Special Scholarships

Scholarship Recipients - 2007

Special Scholarships

There are several special scholarships awarded each year. Our most prestigious awards are the Morey’s Music Store Scholarship and the David L. Schechter Memorial Scholarship. Each year for the last 21 years, Morey’s Music Store has donated the equivalent of two full scholarships. The recipients are the most outstanding players who apply that year. This scholarship is based primarily on merit.

David L. Schechter was a student at Fulton Middle School in Fullerton when he was tragically killed in a car accident. His parents set up a scholarship fund in his memory because David loved attending Arrowbear. Each year, two full scholarships to a two-week session are awarded in his memory. One recipient is selected from our applicants for scholarships. The other is always awarded to a music student at David’s school. The recipients are outstanding wind or brass players who also have financial need.

The Robert Simmergren Scholarship honors the memory of Bob Simmergren who taught music in Long Beach Unified for many years and was often on the staff at Arrowbear. We select two recipients each year. One recipient is always a violinist, and the other is awarded to a wind or brass player.  This scholarship is based on both merit and financial need.

Larry Evans attended Arrowbear in the 1950s. Several years ago he established the Larry A. Evans Scholarship. This scholarship is a three-fourths scholarship to a two-week session. It is awarded to a wind or brass player who has both strong merit and financial need.

In 2002, Gary Wrench and his sister, Marilyn Wrench Boccuzi, generously established the Newton and Elsie Wrench Scholarship in memory of their parents who were involved with Arrowbear beginning in the early years of the camp. Newt’s first exposure to camp was in 1947 when he was a volunteer truck driver on the weekends that camp began or ended. Elsie helped in the kitchen and even stayed at camp entire summers as a regular assistant to Mrs. Ohlendorf. Newt helped with the construction of many of Arrowbear’s current buildings. This scholarship is awarded to a wind or string planer entering grades 7 - 12. It provides at least one-half the cost of the session attended.

The Robert Collins Scholarship honors a lifetime of dedication by a man who was the head choral teacher at Long Beach Poly High School from 1959-1969. He was an important figure in the California choral community in the 60s and 70s. He also taught at Long Beach State (CSULB), Long Beach City College, and UCLA. Many choral students benefitted from Robert Collins’ commitment to choral music.  His son, David Collins, is an Arrowbear alumnus and established the scholarship in his dad’s memory in 2003. This scholarship is a full scholarship to the Choral Session, or if no choral students apply, it is awarded to an instrumentalist.

Brian Reynolds was a camper and counselor at Arrowbear in the 80s and early 90s. The Brian C. Reynolds Scholarship was established by his parents after Brian died tragically during a hike with the Sierra Club in August 2004. Brian had a positive attitude about life and enjoyed the great outdoors immensely. This scholarship is  awarded to a bass player. If no bass players apply, then it is awarded to a string player entering grades 6 - 12.

Arnold Horgarth attended Arrowbear in the late 1940s. He and his wife, Judy, established the Arnold and Judy Hograth Scholarship to help any recipient of our choice enjoy a summer at Arrowbear. It assists a young musician attend an intermediate or advanced session.

Richard Liddell was a employee at the Long Beach School Employees Financial Credit Union when he passed away. He loved to sing in local choral groups. His co-workers worked to establish the Richard Liddel Memorial Scholarship to help choral students attend Arrowbear. If no choral students apply, then it helps an instrumental applicant of our choice.

This will be the second year for the Loren and June Collins Scholarship established by Leslie Collins Edwards and Kiki Collins Bussell to honor their parents who were so supportive of their musical interests and talents. This scholarship is designated to help one or more students attend the Advanced Session. 

Valorie Fairchild Beer established an endowment  scholarship to honor her mother. Raye Fairchild was a music major on the violin and taught music most of her life. She often substituted for several of the elementary and middle school music teachers in Long Beach Unfied. She was a volunteer in the music programs at Stanford and Millikan. She was also a good friend of Mr. O. The Raye Fairchild Memorial Scholarship is designated to help a needed string player attend Arrowbear.

Naomi Norwick, a conductor at the Intermediate Sesson for Arrowbear in the 1980s and 1990s, established the Walter Norwick Memorial Scholarship to honor the memory of her father. Miss Norwick remains a strong support of Arrowbear. We often receive scholarship applicants from her school in Long Beach. This scholarship is designated to help an applicant of our choice.

Scholarship Update for Summer 2006

After our Spring Newsletter was published, we received a wonderful phone call from the same anonymous donor who has helped us the past two summers. The donor wanted to be sure our Scholarship Committee hadn’t run out of funds before helping all the applicants who truly needed assistance to attend Camp. Well, after discussing the five applicants we wished we could have helped, the donor promptly sent us a check for $3,075 to cover their fees. Those were the best five phone calls we ever made!! The young musicians and their families were thrilled since they thought they wouldn’t be able to attend camp. The words “thank you,” to this donor don’t seem to be enough to convey what this opportunity meant to these kids. This kind of special gift makes all of our efforts worth while.
 

These are the applicants who also got to go to Arrowbear this summer:

We received some wonderful thank you letters from our scholarship recipients this year. We thought you might like to read them as well. It’s helps us realize that we do make a difference.

I would like to thank you for the scholarship. It means a lot to me. I really think this will be a great experience for me. I am very joyful to know I am going to such a wonderful camp. The scholarship will help me on my way to Arrowbear Music Camp. It would be a benefit for me. I appreciate this so much.
Julia Felix

Thank you for awarding my daughter, Nicole, the Brian C. Reynolds Memorial Scholarship. We are extremely delighted and honored to receive this scholarship. When we received the awesome news, my daughter couldn’t contain her excitement. She was jumping and skipping around all night long. You’ve given my child a wonderful opportunity that otherwise wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t provided the necessary financial resources. Thank you doesn’t seem enough, but we are extremely thrilled and grateful to AMA for giving such a generous opportunity to Nicole.
Arlene Gutierrez

I want to tell you have happy and grateful I am to receive a scholarship so I can attend Arrowbear Music Camp. This experience is something that I would not be able to do without your financial help, so I am especially thankful to you for choosing me to receive this generous award. I am so excited about participating in the Arrowbear Music Camp and will make good use of the opportunity you have given me. Someday when I am able to do so, I would like to help other students with a scholarship. I hope that my music not only brings happiness to other people, but will provide me enough money so that I can provide scholarships to help students like me someday.
Christina Sanders

I am soooooooooooo happy! Thank you so much for the scholarship you have awarded me. I wanted to attend Arrowbear so much, and you have granted me that wish. I can’t wait. My parents were so excited and at the same time so grateful. I was so afraid I wouldn’t be able to go. I wanted to help with the tuition and I started getting small jobs in my neighborhood. I can’t wait to learn and get instruction from music teachers. In short, there are really no words that can express my joy. Thank you again, and I really appreciate all of the people who donate money for kids who really want to learn music like me.
Anthony B. Aceves

Scholarship Recipients - 2006

We were thrilled to receive 53 scholarship applications in April. It’s always so difficult to decide who should receive assistance. We agonize, argue passionately for students who touch our hearts in some way, and finally reach a consensus on who gets a scholarship, and who we are unable to help. We walk a delicate line trying to balance merit with need, those who have the advantage of lessons versus those who have potential but perhaps can’t afford private lessons, or with students who we know would flourish with the opportunity to have an experience at camp, but perhaps are not yet very proficient technically on their instruments. Still, everyone who listens to the tapes feels an amazing sense of accomplishment that our organization is able to help so many students. We, and you, do make a difference in these kids’ lives.

We are very excited to announce that we awarded $21,120 in scholarship to 46 students for the 2006 summer. Congratulations to them all.

Scholarship Update - 2005

Our original scholarship recipient list published last spring expanded after we went to publication due to a generous donor who prefers to remain anonymous. This person’s $3,000 donation helped an additional six young musicians attend a summer music camp. In addition, we had one student of our original recipients who declined his scholarship due to a scheduling conflict. The David L. Schechter recipient from Fulton Middle School, where David attended school, had not been determined by the time we went to press. His name is included below and well as an additional Brian C. Reynolds Scholarship recipient awarded at the request of Brian’s family. This meant we awarded $17,905 in scholarships to 41 students last summer.

All of the final recipients did attend Camp and had a wonderful time. Below are some of the thank you letters we received from both their families and the students themselves. You only need to read their heart-felt letters to know that we do make a difference in their lives.

Parents

Thank you so much for allowing our kids the opportunity for summer music camp again. We appreciate it so much. Financially, sending our 3 kids to camp is impossible on our income, and I know my kids and I do realize how important your role is to their future at camp. Recently my husband got to go back to work after being laid off for over 6 months. Now that he is working again, it is a relief to have a steady income again. Thank you for helping us in our time of need. We are so lucky and blessed to have your organization help kids have a rewarding summer experience.

I would like to thank you for your support and your contributions to the scholarship fund. Your contributions allow kids who aren't that financially "well off" to experience great memories and make new friends at Arrowbear.
 

Student Recipients

I’m thankful that I was chosen to receive a scholarship out of the many applicants. I’m very excited to experience the camp at an older age and as a mature player. All of my friends tell me I will have so much fun and I hope I will. Thank you once again.

I would like to sincerely thank you for granting me such a generous scholarship. Thank you for taking the time to review my audition tape, and I am honored to have been chosen as a recipient. I believe that by attending this camp, it will help me grow both as a musician and as an individual, who will hopefully be able to give back to the society which has given me this chance to live a successful life. Once again, thank you for your time, and for granting me the scholarship.

I am writing you this letter after I found out my $300 scholarship was made possible because of all of the money you donated. I have never been to a music camp before, but after hearing my friends’ experiences at this camp, I know it is going to be great. I can bet that after going to Arrowbear, I will be a much better player. I know I’ll have a great time at Arrowbear Music Camp.

Thank you all S000 much for the scholarship! I was really worried, thinking that I couldn’t go, and then how would I sharpen my musicality over the summer? However, this scholarship really made it possible for me to attend this totally awesome camp, so thankyouthankyouthankyou!!

Scholarship Recipients - 2005

We were thrilled to receive 50 scholarship applications in April. Last year we received only 30. Of course, it’s always difficult to decide who should receive assistance. We agonize, argue passionately for students who touch our hearts in some way, and finally reach a consensus on who gets a scholarship, and who we are unable to help. We walk a delicate line trying to balance merit with need, those who have the advantage of lessons versus those who have potential but perhaps can’t afford private lessons, or with students who we know would flourish with the opportunity to have an experience at camp, but perhaps are not yet very proficient technically on their instruments. Still, everyone who listens to the tapes feels an amazing sense of accomplishment that our organization is able to help so many students. We, and you, do make a difference in these kids’ lives.

We are very excited to announce that we awarded $16,690 in scholarship to 36 students for the 2005 summer. Congratulations to them all.
 

Special Scholarships

There are several special scholarships awarded each year. Our most prestigious awards are the Morey’s Music Store Scholarship and the David L. Schechter Memorial Scholarship. Each year for the last 19 years, Morey’s Music Store has donated the equivalent of two full scholarships to the two-week sessions. The recipients are the most outstanding string players who apply that year. This scholarship is based primarily on merit.

David L. Schechter was a student at Fulton Middle School in Fullerton when he was tragically killed in a car accident. His parents set up a scholarship fund in his memory because David loved attending Arrowbear. Each year, two full scholarships to a two-week session are awarded in his memory. One recipient is selected from our applicants for scholarships. The other is always awarded to a music student at David’s school. The recipients are outstanding wind or brass players who also have financial need.

The Robert Simmergren Scholarship honors the memory of Bob Simmergren who taught music in Long Beach Unified for many years and was often on the staff at Arrowbear. We select two recipients each year. One recipient is always a violinist, and the other is awarded to a wind or brass player. This scholarship is based on both merit and financial need.

Larry Evans attended Arrowbear in the 1950s. Several years ago he established the Larry A. Evans Scholarship. This scholarship is a three-fourths scholarship to a two-week session. It is awarded to a wind or brass player who has both strong merit and financial need.

In 2002, Gary Wrench and his sister, Marilyn Wrench Boccuzi, generously established the Newton and Elsie Wrench Scholarship in memory of their parents who were involved with Arrowbear beginning in the early years of the camp. Newt’s first exposure to camp was in 1947 when he was a volunteer truck driver on the weekends that camp began or ended. Elsie helped in the kitchen and even stayed at camp entire summers as a regular assistant to Mrs. Ohlendorf. Newt helped with the construction of many of Arrowbear’s current buildings. This scholarship is awarded to a wind or string planer entering grades 7 - 12. It provides at least one-half the cost of the session attended.

The Robert Collins Scholarship honors a lifetime of dedication by a man who was the head choral teacher at Long Beach Poly High School from 1959-1969. He was an important figure in the California choral community in the 60s and 70s. He also taught at Long Beach State (CSULB), Long Beach City College, and UCLA. Many choral students benefitted from Robert Collins’ commitment to choral music. His son, David Collins, is an Arrowbear alumnus and established the scholarship in his dad’s memory in 2003. This scholarship is a full scholarship to the Choral Session, or if no choral students apply, it is awarded to an instrumentalist.

Our most recent permanent scholarship will be awarded this summer for the first time in memory of Brian C. Reynolds who died tragically in August 2004 during a hike with the Sierra Club. Brian was a camper and counselor at Arrowbear in the 80s and early 90s. Brian had a positive attitude about life and enjoyed the great outdoors immensely. This scholarship will be awarded to a bass player. If no bass players apply, then it will be awarded to a string player entering grades 6 - 12.

Scholarship Recipients - 2004

Our scholarship committee met in April to listen to scholarship applications. As always, it was difficult to decide who to select. We heard many students with great potential who don’t have the benefit of lessons or attend schools that don’t have much of a music program. Nearly all of the families who applied are struggling financially as well and truly can’t afford to send a child to camp without help. Through your generosity, twenty-six students received a total of $12,390 in scholarship help. We are pleased to announce the following 2004 recipients. Congratulations to them all.

Many, many thanks to an anonymous donor who called after the list of scholarship recipients was published in the Spring Newsletter. This person asked how many students we were unable to help and how much we needed to meet their needs. The check arrived in less than a week. The families were stunned to find out their children could attend Camp after all due to this person’s generosity. It warms the heart to know there are still many wonderful people out there who want to help others.

We thought you might like to read one of the thank you letters we received from a recipient:

Thank you for this scholarship. I’ll work even harder for my father and private teacher, Darren Mulder. The reason I got this scholarship was for the people that supported me. Those people are my aunts, uncle, grandparents, brothers, mom, dad, and music teachers.

I know I will enjoy going to camp this summer. I will work hard at camp. I know I will grow as a musician because I will be around musicians that are older and better than me and I will be playing music that is very challenging for me.

I can’t thank you enough for this great opportunity and for this scholarship.

Fall 2003 Scholarship News

Our 2003 scholarship recipients had a wonderful time at camp this summer. We received some thank you letters we'd like to share with you since you are the ones who really deserve the thanks. Their heartfelt letters say it all.

Dear AMA

Thank you so much for the scholarship. I don't think that I would be able to attend camp this summer without it. I am so excited to be going to Arrowbear this summer. My mom and my grandmother are also excited for me to attend the same camp that they were able to go to. I will be the third generation in my family to go to Arrowbear. I am looking forward to meeting new friends and learning so much about music this summer. Thank you for such a wonderful opportunity. I am sure that I will remember this summer at Arrowbear for many years.

LeighAnn Buckner

Dear AMA

I am overjoyed that you consider my musical potential worthy of a scholarship, and I am privileged to have received it. To attend Arrowbear Music Camp, which your scholarship now allows me to do, means very much to me and the musical career I wish to pursue. I will work diligently to make sure that whatever happens at camp will be worth what has been contributed to the scholarship for which my family and I thank you all very much.

Erica Solano

Dear AMA

Thank you so much for awarding me the scholarship so that I may attend Arrowbear this year. You all have been a wonderful, magnificent help to me by supporting my summer goals. I assure you that the money will not go to waste and also that I will be the best camper up there. I will make you proud of giving me this honor. A million thanks again (but even that isn't enough).

Nailah Conner

Dear AMA

I can't even begin to tell you how thankful I am for this scholarship! I wanted to go so bad, but didn't think that I'd be able to. Thanks to your scholarship I now can attend the camp that I've always dreamed of going to. I am soooo happy and excited. I just can't wait to see what it's like at Arrowbear. All of my friends that have gone said that it was the BEST camp ever, so I can't wait to go. Again, thank you so much. 

A Very Thankful Musician,
Julie Flint

Scholarship News 2003