Staff Board of Trustees
The Patti Family Music Scholarship Program is a dream come true for Reaching Heights and for young musicians enrolled in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights instrumental music program. It is an invaluable resource for enriching the lives of our students, developing capable and motivated musicians, and nurturing and sustaining the Heights tradition of musical excellence.
Doug, Bruce and Brian Patti created this special purpose fund with Reaching Heights in 2006 to honor their father Vince Patti, a long-time music educator in the Heights schools and beloved musician and mentor. Reaching Heights administers the Patti Music Scholarship program, which gives students from grades 5-8 who are enrolled in the school district’s instrumental music program financial assistance for private music lessons, a very powerful resource for developing the skills and motivating the effort that helps musicians thrive.
During 2007, the pilot year for the Patti Music Lesson Scholarship program, 71 Cleveland Heights-University Heights students from 5 th through 8 th grade applied for scholarships, 37 were awarded assistance for 20 weekly lessons, and 32 of the recipients took lessons. The scholarships were given on a sliding scale so families received between $5 and $13.50 for weekly half hour lessons.
Because of this program, students who are ready for private lessons now have some assistance to follow their interest. More students now have the chance to reap the many benefits of excelling in music. The scholarships are strengthening music education in the public schools that these students attend.
Reaching Heights worked with many friends and family of Vince Patti to sponsor a benefit at Cain Park during the summer of 2006. A Night for Musical Memories was a musical tribute to Vince Patti and a benefit to develop an endowment for the Patti Family Music Fund. The evening produced $20,000 for an endowment fund and $5,000 to award in the pilot year. An additional $2,000 gift from the Brandt-Sersig Family Foundation made it possible to include more of the students who responded to the initial invitation. Fund raising to build the endowment continues. The goal is to ensure long-term support for this program. Tax deductible donations to the Reaching Heights-Patti Fund are welcomed.
Patti family members will continue to contribute $5,000 annually for on-going scholarships which will be augmented by revenue from the endowment. Given the level of interest among students, it is clear that additional resources can be put to good use.
