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The Boys' Choir of Tallahassee |
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Charles A. Frueauff Foundation Southern Scholarship Foundation & Tallahassee Boy's Choir Tallahassee Boy's Choir is a community outreach program for at risk males who come from public and private schools throughout the Tallahassee area. Begun in 1995 with 25 members, the choir now serves 125 members ranging in ages of 7 to 18 years old. The choir continues to prepare young men for the twenty-first century through music, discipline, and academic excellence. With its motto "No Excuses, " the choir continues to grow in popularity on the local, state, national, and international level. Ninety percent of choir members are from low-income families. 
The Boy's Choir focuses its efforts on counseling and tutoring choir members. Members attend study hall three hours three times each week and are also required to attend self esteem, reading, juvenile justice, and relationship groups. In addition to its academic and personal goals, the choir has shown outstanding success with its music. The choir has attended numerous performances including a special performance celebrating the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Coral Springs, Florida. The Boy's Choir has performed at churches, convention halls, nursing homes and group homes in Miami, White Springs, Jacksonville, and Orlando and in Thomasville, Georgia.The Choir was selected to represent the state of Florida at the Millennium celebration in Italy. The members spend ten days performing in Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan. But of all its performances, the Tallahassee Boy's Choir is most proud of their participation in the International Music Festivals. The choir competed against 165 ensembles from across the world in Freeport, Bahamas and received First Place Gold Medal for the Mens' Choir, First Place Gold Medal for the Choral Division, First Place Gold Medal Overall Ensemble, and the Grand Sweepstakes Award recognizing the ensemble with the highest score (98.5 out of a possible 10 points). This success has made a tremendous impact on the self-esteem of the choir members. Each member sees himself in a larger, world-wide context of personal possibilities and opportunities for the future. 
The Southern Scholarship Foundation bases their scholarships on academics, financial need, and character. The character expected of the Tallahassee Boy's Choir members creates a perfect fit with Southern Scholarship Foundation. Currently, three members who have graduated from Tallahassee Boy's Choir (now called interns) reside in Southern Scholarship Foundation housing. James David and Carlos Correa-Lockhart live at the Mode L. & Jeanne C. Stone Scholarship House, while Melvin Howard lives at the E.C. Allen Scholarship House.James, Carlos, and Melvin are shining examples of the partnership between Southern Scholarship Foundation and Tallahassee Boy's Choir.
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