Scout House Youth Scholarship Applications Now Being Distributed
Secondary school music teachers across Waterloo Region are now making applications available to their students for the 2021 Wilf Blum youth music scholarship award. The $800 prize is provided by Preston Scout House Band Inc. of Cambridge in honor of original director Wilf Blum, who founded the Band in 1938 as an activity for members of the 1st Preston Boy Scout Troop.
The application form is being distributed to music teachers in both the Waterloo Region District School Board and the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Those eligible to apply include any graduating student intending to make music a central part of his or her life. The award may be applied to post-secondary tuition in a music program, lessons with an accredited teacher or purchase of an instrument.
Deadline for submissions will be Friday May 28. The formal presentation to the winner will be scheduled for a time when pandemic social distancing standards allow such events. Since 2014, Scout House has provided awards amounting to $9,150 to 11 previous scholarship winners.
The review and selection panel includes Caroline Hissa: a graduate of the Masters of Arts Degree in Community Music program at Wilfrid Laurier University and the Executive Director of the Community Music School of Waterloo Region; Terry Hallman, retired senior public school music teacher with Waterloo Region District School Board; Gord Cupskey, music director and instructor for Preston Scout House Band and Silver Leaves Brass, one of five Scout House Band Inc. member groups. The criteria considered by the panel include: evidence of continuing involvement with music, work ethic, musicianship, ability.
Preston Scout House Band, Inc. is a non-profit corporation with registered charity status able to issue tax receipts to donors, incorporated under the Corporations Act of the Province of Ontario on November 29, 1956. The multi-unit organization offers individuals the opportunity to “Arrange the soundtrack of your life” in marching arts activities starting at age 8 and continuing throughout life.
These units, all currently inactive because of COVID 19 restrictions on group activities, are: Preston Scout House Cadets award winning drum and bugle corps for young men and women up to age 22; Preston Scout House Band, which has earned more than 50 awards, certificates and plaques over the past 20 years; Silver Leaves Brass, an award winning brass ensemble; Magic of Scout House competitive winter guard, winner of five consecutive North East Color Guard Circuit championships since 2015; Heritage Drill Team, with members wearing tight black shorts, knee socks, short sleeved burgundy tunics, white gauntlets and Aussie hats, which made up the Band’s uniform in the 1950s and ‘60s.
For more information about the Wilf Blum scholarship program and other Preston Scout House Band Inc. activities, contact telephone (519) 653-3376, email (PSHBAND.INC at outlook dot com)
