Danny Battista Memorial Trumpet Scholarship winner announced

WARWICK — The winner of the fifth Memorial Trumpet Scholarship in Memory of Daniel Rocco "Tista" Battista, the beloved son of Warwick residents Rocco and Judy Battista who died in 2008 at age 20, was recently announced.
This year's winner is Warwick Valley Middle School eighth-grader Fernando Alquezada, who wrote the touching and winning letter for the award.
Alquezada has been playing the trumpet for about five years and he is part of the Middle School Band.
'Make his family and my family proud'In the letter he wrote: "I want to take private lessons to help me learn more music genres. Music helps me express how I feel. But the other reason is that I want to take Danny's memory on this music journey I am about to take and make his family and my family proud."
The contest was open to any Warwick resident between the ages of eight through 16 who was seriously interested in learning to play the trumpet.
On Thursday, April 26, the $500 scholarship was awarded at a Mass for both Danny Battista and Jonathan Scharfenberger, whose birthday is on the same date. The Mass was celebrated by the Rev. Jack Arlotta, pastor of the Church of St. Stephen, the First Martyr,
The young men, whose lives were cut short, were friends and both attended St. Stephen - St. Edward School and were part of the parish community.
After Mass, everyone gathered in the atrium of the church as Rocco and Judy Battista presented the Danny Battista Trumpet Scholarship to Alquezada, who was also an altar server at the celebration.
"We would like to thank everyone who contributed and donated to the Scholarship fund," said Judy Battista. "We are grateful for our angel family and friends who lovingly gathered around and remembered a special young man, Danny Battista."
For more informationFor additional information about the Danny Battista Trumpet Scholarship Fund visit tista4life.com or contact Judy or Rocco Battista at survivoroutreach@ymail.com.
Anyone who would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to the Danny Battista Memorial Trumpet Scholarship can do so through the St. Stephens/St. Edwards Educational Trust Fund:
In Memory of Danny Battista
PO Box 605, Warwick NY 10990.
Include your telephone number and e-mail address.
- Roger Gavan