Current Events

Drake Edwards Memorial Portrait Scholarship available to juniors

Craig Wright
February 26, 2013

To honor the memory of Drake Edwards, Nancy Steele, owner of Picture This Photography, has created the Drake Edwards Memorial Portrait Scholarship. Edwards, Class of 2012, was tragically killed in a car crash on Dec. 23, 2011 at the age of 20. The scholarship will be available for members of the junior class, and it will provide the sole winner with a free senior photo session and gift prints, a value of about $750.

“Drake Edwards embodies Picture This Photography’s mission statement of community and giving,” Steele said. “It is therefore fitting that the Drake Edwards Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to the applicant who best demonstrates efforts to improve the lives of others by their version of joy, love, laughter and community.”

In order to apply for the scholarship, interested applicants must fill out the online application, with an additional essay or video or photographs, or any other form of media which conveys the applicant’s impact on the community. The application will be available through Picture This Photography’s website as early as March 1. All applications are due by June 1.

“My goal of this scholarship is to share love with my passion and art, much like Drake chose to do on a daily basis,” Steele said. “It is a way for me to share my time, talent and gifts with a deserving person; someone that goes beyond to help others.”

The winner of the scholarship will be chosen by a panel with members from Picture This Photography, a community member and the Edwards family.

“Drake Edwards loved life and his energy was infectious,” Steele said. “Drake is a larger than life personality in many ways. For his age of 20, he touched so many lives, and that speaks volumes of his character. That is why I decided to honor him and continue his legacy of giving and laughter, as he will be forever in our hearts.”

More details about the scholarship are available at: www.ptpnancy.com

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About the Contributor

Craig Wright, Reporter

Whether running drills on the tennis court or jamming in his basement, Craig Wright, senior, fully commits himself to his passions. Wright has been playing tennis since he was six, when he was shorter than the net. He has been on the Boys Varsity Team all four years of high school and hopes to be captain this year. Wright is just as big of a fanatic about music as he is about tennis; he’s been to too many concerts to have a sure count; his best estimate is 34.

Wright’s interest in tennis was inherited; his dad played tennis in high school and shared his interest with Wright’s mom. His parents introduced he and his brother, Brett, to the sport and they both took to it. Last year Wright and his doubles partner, Jonathan Macemon, Class of 2012, were third in the District Championship and made it to State. In fact Wright’s favorite vacation was going South Carolina, primarily because he and his family were able to play tennis on real green clay courts.

Even though he plays tennis year round,somehow Wright has time for intramural basketball. However, according to Wright, when it comes to intramural “the less effort the better.” Another extracurricular activity that Wright participates in is Symphonic Band; he is a percussionist.

Wright’s interest in music extends beyond percussion; he has been playing guitar since sixth grade and bass guitar since eighth grade. The reason that Wright is so interested in playing instruments is that he is a huge music fan.

“I like a little bit of everything,” Wright said.

Wright’s brother introduced him to a wide variety of music, and they share many favorite bands like The Beatles, The Replacements, My Morning Jacket, Arcade Fire, Gaslight Anthem, The Ramones and The Clash. Wright idolizes many musicians and dreams of meeting them.

“Joe Strummer[The Clash] would be awesome [to meet], but he’s dead,” Wright said, “I’d like to meet Brian Fallon[The Gaslight Anthem]; he’s just a cool dude.”

Wright’s interest in the arts continues into his academic career. His favorite class is AP English, and he thinks he wants to study English or journalism in college.