NEW YORK—The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced the 2008 New York City music scholarship winners at 52 Chambers Street on Tuesday. Five high school seniors received certificates from New York School Chancellor Joel I. Klein and President and CEO of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation Joel Peresman.
The winning students are Julie Engel from Queens High School of Teaching, Jessica Gomez from Norman Thomas High School, Robyn Koenigsberg from Tottenville High School, Daniella Soba from Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music and Kristopher Tyndall from Edward R. Murrow High School.
This scholarship is for "people who want to pursue music in college and their career," said Peresman, "and not necessarily musicians, and not necessarily the people that were valedictorians in their class—people who could really exhibit the passion for what rock and roll means to them, and how they able to take that, and be able to use that when they get into college."
"I know how special this is," said Chancellor Klein, "I think it's so cool that you are getting scholarships from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."
He shared his own personal experience with the students and their school principals at the conference.
Klein said, "It was almost 45 years ago. I graduated from Bryant High School in Queens. We lived in public housing. My father was a postman. He dropped out of high school in the 10th grade. I got this scholarship that changed my entire life. Two things really stayed with me: how grateful I am for my parents and teachers."
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was founded 25 years ago in New York. It started several educational programs to benefit students. The music scholarship was created in 2007 and a total of $50,000 scholarship money was divided between New York and Cleveland.
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