Categories: News Archive

J. Don Coleman Endowment Fund Music Education Grants

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.

Teachers who received their grants at our Membership Reception, pictured left to right: Michelle Shelly, Lauren Shook, Sherry Schlagenhauf, Emily Potter, and Amy Sipe.

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