Neighbor News
Erin Bethel Receives Dance Scholarship given in Honor of Jackie Gray
Dance Scholarship given in memory of Jackie Gray
At our Eleventh Annual Spring Recital, the directors of EXPRESS Dance & Acrobatics, Michelle Touhey and Cheryl Johnson alongside the Gray Family of Milford presented the first annual EXPRESS “Above and Beyond” Scholarship honoring Jacqueline Ann Gray to Erin Bethel of Milford.
As the recipient of The “Above & Beyond” Scholarship, Erin's competition group fees will be covered for the upcoming competition season.
Jackie Gray was an alumnus and staff member of EXPRESS Dance & Acrobatics(EDA) that was taken from us tragically and much too soon on July 4th, 2016. Our dance family was undoubtedly affected and for so many, our lives will never be the same. As we all struggled with the news, Cheryl, Michelle and The Gray family searched for ways to keep Jackie’s memory alive. They thought about what meant the most to Jackie and how she would want to be remembered. Jackie Gray was an amazing daughter, sister, friend, mentor and role model. This scholarship is intended for an individual whose choices and passions reflect those of Jackie Gray. Some words to describe Jackie include: passionate, respectful, team player, loving, dedicated, enthusiastic and determined. She worked hard in everything she did and was an incredible team player, but it didn’t stop there, she was a dedicated dancer determined to overcome all challenges given to her, an incredible teammate that was always willing to help others. A perfectionist at mastering her craft, she was always willing to work to extend her skills- not only in dance but in all aspects of life. Jackie was a generous individual, always willing to step up to the plate, an incredible young lady who you could trust to be there if you needed her. We here at EDA knew Jackie as someone with great passion and drive for what she loved and believed in... which was dance. In creating this scholarship program, The Gray’s, along with Cheryl and Michelle hope this scholarship will continue Jackie’s legacy and passion for dance. Erin's dedication, leadership, enthusiasm and passion for dance, as well as EXPRESS, led the directors and staff to her selection as the first recipient!
