Ada Council for the Arts
The mission of the Ada Council for the Arts is the encourage artistic expression in all of its forms and to enhance, through the arts, the quality of life in our community. To that end the Council has determine to sponsor and support local education in the arts.
The Ada Council for the Arts is a Michigan nonprofit corporation formed in 1992. The Arts in Ada Art Fair and Autumn Arts Festival are two annual events held by the Council to exhibit fine art and arts and crafts, and provide performance venues for local dancers and visual artists. The Council also commissions and maintains works of art for the enjoyment of the general public.
The scholarship was named in memory of Rebecca Marie Vogelsang, known as Becca to her family and friends. Becca, while a senior at Forest Hills Eastern High School, passed away in March of 2008 from complications sustained from a car accident. Becca was driving to a rehearsal for the school “Copacabana” musical in which she had a lead role. Becca loved singing and dancing, having danced since age 3 with the Ada Dance Academy Performing Company, the Blue Lake International Ensemble, and annual performances with the Moscow Ballet. She performed in France, Germany and Denmark and took Master’s Classes in New York and Chicago. As a member of the Great Lakes Youth Ballet, she rehearsed and performed at the Louis Armstrong Theater under the direction of the GVSU Faculty, and often shared the stage with the GVSU ballet company. She also performed at Circle and Civic Theatres, and was in many community productions including the Forest Hills Fine Arts Center’s dedication. She was a member of the National Honor Society and also a lettered varsity athlete. She loved languages and especially enjoyed studying Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese. Becca was very excited about having been accepted to the University of Michigan where she planned to study molecular biology. In her desire to help others, Becca was a Sunday school teacher at St. Robert of Newminster Church and a volunteer at God’s Kitchen. When Rebecca received her first driver’s license, she told her mother that she planned to sign the organ donation card as soon as she was old enough. Her generosity led to the gift of life for six people she never met. In recognition of this and of her artistic accomplishments within the community, including years of performing at the Arts in Ada Festival and Grand Rapids Festival, the Board of Directors of the Ada Council for the Arts has named this scholarship in Becca’s memory.
It is the hope and expectation of the Ada Council for the Arts that recipients of this scholarship will learn the value that art has within the community; that, after graduation, they shall contribute their knowledge and talent to the benefit of their community; and that they shall encourage and support aspiring artists as part of a lifelong involvement with the arts.