February 23, 2026
Students from N.B. Clements Junior High School’s Junior Beta Club earned top honors at the Virginia State Junior Beta Convention, capturing multiple state titles in Visual Arts and Academic Competition events and qualifying for national competition.
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The convention brought together top-performing students from across the Commonwealth to compete in academic, fine arts, and leadership categories. N.B. Clements students distinguished themselves with exceptional talent, preparation, and professionalism.
State Award Recipients
- Onsite Drawing – State Champion: Bayleigh Shell
- Onsite Painting – State Champion: Camilla Stracener
- Drawing – 2nd Place: Kinsley Scruggs
- Social Studies (8th Grade) – 3rd Place: Arianne Smith
Students earning first-place honors now advance to the National Beta Club National Convention, which will be held in Nashville, Tennessee in June, where they will represent Prince George County on the national stage.
About the Competitions
- Onsite Art Competition: The Onsite Art Competition provides students the opportunity to demonstrate artistic talent and creative ability in a timed setting. Participants bring their own materials and complete original work during the event. The competition is designed to encourage creativity, innovation, and reward artistic excellence.
- Visual Arts Competition: The Visual Arts Competition allows clubs to submit entries across designated categories and reinforces the importance of craftsmanship and fine arts education.
N.B. Clements Junior Beta Club Student Representatives
- Arianne Smith
- Bayleigh Shell
- Blakely Thompson
- Brooke Mobley
- Cailyn Griffith
- Camilla Stracener
- Cora Hughes
- Jacob Riggs
- Kayson Hendrix
- Kinsley Scruggs
- Olivia Kimble
- Raegan Dingis
- Riley Gilliam
- Scarlet Krile
- Valery Oseguera
- Zafirah Owusu
“These accomplishments reflect not only artistic and academic excellence, but also the character and leadership our students demonstrated throughout the convention,” said Dr. Steven Bhatt, Director of School Counseling and Junior Beta Sponsor. “We are incredibly proud of how they represented N.B. Clements and Prince George County Public Schools.”
About Beta
N.B. Clements Junior High School’s Junior Beta Club is a local chapter of the National Beta Club, the nation’s largest independent, nonprofit educational youth organization. Founded in 1934, Beta promotes the ideals of academic achievement, character, leadership, and service among elementary and secondary students.
Through local service initiatives and state and national conventions, Beta members participate in more than 60 academic, fine arts, and leadership competitions designed to recognize excellence and develop well-rounded student leaders.