Rebekah Hobbs is so thankful to be a recipient of the Kim Nelson Scholarship. While she never knew Kim, she constantly saw the impact her positivity left on both the theatre and choir programs. Rebeka
...is now attending Wellesley College, where she plans to declare a major in psychology while also being on the premed track.
Rebekah was a member of BRHS choir for all four years of high school and had the pleasure of being in all three curricular choirs. In addition to that, Rebekah was part of Lorelei Women's Ensemble for three years, and A cappella Alliance for one year. She also served as Soprano Section Leader for two years. She is so thankful for Mr. Wilson and all that he taught her about the power music has to change lives. Rebekah has decided to continue her choir career by joining Wellesley College Choir and the Wellesley Chamber Singers.
Rebekah was also an avid theatre participant, and one of the only students in her class to participate in every production offered in the Theatre Arts Department. Throughout her four years, Rebekah was part of the crew, cast, and production staff. She spent two and a half years as student director, and co-wrote and directed the 2018 Spring Gala. As part of Troupe 5154 of the International Thespian Society, Rebekah graduated with International Thespian honors. She would especially like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Gunning for all that they taught her these past years, as her experiences and lessons are moments she will carry with her forever.
Sean McBurney absolutely adores the Bridgewater-Raritan Choir Program, he has been in every choir he could possibly be in since freshman year. In addition, he was a part of the All State
...Chorus of NJ is Sophomore and Junior years, earning the Governor's Award for Excellence in Musicianship. Sophomore year he was promoted to Bass Section Leader and continued those responsibilities all the way to graduation. He also enjoyed playing in the musical's pit orchestra for his first three years at BR, twice as principle trombone. His senior year he decided to take a leap of faith and audition for the musical, becoming one of the Cora's Boys in Anyone Can Whistle.
Sean would like to thank everyone who has helped him achieve this award, and hopes that the award will continue to spread Kim's legacy to all who are interested in choir, theater, community service and academics.
Nick Scafuto would like to thank the Kimberly A. Nelson Foundation for all that they do. Their continued support of the BRHS Choir Program is inspirational. Though he never had the privilege of
...meeting Kim, Nick is sure that she would be happy if she knew what her legacy was, and he is honored to be a recipient of the 2018 Scholarship.
Nick was a part of every performing program the school had to offer, except dance. He was a member of the band program for all four years, participating in the concert bands, the jazz bands, and the marching band, in which he was the drum major for both his junior and senior year. He played with the orchestra for their spring concert his senior year.
Nick performed in the spring musicals during his sophomore, junior, and senior years, in which he played Pippin in Pippin, Clem Rogers in The Will Rogers Follies, and J. Bowden Hapgood in Anyone Can Whistle, respectively. Nick won Best Supporting Actor at the 2018 Rising Star Awards through Papermill Playhouse for his performance as Hapgood. Nick is an active member of the Thespian Honor Society and was the musical director for their 2018 Spring Gala.
Nick was a member of the choir program for all four years of high school. He performed in the Symphonic Choir, Men's Ensemble, Glee ensemble, and Ensembros. He was the teaching assistant his senior year. He won the Outstanding Vocalist award at Music in the Parks his freshman, junior and senior year.
Nick will be attending Montclair University, pursuing a career in music education.
Ariel Staffin was an active member of the BRHS choir program for all four years of high school, singing in Mixed Choir and Glee Ensemble her freshman year, Select Women's Choir her Sophomore and
...Junior year, and Symphonic Choir Senior Year. She was also the beatboxer for Glee Club Sophomore through Senior year, and she served as Webmaster on the Choir Council her Junior and Senior year. Ariel competed in the Sing-Off all four years of high school as the beatboxer in a group she started freshman year.
Other BRHS music involvement included being a member of the BRHS Curricular and Marching Band programs all four years of high school, the BRHS Symphony Orchestra her Junior and Senior year, and the pit orchestra for Anyone Can Whistle during her Senior year. She also helped arrange and coordinate the largest a capella performance ever done in Bridgewater, which included all of the choirs from 4th through 12th grade opening up the BRHS Choral Festival of the Arts with "Live For Music" by Shaun Barrowes.
Outside of music, Ariel is an active member of her church community, serving on the Deacon board and ringing in the handbell choir. She was a Girl Scout for 13 years, and is a recent Gold Awardee. She also danced for 12 years, competed in public speaking on the BRHS forensics team, and was a four-year member of the BRHS Track and Field Team.
Ariel is currently a Business Major at Rutgers University and will be starting at Cornell University in the Fall of 2019 to study Hospitality. She is a member of the Army ROTC program and the campus band at Rutgers, and she plans on continuing with both of those as well as joining an a cappella group once she gets to Cornell.
Despite never having met her, the positivity and light that Kim had will continue to be a forever inspiration to Ariel in her pursuit of music, her career, and life. She would like to thank the Kim Nelson foundation for the honor of awarding her with one of the 2018 scholarships.
Rebekah Hobbs is so thankful to be a recipient of the Kim Nelson Scholarship. While she never knew Kim, she constantly saw the impact her positivity left on both the theatre and choir programs. Rebeka
...
Sean McBurney absolutely adores the Bridgewater-Raritan Choir Program, he has been in every choir he could possibly be in since freshman year. In addition, he was a part of the All State
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Nick Scafuto would like to thank the Kimberly A. Nelson Foundation for all that they do. Their continued support of the BRHS Choir Program is inspirational. Though he never had the privilege of
...
Ariel Staffin was an active member of the BRHS choir program for all four years of high school, singing in Mixed Choir and Glee Ensemble her freshman year, Select Women's Choir her Sophomore and
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