Ridge High School Choral Alumni Scholarship

Ridge High School Choral Alumni Scholarship 

The Ridge High School Choral Alumni Scholarship was created to honor the legacy of longtime choral director Barbara Retzko and to celebrate the dedication and spirit of the Choral Department of Ridge High School. This $1,000 award will be presented annually to a graduating senior who has shown meaningful commitment to the choral program during their time at Ridge.

Seniors are not required to pursue a music major in college to apply. This scholarship celebrates the enduring impact of choral music, the way it shapes who we are, how we listen, how we lead, and how we belong—long after the final note has faded. It honors the growth, connection, and shared purpose that come from being part of a choir, regardless of the path a student chooses beyond high school.

Eligible applicants must have completed at least one full year in a Ridge High School curricular choral ensemble (Concert Choir or Chorale).  Applications should reflect on the student’s journey within the choir: the lessons learned, the relationships formed, and the ways their experience has influenced both their voice and their life. Above all, we invite students to share what it has meant to be part of this choral community—and how that sense of belonging may continue to resonate in the years ahead.

ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. Share a pivotal moment from your high school choir experience that left a lasting impression on you.

2. Reflect on one meaningful memory or important lesson you will carry with you from your time in the Ridge High School choral program.

3. How do you envision carrying forward the skills and values you developed in choir as you enter the next chapter of your life?

4. What would receiving this scholarship mean to you, and how would you use it to honor and continue the legacy of the choral community of which you’ve been a part? 

Please consider contributing to the Ridge High School Choral Alumni Scholarship Fund by scanning the QR code below.

Thank You!