(photo left to right top row) Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing and Visual Arts Assistant Principal Delali Kodah, SHOF NY Education Committee chair April Anderson and Jamie Harrison Jones
(middle row) Department of Education's Director of Music, Liz Guglielmo, Gregg Wattenberg and Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing and Visual Arts Principal Kyleema A. Norman
(bottom row) SHOF NY Education Committee vice chair Harold Stephan, SHOF President & CEO Linda Moran and Jamie's teacher at Wadleigh, Kimberly Walton
The inaugural SHOF Songwriters of Tomorrow Scholarship was presented via Zoom on Tuesday, June 9, to Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing and Visual Arts graduating senior, Jamie Harrison Jones.
This Scholarship is awarded to a high school senior attending a New York City public school, demonstrating the talent and desire to learn the craft of songwriting. The student is chosen based on an original song (lyrics and music), and the scholarship will extend an opportunity to pursue a career in music.
The Department of Education's Director of Music, Liz Guglielmo, had shared the scholarship opportunity with teachers from all NYC area high schools in February, and from those submissions, Jamie was chosen as the clear winner, exhibiting all of the criteria for this award.
In welcoming callers to the presentation, Stuyvesants's Vocal Music & Music Technology professor and SHOF NY Education Committee vice-chair, Harold Stephan, gave everyone some background on the inception of the scholarship award. He then introduced SHOF President & CEO Linda Moran, who, after expressing how happy the SHOF was to extend the scholarship to a graduating NYC public high school student, gave a brief history of the SHOF scholarship program and past recipients, most notably John Stephens p/k/a John Legend, noting that the scholarship signifies that great things are expected from Jamie as well.
SHOF NY Education Committee chair April Anderson said, "We felt the SHOF Songwriters of Tomorrow Scholarship could make a difference in the life and creative process of someone just graduating from high school into the world of songwriting, and Jamie represents the best of the best from that perspective. We look forward to seeing her star rise in the coming years!"
Jamie Harrison Jones said, "Thank you for choosing me for this scholarship and for being a big step in my journey to come. I come from a really bad neighborhood and people don't really make it out, so thank you so much for believing in me."
Jamie was thrilled to accept hit songwriter/producer, Gregg Wattenberg's offer to mentor her in his studio. Gregg's sage advice; "The whole world has changed, and this is a huge opportunity to learn all aspects of the music industry. You obviously have the talent and can do anything you want. Walk in a bunch of different shoes in the music industry, find out what your strengths are and what you want to do."
The call ended with several heartfelt notes of congratulations, gratitude and the promise of a bright young future in the making.
Also in attendance for the presentation were the Department of Education's Director of Music, Liz Guglielmo, Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing and Visual Arts Principal Kyleema A. Norman, Assistant Principal Delali Kodah and Jamie's teacher, who is responsible for submitting her for the scholarship, Kimberly Walton.