The purpose of this Award is “To enable gifted and motivated students from low income families to achieve the intellectual and social benefits of learning to play the piano.”
The LEAP (Learning from Elementary to Advanced Piano) Award is for Collier County, Bonita Springs and Estero students to study piano for one year with a private teacher selected by the Naples Music Club. The award may be renewed a year at a time for up to two additional years based on the LEAP Committee’s assessment of the student’s progress and the recommendation of his or her private teacher.
The award is intended for students (ages 8 through 14) whose families cannot afford private music lessons. However, private lessons in the past will not eliminate the candidate as long as they can demonstrate that they are on the “Free and Reduced School Meals Program” or by submission of the parents’ most recent Federal income tax return (if home schooled or in private schools). In extraordinary circumstances, the LEAP Committee may extend an award to someone outside of the 8-14 age range.
The LEAP Award Rules and Regulations contains competition rules and requirements, eligibility, information about the use of the scholarship and how to claim it.