SoBA has been awarding the Naomi McCracken Scholarship for 13 years
Recent May River High School graduate Adeline Dewig was the recipient of The Society of Bluffton Artists’ (SOBA) Naomi McCracken Scholarship. Dewig was in the top 10 of her graduating class and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree of fine arts at Clemson University in the fall.
“Adeline is the type of student that always wants to do more and know how she can improve,” said Beth Schlieger, department chair and art educator at May River High School. “This year Adeline capped off her art career at MRHS with a membership in the National Art Honor Society as well as successfully completing a strong AP Studio Art portfolio. In her true spirit Adeline was also a peer assistant in our entry level art courses, passing her knowledge on to others.”
SOBA has been awarding the scholarship for the past 13 years. Naomi McCracken was one of the founding members of SoBA. When Naomi passed away in 2006 her family requested that in lieu of flowers donations should be made to SoBA. In the spring of 2007, her son, Emmitt McCracken, and Dave Dickson, then president of SoBA, established the scholarship program for a graduating senior who planned to further their studies in the field of art.
With the help and collaboration of Andrea Pejeau, Department Chair Fine Arts at Bluffton High School, art students are selected to apply for the scholarship. The students must write a personal statement on why they feel they deserve the scholarship and then be interviewed by the SoBA scholarship committee.
“We are so pleased this year to have selected Adeline who epitomizes what this scholarship is all about,” said Mary Ann Burgeson, SOBA president. “Students who want to pursue art as a career can use all the encouragement we can give, and we are glad we can have a little part in sending them off into their future.”
Pictured from left, Emmitt McCracken, whose mother started the Naomi McCracken Scholarship; Mary Ann Burgeson, president of The Society of Bluffton Artists; Adeline Dewig, the scholarship recipient; and Barbara Pecce, SOBA board member
