An Important Message from JPPAS Steering Committee Chair – Raeleen Horn.

Dear Students and Friends of the John Pearce Performing Arts Scholarship Fund,

I’m writing to tell you of changes to the NCHS John Pearce Performing Arts Scholarship. The mission behind the scholarship still remains – to remember John Pearce and to financially support outstanding senior musicians who will continue in music at the college level. However, the route to get to this point has changed.

There will no longer be student applications, essays, letters of recommendation or auditions. Instead, it is NCHS tradition – that an outstanding senior musician is decided upon, named and announced by the music department staff. One recipient each from band, choir and the orchestra. These presentations occur at the end of year senior recognition concerts. The Central music staff, members of the committee who work directly with the project and the Naperville Education Foundation – agree with my idea to give $500 from the JPPAS fund to each Outstanding Musician Award recipient from band, choir and the orchestra. Our contribution from the John Pearce Scholarship Fund to student musicians will now total $1,500 per year – divided by three – instead of $1,000 to one individual student.

We are helping more music students with the updated plan. Our scholarship program has now become more of an endowment fund opportunity for the Naperville Central High School Department of Music – to be used as an extra financial boost for students who receive a very special musical recognition. The students chosen will be decided upon by the NCHS Fine Arts Team – David Alstadt (Director of Bands), Brandon Estes (Associate Director of Bands), Jesse Gross (Orchestra Director) and Kelly Mielcarz (Choral Director). The fund continues under the auspices of the Naperville Education Foundation (NEF).

Your continued financial support as alumni, community members and friends of the John Pearce Scholarship Fund is vital to it’s success. The monies awarded to the
outstanding senior musicians will be presented in memory of John Pearce – a special teacher who instilled a commitment to pursuing excellence in life.

Best wishes,
Raeleen Horn – Class of 1976
Steering Committee Chair
NCHS John Pearce Performing Arts Scholarship Fund

Welcome to The John Pearce Performing Arts Scholarship Fund Website!

The scholarship has been established by the alumni of Naperville Central High School’s music program as a result of the 20 years (1965-1985) that John Pearce served as its choral instructor, musical director and Music Department Chairman. Former students benefited greatly from John’s musical gifts, direction and discipline in the arts, and have created this scholarship in memory of a special teacher who instilled a commitment to pursuing excellence in life. A fund, where donations can be made, is under the auspices of the Naperville Education Foundation (NEF) – www.nef203.org.

DonateTo donate online – complete the form and click SUBMIT
To donate by mail – print out the form and mail to:

Naperville Education Foundation – John Pearce Performing Arts Scholarship
203 W. Hillside Rd.
Naperville, IL 60540

A $500 award will be given to each Outstanding Musician Award senior recipient from band, choir and the orchestra.

For additional information, please contact Raeleen Horn – Steering Committee Chair – NCHS Class of 1976 – [email protected]

We hope you enjoy your trip down “memory lane” and will pass this website along to NCHS music department alumni and their families. Donations to this wonderful cause are greatly appreciated.

Advisory Committee