RCS senior Jason Gallagher was one of three music students named as recipients of 2008 Greene County Music Educators Association Music Scholarships during the annual GCMEA festival on March 28.

A dozen students from schools throughout Greene County competed for the scholarship honors, making the contest unprecedented, said RCS music teacher Bill Baxter.

“Nobody can remember ever having more than five in any previous year since the scholarship has been offered!  Instead of a single scholarship in the amount of $600, the Greene County Music Educators Association decided to offer 3 scholarships in an altered format,” Baxter said. 

Gallagher, who is a pianist, earned a $350 scholarship along with Anthony Ardito, a flutist from Coxsackie-Athens. They both were named second place finishers in the contest.

The first place scholarship, $500, was awarded to Brian Maloney, a percussionist from Catskill.

The scholarships were open only to seniors who have been accepted into college to major in music. 

To win the honors, students were required to perform an audition piece, followed by a short interview with the five-member scholarship selection committee made up of music teachers from the participating Greene County schools.