“If I had to think off the top of my head, I would maybe call it the ‘bursary to get kids to school in the arts.’”
That’s the working title Bonnyville-native and Road Hammers member Clayton Bellamy has for the bursary he’s in the process of creating to help students in Northern Lights Public Schools (NLPS) pursue post-secondary studies in the arts.
Although finer details are still coming together, Bellamy announced earlier this month his intentions to offer NLPS students the same opportunities he had when he attended local schools.
“I had received a small bursary from the Fine Arts Society when I was 17-years-old when I was going to college to study music. That has always stuck with me, what that did for me, and how much it helped. I wanted to return the favour one day, and this is kind of my beginning of that,” Bellamy detailed.
Communications officer with NLPS Nicole Garner said the bursary is “absolutely fantastic” for their students, and Bellamy’s time studying at Bonnyville Centralized High School (BCHS) helped get his start in the music industry.
“We’ve had some Northern Lights teachers that had a big influence on him, and on the direction he decided to pursue,” she expressed.
NLPS board chair Arlene Hrynyk said, “It’s wonderful to see our NLPS alumni giving back to their community, and recognizing the significance of the arts in education.”
Bellamy compared the bursaries and grants he received “like getting a golden ticket,” adding it helped him pursue a career in music.
“It really opened doors for me and helped me get where I wanted to, which was a secondary education to further myself in my profession.”
Originally, Bellamy was hoping to host a concert to raise funds for the scholarship.
However, he put those plans on hold when the Bonnyville and District Fine Arts Society’s new theatre fund took precedence.
The intent of Bellamy’s bursary is to grow into much more than covering the cost of post-secondary education. He hopes it will one day pay for instruments, field trips, and other arts-oriented programming to “further them in all directions of the arts.”
Along with supporting students interested in pursuing music, Garner noted Bellamy’s passion could inspire others to strive for their own dreams.
“The added detail of the fact that it’s coming from someone who’s been where they are, who’s from a small town... Just to realize someone has gone and done it, worked really hard, and now they’re supporting other people in that dream, it’s just an added bonus,” emphasized Garner.
Bellamy noted, “They need a place to express themselves, and they also need avenues that help further that education so they can make a living doing what they love. That’s something I want to make sure we can afford them.”
