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Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 90F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..
A few clouds. Low 71F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: August 12, 2025 @ 11:54 am
From left are Friends president Judith Jones with scholarship recipients Ryan Toth, Jacob Fratantaro, and Alex York at the Friends of Music’s May 31 concert at Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church.
From left are Friends president Judith Jones with scholarship recipients Ryan Toth, Jacob Fratantaro, and Alex York at the Friends of Music’s May 31 concert at Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church.
Friends of Music has awarded scholarships of $500 each to four students who have graduated this spring from area high schools.
The students are Ava DiPasquale who graduated from Martinsburg High; Jacob Fratantaro, Martinsburg High; Ryan Toth, Jefferson High; and Alex York, who was homeschooled.
The students were chosen based on their involvement in music-related activities, awards and recognitions they have received, and plans for commitment to music in college and beyond.
DiPasquale, from Martinsburg, is a vocalist who plans to study opera performance at the Eastman School of Music. She has been a member of the West Virginia Music Educators Association All State Chorus all four years of high school, and a soloist for the last three years. She has also been ranked as an All-State Singer by CS Music for the last three years.
Fratantaro, from Martinsburg, is a trumpeter who will be pursuing a degree in music education at Shepherd University. For the last three years, he has been the trumpet soloist for Martinsburg High’s marching band and a soloist with the Shepherd University Honor Festival Jazz Band.
Toth, a trombonist from Charles Town, will be studying music education and performance at Shepherd. He has been a member of Jefferson High’s marching and symphonic bands and earned a place in the West Virginia Music Educators Association’s Top Honor Band in 2014.
York is cellist who will be studying music education and/or string performance at Liberty University. A student of Camilo Pérez-Mejía, he has been named to the West Virginia State Orchestra for the past three years and was principal cellist for two of those years.
Friends of music has been awarding scholarships to deserving graduating seniors in Jefferson and Berkeley county schools since 2017. This year’s scholarships bring the total value of scholarships awarded so far to $16,500.
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