Educational Grants and Scholarships
Friends of Music awards $500 scholarships to four area high school graduates
From left to right: Kolton Neitz of Musselman High School with Friends of Music board members Phyllis Smock and Sharon Henderson who presented his scholarship award to him May 16 at his school’s awards ceremony; Donald Hawkins of Washington High School with Friends of Music president Judy Jones, who presented his scholarship award May 17 at his school’s awards ceremony; Amelia Dardaris of Washington High receiving her award from Jones at the same ceremony: Ellen Kemp of Jefferson High with Jones outside Trinity Episcopal Church in Shepherdstown where Friends of Music has its office.
The students are Kolton Neitz, who graduated from Musselman High; Donald Hawkins and Amelia Dardaris, who graduated from Washington High and Ellen Kemp, who graduated from Jefferson High.
All four students were recommended strongly by their schools for their musical abilities, leadership qualities and their character.
- Neitz, who is from Gerrardstown, will attend West Virginia University this fall. He has played various wind instruments at Musselman and has been active in the school’s concert band, marching band, jazz band, and indoor percussion group. He was selected as a member of the 2023 West Virginia Region IX Honor Band and performed at the 2022 Wildwood Jazz Festival and the 2023 Shepherd Jazz Festival.
- Hawkins, from Ranson, plans to attend Shenandoah University and major in vocal performance. At Washington, he was one of the few freshmen accepted into the school’s show choir in 2019 and was named the Most Outstanding Performer in the 2022 Martinsburg American Classic Festival. He also performed with Washington’s camerata chamber choir and tenor-bass choir. He was selected to participate in state honors choirs at both the junior high and high school level, and he was also chosen for the 2023 Shepherd University Honors Choir. Hawkins has also been studying classical piano for ten years and he played piano with Washington High’s jazz band in his senior year. He has attained the school’s academic honor roll every semester.
- Dardaris, from Charles Town, will also be attending Shenandoah University, majoring in music performance. Primarily playing flute and piccolo, she performed with Washington High’s wind ensemble, jazz band, and marching band, and with Jefferson County’s Charles Washington Symphony Orchestra. She was an all-state band member throughout her high school years and served as first chair piccolo in her senior year. She served as the marching band’s drum major in her junior and senior years. She was named a member of the National Honor Society in her senior year.
- Kemp, from Shepherdstown, will attend West Virginia University’s School of Music. Her instrument is the trumpet and at Jefferson she played all four years with the marching band, symphonic band, and jazz band, frequently soloing with each ensemble. She was an all-state band member in her sophomore, junior and senior years and a Region 9 honor band member in her junior and senior years. She also performed with the state honor symphonic band ensemble as a junior and the Shepherd University honor jazz band as a senior.
Educational Grants and Scholarships Chronology
Awards to local teachers in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties for their music programs, through end of June 2023 and totaling $25,500, are listed first by year. Scholarships to rising seniors, again through end of June 2023 and totaling $10,500, are also listed separately by year.
Spring 2023
13 educational program grants awarded, totaling $5,000.00
Back Creek Valley Elementary, teacher Stephanie Sigler: Orff Instruments, soprano and alto xylophones. Amount awarded: $300
Driswood Elementary, teacher Angela Wyatt: set pieces for school musical, faux tree stumps. Amount awarded: $350
Eagle School Intermediate, teacher Paige Kozak: new Wenger music stands for music classroom. Amount awarded: $500
Hedgesville Middle School, teacher Laura Rihn: Historic Handbell Refurbishment. Amount awarded: $500
Hedgesville High School, teacher Brooke Evers: Choral sheet music to add to the school’s music library. Amount awarded: $400
Martinsburg North Middle School, teacher Arden Cline: new reeds for classroom inventory for students, and mallets for marimba to replace broken mallets. Amount awarded: $200
Martinsburg High School, teacher Casie Adams: Marching drum cases for tenor drum, and snare drum accessories. Amount awarded: $300
Ranson Elementary, teacher Bonnie Pullen: Set of African Tubano drums. Amount awarded: $500
South Jefferson Elementary, teacher Pamela Shearer: Classroom percussion instruments. Amount awarded: $440
Spring Mills Primary, teacher Courtney Clevenger: Classroom “color” instruments, variety of percussion instruments. Amount awarded: $300
Spring Mills Middle School, teacher Jordan English: Drum pads and drum accessories. Amount awarded $300
Washington High School, teacher Lisa Hazlett: Support to purchase a new Fender bass amplifier for jazz ensemble. Amount awarded: $410
Wildwood Middle School, teacher Tanner Petri: new set of African drums for classroom. Amount awarded: $500
May 2023: Four scholarships at $500 each were awarded to graduating seniors as follows:
- Amelia Dardaris, Washington High School, flute and piccolo, plans to attend Shenandoah Conservatory
- Donald Hawkins, Washington High School, plans to attend Shenandoah Conservatory for vocal performance.
- Ellen Kemp, Jefferson High School, trumpet; plans to attend WVU.
- Kolton Neitz, Musselman High School, tenor saxophone, plans to attend WVU.
Spring 2022
14 educational program grants awarded totaling $5,385.63.
Blue Ridge Elementary and Primary School, teacher Cheryl LaVigne: Grades 3-5 GAMEPLAN curriculum books along with books that promote music and literacy. Amount awarded: $475
Bunker Hill Elementary School, teacher Linda Abrahamian: Bucket drums, drumsticks, and music supplies for all grade levels. Amount awarded: $265
Charles Town Middle School, teacher Rachel Allen: keyboards and keyboard stands for general music, band, and choir. Amount awarded: $459
Hedgesville High School, teacher Corey Hamrick: Reeds, grease, and other essential supplies for band instruments. Amount awarded: $250
Hedgesville Middle School, teacher Jessica Funck: Microphones and audio equipment for middle school choir performances, festivals, and competitions. Amount awarded: $187.74
Martinsburg High School, teacher Casie Adams: Drum for high school marching band drumline. Amount awarded: $500
Mountain Ridge Middle School, teacher Samantha Albright: Seven keyboards for general music classes. Amount awarded: $483
Musselman High School, teacher Michael Knepper: Guitar amplifier for two high school jazz bands. Amount awarded: $449
Ranson Elementary School, teacher Bonnie Pullen: Six ukuleles for general music. Amount awarded: $225
South Jefferson Elementary School, teacher Pamela Shearer: two glockenspiels and music stands. Amount awarded: $489.89.
South Middle School, teacher Heather Nowell: Set of percussion concert bells for seventh and eighth grade music classes. Amount awarded: $500
Tomahawk Intermediate School, teacher Pamela Lehr: 12 ukuleles for third to fifth grade music students. Amount awarded: $402
Wildwood Middle School, teacher Molly Wildman: Guitars and wall mounts for general music classroom. Amount awarded: $500
Wright Denny Intermediate School, teacher Lindsay Dove: repair of broken Orff instruments in general music classes. Amount awarded: $200
Spring 2022: Two scholarships at $500 each were awarded to graduating seniors as follows:
- Zakkary Moss, Musselman High School, going to Shepherd University, Trumpet
- Aurora Stone, Jefferson High School going to WVU to pursue Music Education, Bass
Spring 2021
Nine educational program grants awarded totaling $4,058.
Martinsburg North Middle School, teacher Tanner Petri: eight guitars to create a full ensemble for student performances and to allow more students to participate in music class on guitars. Amount awarded: $500 $520?
Blue Ridge Elementary School/Blue Ridge Primary, teacher Cheryl LaVigne: K-2 curriculum GAMEPLAN books. Each grade level book includes music experiences with objectives for rhythm, melody, harmony, and timbre. Amount awarded: $508
Orchard View Intermediate School, teacher Sarah Dodge: classroom set of hand drums for fourth and fifth graders providing opportunities to explore different sounds and techniques. The drums are pitched and can be used as accompaniment or featured in performances. Amount awarded: $489
Washington High School, teacher Ken Cooper: Steinway grand piano protective cover. The piano was obtained through a music grant last year; the cover will assure that the valuable instrument is properly protected in the classroom. Amount awarded: $348
South Jefferson Elementary School, teacher Pam Shearer: purchase of bucket drum supplies for fifth grade general music students to support their Bucket Blast project. Satisfying children’s love of percussion instruments, the drums provide opportunities to learn basic skills and rhythmic patterns to accompany songs of various genres. Amount awarded: $297
Shepherdstown Elementary School, teacher Amanda Licea: eight Makala ukuleles to complete classroom set for use in fourth and fifth grade music classes. Students will learn how to read music and the instruments will be used for an after-school ukulele ensemble. Amount awarded: $476
Driswood Elementary School, teacher Angela Wyatt Weaver: four music stands, with wheels, for Orff instruments in K-2 classes. The stands ease the moving and storing of the xylophones and metallophone. Amount awarded: $420
Ranson Elementary School, teacher Bonnie Pullen: 11 ukuleles for fifth graders to share. Their availability will help students learn to play stringed instruments. Amount awarded: $500
Martinsburg North Middle School, teacher Daniel Jones: 20 collapsible shoulder rests, various sizes, for violins and violas. These shoulder rests will provide the support necessary for comfort and ease of playing. Amount awarded: $500
Spring 2021
Nine scholarships at $500 each and totaling $4,500 were awarded to graduating seniors as follows:
Franciso Paonessa Amore – Washington High School
Alexis Rose Cookus – Hedgesville High School
Annalise Aardema Jackson – Jefferson High School
Shelby Kuhn – Washington High School
Isaac Patthoff McCarthy – Musselman High School
Zora Omega Muhammad – Martinsburg High School
Joseph David Nickey – Martinsburg High School
Julianna Page Perkowski – Washington High School
Katherine Turner – Jefferson High School
2020
Seven educational program grants awards totaling $2,719.
Musselman High School, teacher Nathan Rhin: a Guitarron, the final instrument needed to establish the “Mariachi de Musselman” ensemble at the school. Mr. Rhin said an important part of music education is recognizing the contributions of culturally diverse music from all around the world and appreciating its impact. Amount awarded: $500
Martinsburg South Middle School: Yamaha 16-inch Power-Lite marching bass drum to be used by the school’s award-winning Trojan Marching Band. Amount awarded: $300
Shepherdstown Day Care Center: a 15-player rhythm band kit; a Tom Boy drum with mallet; bongo drums, triangle, tambourine and pair of cymbals; a set of five textured egg shakers; two xylophones; a scarves-and-ribbons movement set; and two paperback activity books. The Center had requested the items to restart a musical activities program that had lapsed because of a lack of funds. Amount awarded: $421
Spring Mills High School, teacher Jeannine Sturm: four adjustable, folding stools for use by bass players in the orchestra. The stools provide better stability and support for these student musicians. Amount awarded: $300
Ranson Elementary School, teacher Bonnie Pullen: four Remo Tubano drums for use in music classes and by the school’s Percussion Club. Amount awarded: $478
North Jefferson Elementary School, teacher Katie Madrid: 15 Diamond Head DU-105 Rainbow Soprano Ukuleles to assist students in learning to read music and to apply rhythmic and pitch reading skills. Amount awarded: $450
Valley View Elementary School, teacher Justin Loizos: three Remo Tubano drums to expand the range of percussive instruments available to students, and especially to provide students with drums that they can easily handle. Amount awarded: $270
2019
Twelve educational program grants awarded totaling $4,781.
Tony M. Music and Arts Foundation: 10 Mitchell MU40 soprano ukuleles to be used in free, after-school music classes the Foundation provides in all six Berkeley County intermediate schools. Amount awarded $370
Rosemont Elementary School, teacher Patricia Cooper: a Studio 49 Series 1000 SX Soprano Xylophone to be used with the school’s other percussion instruments, to help students learn about and create music covering a variety of ranges. Amount awarded: $394
Marlowe and Bedington Elementary Schools, teacher Nicole Slick: a set of 20 headphones for K-2 students to use while creating their own music using Garage Band. Amount awarded $169
Spring Mills Middle School, teacher Shaina Adelsberger: an iPad for the music program to help reach Shaina’s goal of providing an iPad for every student in her classroom. The iPads allow students to create their own songs using the Garage Band app, which provides soundtracks with instrumental effects. Amount awarded: $329
Charles Washington Symphony Orchestra: the grant assisted in purchasing music for the Orchestra. The Orchestra puts strong emphasis on providing educational and performance opportunities for young people. Several talented local students currently play regularly with the Orchestra, and the Orchestra has established a Youth Orchestra that is composed entirely of local students. Amount awarded: $500
Spring Mills High School, teacher Brian Lange: a Casio Privia PX-360 electronic piano featuring a full-size keyboard that replicates the feel and sound of a concert grand piano. The piano is used
by advanced students, by Brian to model for students while the students play along on smaller classroom pianos, and on stage for school music events. Amount awarded: $999
Mountain Ridge Middle School, teacher Mark Albright; two accessories for the jazz band’s acoustic upright bass – a soft-sided case for the instrument, and a “Bass Buggie,” to make it easier for the 50-pound instrument to be transported safely and easily. Amount awarded: $281
CW Shipley Elementary School, teacher Nancy Guiney: two Tubano drums to help increase the number and variety of instruments available for use in music classes. Amount awarded: $388
Rosemont Elementary School, teacher Patricia Cooper: a set of 14 books for use in K-3 classes. Ms. Cooper frequently incorporates books into her music lessons, having students sing songs based upon them. She says this helps her students develop a sense of the creative process. Amount awarded: $188
Hedgesville Middle School, Laura Rhin: electronic hardware (a wireless video transmitter and VGA multiport adaptor) to facilitate instruction during general music classes.
Amount awarded: $244
North Middle School: four acoustic guitars to be used by 8th grade students participating in the school’s Guitar Club, as well as 8th graders taking general music classes. Amount awarded $500.
Charles Town Middle School: an iPad, iPencil and case to facilitate instruction in the school’s music classes. Amount awarded: $415 $419??
2019: Two scholarships at $500 each were awarded to graduating seniors as follows:
Walter Kester – Jefferson High School
Lilly Noel – St. James School
2018: Three educational program grants were awarded totaling $1,349.
Bedington Elementary School: a Cajón drum to the music program. The box-shaped percussion instrument is extremely durable and offers a fun way to learn the basics of percussion. Its simplicity makes it an ideal instrument for young children. Amount awarded $250
Spring Mills Middle School: music-education software for the school’s music students. “SmartMusic,” provides access to an award-winning, web-based music-education platform that includes an extensive music library making it easy for teachers to create individualized assignments for students, and for students to explore different works on their own. Amount awarded $500
North Jefferson Elementary School: a set of drums to the music program containing three Remo 100 Series Key-tuned Tubano drums to facilitate learning of a variety of different musical concepts, such as timbre, rhythm, beat and dynamics, and to allow students to compare and contrast the percussive instruments of different cultures. Amount awarded $599
2018
Five scholarships at $500 each and totaling $2,500 were awarded to graduating seniors as follows:
Allyson Hager – Martinsburg High School
Matt Holmes – Jefferson High School
Dalton Kendig – Hedgesville High School
Tim Mason – North Hagerstown High School
Shelby Ward – of Martinsburg High the students
2018 Student Performance: Four student musicians from the Berkeley County Orchestra Program participated in a Two Rivers Chamber Orchestra concert held at Shepherdstown’s Trinity Episcopal Church. The students who participated were Dalton Kendig, Hedgesville High School; Elena Ross, who is home schooled; Haylee Harding, Musselman High School; and Kevin Hugas, Mountain Ridge Middle School. They joined the Orchestra’s regular musicians for a performance of the Handel’s Overture to “Theodora.”
2017
Four educational program grants were awarded totaling $2,250.
Shepherdstown Elementary School: an electronic piano keyboard (Williams 88-Key Legato Digital Piano) and five sets of concert band sheet music to the music program. The keyboard serves students in grades K-5 during their musical instruction period twice a week throughout the school year, helping them learn proper finger positioning, note identification, musical rhythm and self-expression. The sheet music helped build the school’s music instruction library. Amount awarded $470
Charles Town Middle School: 13 Diamond Head Soprano ukuleles for the music program. Soprano models are widely regarded as good quality, workhorse instruments ideal for school use. Amount awarded $500
Shepherdstown Middle School: a Fender Standard 4-String Jazz Bass Guitar for the award-winning Jazz Band. Amount awarded $500
Berkeley County Schools Orchestra Program: two new violas. Amount awarded $750
2017: Four scholarships awarded to graduating seniors – two at $500 and two at $250.
Emma Locarnini – Washington High School
Ally Ward – Jefferson High School
Rhea Ming and Travis Weller of Spring Mills High School each received $250 to help cover the cost of their participation in a prestigious Carnegie Hall High School Honors Performance Series, held in New York City in February 2018.
2016: One grant was awarded to Musselman High School junior, Dorian Hemerick who received a carbon fiber Diamond NX CodaBow (retail value $470). Friends of Music board member Linda Walker won the bow through a “Pay-it-Forward Giveaway” contest sponsored by CodaBow and “Strings” magazine. Her prize was a new CodaBow for her own use and a second one to be donated to a school or institution of her choice. She donated the second bow to Friends of Music, who in turn donated it to Dorian.
