Published On: Tue, Jan 16th, 2018

Young Boca High Musician Awarded Musical Scholarship

By: Bryanna Basilio

As the Legacy Foundation of Palm Beach County held auditions at the renowned Lake Worth Playhouse for students seeking scholarships to continue their music education, 16-year-old Boca Raton High School junior Skyler Wheeler awaited her turn to perform. 

Winners of the Legacy Foundation Scholarship.  Skyler pictured fifth from the left.

“I was definitely nervous,” said Wheeler. “This was the first time I’ve gone to a scholarship audition and I didn’t think I was qualified enough for the scholarship. I ended up just overthinking it; the judges were very nice and everybody there was supportive.”

Wheeler was among 15 applicants, aged 7 to 16, selected who all performed in front of a distinguished review committee of business and cultural leaders with hopes of securing much-needed scholarship funds for instruments, lessons, music school tuition or other performing needs. A total of $36,500 in scholarships were awarded to the young, aspiring artists.

The young Boca musician won the committee over with her percussion performance.

“I learned to play the vibraphone in freshman year, “ said Wheeler. “I can play other percussion instruments, but my main focuses are vibraphone and marimba.”

As gifted in music as Wheeler is, she had only just begun playing music in eighth grade.

“I played the bass and not seriously until my sophomore year,” she said. “I had never considered playing music but now I’m so glad that I can play music myself and that I’m part of such a wonderful community of people.”
After graduation, she plans to go to college and use the funds to study business administration and music.

“It was amazing finding out I was selected as one of the ones to receive the scholarship fund,” she said. “It was a really fun experience and I’m glad that practicing that piece really paid off.”

The Legacy Foundation hands out scholarships twice a year to local aspiring artists to help them continue and grow their love of music. This year they doled out nearly $60,000 to talented and deserving students from Palm Beach County.

 

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