05/28/2026
Congratulations to Kelsey Kennedy from Butler for receiving one of the PMEA District 5 Student Music Education Scholarships! Four scholarship awards were given out this year to students who will be pursuing a degree in Music Education.
Kelsey is a senior at Butler Area Senior High School. She partakes in many different activities through her school's music program including: marching band; where she is one of the drum majors, symphonic band, jazz band, concert choir, varsity voices and sunrise singers (both extra choirs), and also pit orchestra. Kelsey has also participated in PMEA Honors band, District band, Region band, District jazz, Honors Choir, District choir, Region choir, and 2026 All-State Concert Band on tenor saxophone. She grew up in a very musical home, with her mom, Jennifer Kennedy, being a choir director, and also playing flute, Kelsey has always had music in her life in some way, shape, or form. Growing up, she would sing at her church and in elementary/middle school she would sing in the show choir, which she loved. In 4th grade, when it was time to pick an instrument, her mom had her try out some different ones at her school, she liked some of them but as soon as she played a note on the saxophone, she knew that was what she wanted to play. So since then, Kelsey has been playing the saxophone; soprano, alto, tenor and baritone. She has grown tremendously in the past two years of time and it has truly shown through all of the things she has accomplished during her senior year. She would like to give a humongous thank you to her family, friends, and directors that have supported her throughout her whole musical journey. They have influenced her more than you could ever imagine and she will take, and use, what she has learned from them through the rest of her life. Upon graduation, Kelsey will be headed to Slippery Rock University to pursue her love for music and major in Music Education on saxophone.
