HICKORY, NC (November 20, 2017)…In 1984, the J. Don Coleman Endowment Fund was established to honor the Hickory Choral Society’s founding director and help promote and expand choral music in Catawba County School systems. The program was later expanded to include public schools in Burke, Caldwell and Alexander counties as well.
Each fall, music educators in the participating school systems are invited to apply for grants from this fund. Knowing that most public schools work with very limited funding for the arts, grant money is awarded for the purchase of music related to projects or performances for the current school year. This will then help schools build a library of music that can be used for years to come.
HCS was proud to award 15 grants for the 2017-18 school year. For the first time ever, recipients were recognized and received their grant checks during the Membership reception after our Fall Concert on October 15th. This year’s recipients were:
School Music Educator
Balls Creek Elementary Jennifer McNeely
Baton Elementary Emily Potter
Blackburn Elementary Sherry Schlagenhauf
East Burke High Tina Lowman
Ellendale Elementary Amy Sipe
Gamewell Elementary Mary Katherine Taylor
HM Arndt Middle Lauren Shook
Hudson Middle Sherry January
Lyle Creek Elementary Erin Roper
Oxford Elementary Michelle Shelly
St Stephens Elementary June Robison
Startown Elementary Margy Butterfield
Valdese Elementary Brittany Schafer
West Caldwell High Bethany Wolfe
Wittenburg Elementary Amy Sipe
A Hickory Choral Society Press Release