Swan Brewing Phil Steadham Memorial Scholarship

As a high achieving student, I try to be involved in as many clubs and organizations as possible. During this experience, I have earned a litany of leadership positions. By being a positive role model and having an affinity to lead, I rose up the ranks of leadership. Within the marching band, I have served as a Woodwind Captain since my tenth grade year. The next year, I auditioned and received the positions of Saxophone Section Leader and Band Captain. In my senior year, I finally achieved my dream of becoming the Drum Major. In Belleview’s Winterguard, I earned the role of Rifle Captain. Being a part of leadership has not only matured me, but taught me how to live in the real world. Learning many harsh realities early on, I am prepared to push forward into my college and post college life. Being a band student, I have found my calling in performing. With that, I am a part of Belleview High School’s Symphonic Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, and Show Choir. Within these organizations, I feel as though I can express myself truly as I am. I can communicate with the audience my emotions on a deeper level than any words can bring. There’s something special about music. It can evoke emotions hidden deep within. Raw, unfiltered emotions can be spread through an entire auditorium with the first note. There’s a piece by my favorite composer, Frank Ticheli, called Rest. Based on an old Requiem, it brings forth feelings felt that I never felt before: grief, acceptance, and reconstruction. That is the beauty of music. It is the universal language. As a result, I joined the Music Theory/Composition club, and I was finally able to write these hidden emotions into beautiful pieces. Performing music brings the art to life, bringing beautiful music to the community. I plan to continue my education at Florida State University with the intention of completing a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Music Therapy. During this time, I will be joining the Marching Chiefs, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, and Winterguard. I dream to become the drum major of the Marching Chiefs. With some time management, I will be able to include an internship at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital for music therapy in General Medical, as it is the career path that I intend on joining. Being able to join an internship enables me to use the knowledge needed to pass my certification board exam in the real world under a licensed, Board Certified music therapist. After graduation, I wish to work at a hospital in General Medical, helping whomever a doctor writes a referral to–whether that be patients suffering from a stroke, trauma, sensory overload, or paralysis. When I have enough experience, I look forward to opening a private practice, allowing me to have consistent patients and hours. This will allow me to explore life beyond the world of music therapy. I hope to spread advocacy on music therapy through high school honor bands, private lessons, and traveling. With this scholarship, I can attend college and achieve my future dreams without the financial stress and burden of student loans. I come from a very large family and this scholarship would be a blessing. I would no longer have the worry; how will I afford classes? How will I manage work, school, and my passions? The shock of paying for housing, general living, and textbooks will be relieved, which I will be grateful for. With this scholarship, I hope to be able to help others the same way this scholarship helped me.