April 3, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 7 Ridgewood The Ridgewood Choral is pleased to announce that soprano Samantha Park is the winner of the Florence Reinauer Memorial Music Award for excellence in vocal/ instrumental performance. The award is given to a high school senior who intends to continue his or her musical education at an institute of higher learning. Launched in 1967, the fund was later endowed by Franklin Reinauer as a memorial to his wife Florence. In its 85th Anniversary year, the Ridgewood Choral increased the award to $2,500. Since its inception, over $15,000 has been awarded to encourage talented young musicians. Park is currently a senior at the Suffern (New York) High School and plans to study vocal music and opera in college. She also plans to attend graduate school and aspires to a career in performance. Park’s love of music began as she observed her grandfather, who is a cellist and an orchestra conductor. At the age of six, she began studying the piano followed by the violin at the age of 10. As a fifth grader, she also discovered her aptitude for singing when she earned a perfect score of 100 at the New York Regional Voice Solo Competition. Initially pursuing a love for musical theater, she played such leading roles as Cinderella, Hope Harcourt, and Little Samantha Park wins Ridgewood Choral’s scholarship Cosette in community and school theater productions. In 2011, Park began classical voice training. She quickly started to get recognition as a soprano by earning consecutive perfect scores at the annual New York All-State Voice Solo Competition. She was selected for the 2011 and 2012 New York All-State Choir. She is a member of the Suffern High School Choir, and a member and soloist for the Hawthorne Gospel Church Choir and the Contemporary Praise Team. In December 2012, she performed with the selective New York Symphony Honors Chorus. Park studies voice with Ms. Jee Hyun Lim, soprano professional and voice faculty member at Lehigh University. Park is also a youth volunteer for the Ramapo Valley Ambulance Corps, president of the Suffern High School Missions Club, and a selected member of the National Music Honors Society. Park will perform at the Ridgewood Choral 85th Anniversary Spring Concert on Friday, April 26. the performance will be held at 8 p.m. at West Side Presbyterian Church, 6 South Monroe Street in Ridgewood. Tickets are available in advance from Choral members or at the door on the day of the performance. Visit http://www.ridgewoodchoral.org/ for more information. Village does not have space for more students Ridgewood Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel Fishbein has notified Midland Park’s school officials that Ridgewood High School does not have space for another 340 students. Fishbein and school trustee Sheila Brogan met last month with representatives of the Midland Park Public Schools, who are now exploring send/receive options with other districts. “Their answer was no,” Midland Park Board President William Sullivan reported. “They now have several hous- ing developments in front of the planning board, and they are not in any position to accept our students,” Sullivan said. In February, the Midland Park Board of Education began reaching out to neighboring school districts to determine whether those districts would have any interest in accepting Midland Park High School students on a tuition basis or sending their students to Midland Park High. (continued on page 9) Samantha Park