DENVER, CO – Earlier this season, the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps honored the 2021 Scholarship recipients!
RENAISSANCE SCHOLARSHIP
Braden (Brady) Vander Ley
Grishok Thayanithy
Wesley Moore
Isaiah Colon
Chase Llamzon
Gerard Brown
Renaissance, in this instance, refers to many talents. This scholarship’s goal is to help members who request financial assistance who, having marched in a sanctioned corps, left little or no time for employees to raise funds. The donor for this scholarship wants to remain anonymous but is aware of the hard work and time commitment individuals need to dedicate to perform their best. The donor hopes that the scholarship aid will remove the pressure to pay fees and give members the time to prepare for their respective ensembles’ shows.
ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP
Liam Maxwell
Carson Meadows
Luis Verduzco
Samuel Allison
Andrea Flores
Sarah Cooper
This Blue Knights Alumni Scholarship was established by the Alumni Association in 2017, which includes alumni from the Blue Knights Drum Corps and Percussion Ensemble programs. Alumni members have sponsored fundraisers so that future members of Ascend Performing Arts Ensembles, in need of financial assistance, would be able to have an education for life whether they are members of the drum corps or the percussion ensemble.
DAN BURKE Memorial Scholarship
Victor Salcido
Music was a passion in Dan’s life and he was involved with the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps until he aged out. He started as a snare drummer in the Corps. After aging out, Dan assisted the Corps’ Instructional staff and also served as a percussion instructor for local high school bands.
Dan served as the first Director of the Blue Knights Percussion Ensemble, with three championship titles under his direction.
He served as Vice President of the Ascend Performing Arts Board of Directors from 2008-2012. He was inducted into the Blue Knights Hall of Fame in 2019.
As a devoted teacher and inspiring mentor, he helped young musicians develop their crafts and life skills. Funds from this scholarship help either Percussion Ensemble members or a member in the percussion section of the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps.
GENE HERRING Memorial Scholarship
Gregory Williamson
J.P. and Joan Herring established the Gene Herring Memorial Scholarship, renamed the Gene Herring Endowed Scholarship in 2006 to fund a scholarship memorializing J.P.’s father, Gene Herring. The scholarship supports a member and family who support volunteerism.
JACK TREFFER Drum Major Scholarship
Hannah Cussen
Jack R. Treffer passed away on July 15, 2016. Drum and bugle corps was so important to him that his family decided that the best way to honor him was to give back to the activity that he loved so much. A memorial scholarship fund has been started with the intent that each year a Drum Major with the Blue Knights receive assistance in the amount of at least $500. The Blue Knights were chosen because they are the only remaining member of the Great Plains Drum and Bugle Corps Association and a shining example of the drum corps activity.
Congratulations to all our 2021 Scholarship Recipients!