsville. She hopes to return to the Martinsville-Henry County area and work as an art educator. Haley is a graduate of Bassett High School and Patrick Henry Community College.

Darius Hairston

Darius is a rising sophomore majoring in music business at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn. He hopes to turn his commitment to his studies and talents into a career as a studio musician and to open his own guitar instructional studio. He was awarded Piedmont Arts’ Hufford Scholarship in 2015. Darius is a graduate of Martinsville High School.

Cody McVey

Cody is a rising junior majoring in music composition at Boston Conservatory in Boston, Mass. A composition written by Cody for string quartet was recently selected to be professionally recorded at WCRB Boston. He was awarded Piedmont Arts’ Hufford Scholarship in 2014. Cody is a graduate of Bassett High School.

Alyssa Prillaman

Alyssa is a rising sophomore majoring in music education at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. She has explored commercial voice, classical music and education. Alyssa hopes to pursue a career as a vocalist and eventually wants to return to Martinsville to teach music. She was awarded Piedmont Arts’ Hufford Scholarship in 2015. Alyssa is a graduate of Magna Vista High School.