New Rochelle resident Melissa Gingold, 16, received the 2012 Maria Jones Scholarship Award

New Rochelle resident Melissa Gingold, 16, received the 2012 Maria Jones Scholarship Award for excellence and promise in the field of dance at the JCC Dance School’s annual Westchester Theatre of Dance (WTD) concert in March. The award was named to honor Maria Jones, a former advanced-level ballet instructor who retired from the JCC Dance School in 2003.

Melissa began ballet at the JCC five years ago, and currently studies ballet and pointe with instructors Jayne Santoro, Mimi Wallace and Justin Sherwood.  Melissa has performed in several WTD productions as a principal member of the company, and in Ballet Outreach presentations throughout the community. She has also studied Modern, Jazz and Hip Hop, and dances at New Rochelle High School’s PAVE (Performing & Visual Arts Education) Program.  In 2011, Melissa participated in the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB) 5-week Summer Intensive Program.

In the off-season, Melissa sings with the Westchester Chapter of HaZamir, the International Jewish High School Choir. Melissa is an 11th grader at New Rochelle High School.

The Jewish Community Center of Mid-Westchester, a proud beneficiary of UJA-Federation of New York, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the community by providing cultural, social, educational and recreational/fitness programs, human services and Jewish identity-building opportunities to people of all ages and backgrounds.  For more information, visit the JCC of Mid-Westchester website at www.jccmw.org  

###