Guerwen Gue

Thank you, Scott Kinsel, for awarding me the Linda "Noni" Anderson Memorial Music & Arts Scholarship. This is a significant achievement on my road toward Music Education and performance, gifting me the opportunity to showcase what I have for Berklee College of Music. When I clicked on my Scholarships on Bold.Org, I jumped out of my seat in disbelief! You guys were the ones to believe in what I could do! Just like in my plea, My life was changed when I started to take jazz performance classes at my school, and I was introduced to the Young Musicians Unite program where I learned about music as a professional view instead of a mere hobby. When I started to go out and gig with different musicians, I realized that my confidence started to show, as each time I play, I shed apart my insecurities and troubles, becoming nothing more than my true self. This really shows that doing what you love can help you when faced with self-worth and/or self-esteem. I am also ever grateful and honored to have my parents by my side, showing me that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

Aurora Benefield

Your support means everything to me as a low-income student pursuing a future education. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and can't thank you enough for considering me as a finalist.