4700 Stonecroft BlvdFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 01, 2008
FCPS Students Awarded Glen McCarthy Guitar Awards
Ten Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) students were awarded the Glen McCarthy Guitar Award at the 2008 Mid-Atlantic Guitar Festival held April 24 at Westfield High School. Award winners for 2008 are:
- Drew Ray Maggard of Annandale High School; Russell Keys, director.
- Patrick Paez of Centreville High School; Bill Burke, director.
- Christopher Harold of Herndon High School; Chris Cunningham, director.
- David Fox of Lake Braddock Secondary School; John Graham, director.
- Brian Burkhalter of Lee High School; Brendan Slocumb, director.
- Chris Messier of Robinson Secondary School; Scott Seifried, director.
- Keith Askey of South County Secondary School; Michael Ward, director.
- Elliott Jernigan of West Potomac High School; Rosemary Gano, director.
- Brendan Barb of West Springfield High School; Keith Owens, director.
- Iliana Fernandez of Westfield High School; Ken Hall, director.
The Glen McCarthy Guitar Award is given annually to the student in each FCPS high school guitar program who exhibits those traits that Glen McCarthy has inspired in his students during 30 years of teaching: superior overall musicianship and leadership within the guitar program. Winners are selected by the director of each individual school’s guitar program.
McCarthy began teaching at Robinson Secondary School in 1976 where he developed the first full-year guitar program in the school system. During his first year, he taught two classes of Guitar 1 with a total of 20 students while also serving as the assistant band director. Student interest in the guitar program was so strong that a multilevel program was developed. McCarthy, who retired from FCPS in 2007, is currently the chair-elect for the National Guitar Task Force and continues to play an active role in establishing guitar programs in public schools. He teaches as an adjunct professor at George Mason University and at the educational center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts.
FCPS currently has the premiere public school guitar program in the nation with over 1,500 students enrolled annually in both middle schools and high schools.
Note: For more information, contact Roger Tomhave at 703-208-7715 or roger.tomhave@fcps.edu.