Woodland Student Awarded $10,000 Bob Hope Scholarship

CARTERSVILLE, GA — A Woodland High School student and the school's Wildcat Marching Band have been awarded a $20,000 Bob Hope Band Scholarship. The announcement of the award to the band and student and clarinet player Abby Matthews was made Nov. 20 in New York.

The award is decided on the merit of an an essay competition about Bob Hope and the importance of giving back. The announcement was made by Wesley Whatley, creative director of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Matthews, 16, and the Wildcats Marching Band will perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which can be seen 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, Nov. 22 on NBC.

The award, which is now in its 15th year, is presented by the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation. It is designed to honor a band member and their school band program participating in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The award is especially meaningful because during their lifetimes, Bob and Dolores Hope were "truly honored and delighted to be featured in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and recognized for their service," the foundation said.

“On behalf of the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation, and particularly on behalf of my dad, Bob Hope, I want to congratulate Abby Matthews on her most creative essay,” said Linda Hope. “I know that my parents would be very proud that such an accomplished and caring young woman was this year’s scholarship recipient,” she added.

Abby is a junior at Woodland High School where she is a member of the school Academic Team, Spanish Honors Society, Beta Club, Student Council and the Tri-M Music Honors Society. She also serves as Woodland Marching Band's band captain and is a member of the 4-H Club. The student is an aspiring doctor who plans to use the scholarship money towards her education.

“We are so incredibly proud of Abby Matthews and her accomplishments as a musician and leader in our school and community," said Woodland High School Band Director Eric Willoughby. "Abby works tirelessly and selflessly to achieve her goals."

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Willoughby said the scholarship is greatly appreciated by the Woodland band program, as it has many instruments in "disrepair." It also needs to replace many instruments that are beyond fixing, so the money will go towards bolstering its musical inventory.

Each school participating in the parade can nominate one musician who represents the values of Bob Hope through a written essay. A committee evaluates the essays and chooses the recipient. The winner receives $10,000 and his or her's school band program is also awarded $10,000.

This year, marks the Woodland Wildcat's debut in the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade. They will be performing “Joyful, Hallelujah!” – this arrangement is a medley that features music from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony “Ode to Joy,” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”

Image via Woodland High School