Eight young musicians from underserved communities in Boston and across the U.S. and Canada were awarded four-year, full-tuition scholarships to attend the Berklee College of Music at an emotional presentation at the Berklee Performance Center on Tuesday, August 9. Included in the group was Westerville Central graduate David Kile. The collective value of the scholarships, presented to students from Berklee City Music Network sites, exceeded $1.2 million.
Emceed by actor and comedian Sinbad, the scholarship presentation came at the conclusion of the Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Program, the last hurdle for scholarship winners to clear before beginning their college careers. The eight recipients are among 85 teens who were enrolled in that program.
Scholarship students were welcomed to the stage by Berklee President Roger H. Brown; Lee Whitmore, Berklee vice president of education outreach and social entrepreneurship; Krystal Banfield, dean for City Music; Sinbad; and Boston Celtics legend Cedric Maxwell. The concert showcased the talents of Berklee City Music students performing in jazz, pop/rock, choral, big band, and R&B ensembles.