Two Hen Hud Seniors Share Peekskill Rotary Music Award

From the Hendrick Hudson School District: The Peekskill Rotary Club’s Joseph B. Fontana Award for Music was presented this year to Claire Leyden and Sunhwa Reiner, both graduating seniors at Hendrick Hudson High School.

The $1,000 scholarship is open to graduating seniors from Peekskill, Walter Panas and Hendrick Hudson high schools. The award is given based on academics and musical talent, and requires the student to either major or minor in music while in college.

Dr. Joseph B. Fontana, a dentist and violist, was a member of the Rotary Club of Peekskill and a Rotary District Governor.

Both Claire and Sunhwa are members of Hendrick Hudson High School's acclaimed Treble Makers Chorus, and both play flute in the school's wind ensemble.  Both participated this year in All-State Chorus, American Choral Directors' Eastern Division Latino Honors Choir, and Distinguished Concerts International Choir at Carnegie Hall under the direction of composer/conductor Eric Whitacre.  Sunhwa also plays piano and Claire, the guitar and ukulele.  Sunhwa is also the founder and director of Singchronized, the school’s student-run a cappella group.

Peekskill Rotarian Dr. Donald Feldman, chairman of the club’s Fontana Memorial Scholarship Committee, introduced Claire and Sunhwa and presented them with the awards during the club’s meeting on June 7. He noted that, while the scholarship is typically given to one student each year, the Rotary club board -- based on committee recommendation -- decided to award scholarships to both, joking that they are "basically the same person." Sunhwa, in accepting her award, thanked the Rotary for awarding dual scholarships, noting that the two girls have been best friends since they met in first grade at Frank G. Lindsey School.  Claire, in her acceptance, thanked the Rotary for its support of the many musical programs in the Hendrick Hudson School District.  Dr. Feldman also played recordings of their musical talents which confirmed clearly their accomplishments and entitlement to Fontana scholarships.

Sunhwa will be majoring in music education at Ithaca College in the fall.  Claire will attend Williams College, where she will study music and environmental science.