Scholarship Winners

Each year the committee receives an average of eight to 10 applications from graduating high-school seniors. Our evaluators are overwhelmed by the caliber of these talented young men and women, making the selection process difficult. HCC is proud to present you with our past recipients of the Renee Craig “Music in Motion” Scholarship.

  • 2024 Winner Samantha Murphy

    Samantha Murphy

    2024

    Samantha plans to teach elementary-level music. Samantha has stated she works well with this age group and feels this is the age to begin fostering a love of music and performance.

  • Ollie (Anneliese) Johnson

    2022

    Honored to have been given the scholarship, they are currently a music major at Raritan Valley Community College with a voice focus, and their goal is to become a high school choir teacher.

    Ollie’s music can be found on YouTube under the name strawberreetea, where they also plan to release their own original music.

  • Sara Vacarro

    2019


    Sara Vacarro is a 2018 graduate of Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, NJ. She is pursuing a musical theater degree from the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University. It is her lifelong dream to pursue a professional career on stage — whether that path leads her to Broadway or a regional program.

  • Gianna Porfano

    2016

    Gianna Porfano is a 2016 graduate of North Hunterdon High School in Clinton Township, NJ. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts from NYU/Tisch School of the Arts, studying the Lee Strasberg Method of Acting for her first four semesters. Her studio training will also include voice, dance, relaxation technique, and speech. 

  • Samuel Denler

    2015

    A member of the 2015 graduating class of Somers High School in Lincolndale, N.Y., Sam’s academic and musical achievements are impressive. His outstanding grades afforded him membership in the National Honor Society as a result of achieving High Honor Roll each year.

  • Katie Collins

    2014

    Katie Collins is studying for her Bachelor's of Music at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development.

  • Margaret Tigue

    2013

    "Maggie" hails from Wantagh, N.Y. She is part of the class of 2017 at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance. 

  • Christine Rosenblatt

    2012

    Aspiring opera singer Christine studied at Barnard College in New York City. Learn more about the musical she wrote in 2017 — and continues to refine — in this article.

  • Cailee Jo Whitfield

    2011

    Cailee pursued a double major in music therapy and music education at Wartburg College. Since her graduation, she has been involved in providing music therapy to children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

  • Amanda Kaplan

    2010

    Amanda studied Music Education at the University of Delaware, graduating in 2014.

  • Jessica Downs

    2009

    Jessie earned a degree in composition from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and is a PhD candidate at the University of Buffalo. Over the past few years, Jessie has devoted hours of time to programs aimed at "developing the creative voices of students of all ages."