SAMANTHA PRESSNELL - PINKERTON AWARD WINNER

The Hilltop Arts society is proud to announce Samantha J. Pressnell as the recipient of the 2015 Pinkerton Award.  The award was given at Elkmont High School Senior Class Awards day on May 22, 2015.  

Samantha is the daughter of Dennis and Karen Pressnell.   She was named to the Top 10 students in her class and is the recipient of many other honors and awards.   Samantha has a record of academic excellence, a strong work ethic, and a commitment to community service that cannot be ignored.  

Her artistic accomplishments include  placing 3rd in the Onsite Acrylic Art  competition at the 2013 Senior Beta Club Convention as well as having a piece she created during the Bob Ross workshop, sponsored by Elkmont High School, chosen for exhibition in Huntsville. Ms. Pressnell plans to attend the University of Alabama in Huntsville to pursue an accounting degree, but she plans to use her accounting degree to fund her art school education.   

Congratulations to Ms. Pressnell.   The Hilltop Arts Society commends her on all of her achievements and wishes her the best of luck in her future endeavors.

More About the Pinkerton Award:
Hello, my name is Preston Pylant and I am the founder of the Hilltop Arts Society.   When I started on this venture a few years ago, it was to bring something fun and different to the community,  but also to encourage kids who love art,  but who live in a world that is ceasing to educate and produce the next generation of great artists.I want to encourage those students with talent and even those without natural talent to pick up a paint brush, to write a line of poetry, to act out a scene, to play their favorite bars of music, and to use their talents for the betterment of their community.   

For the past several years the Hilltop Arts Society with support from the Town of Elkmont has held the Hilltop Arts Festival downtown.   Artists from all over North Alabama have gathered in our town to showcase and sell their work and play their music, and we have been blessed to be a part of such a special gathering.    The question was left, however, on how to spend the money raised by hosting the festival.   It made sense that the money should go to the support of future of art in our area, and that an art scholarship would be the best way to achieve this.   Thus, the Pinkerton Award was formed. 

The Pinkerton award is named after 2002 graduate of Elkmont High School Neil Pinkerton.  Neil was a fantastic musician, actor, artist and friend.   Tragically Neil was killed in automobile accident shortly after his graduation, but we remember him often for the uniqueness of his spirit and the greatness of his talent. Neil was never able to achieve his full potential as an artist, and this award is a way to remember Neil’s artistic spirit by helping another artist on their path to reaching their potential.