PHOTO BY JOHN LOREAUX PHOTOGRAPHY
(SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- South Jersey Jazz Society (SJJS) presented its annual Bob Simon Jazz Scholarship to Theo Rowe, a senior at Mainland Regional High School, for his extraordinary talent on the saxophone at its recent festival, Jazz@ThePoint. Rowe was presented with the scholarship by SJJS board member Michael Pedicin prior to the John Pizzarelli concert during SJJS's jazz festival on October 18, 2025.
For the first time ever, SJJS awarded a total of three scholarships. The other recipients are Senior Faith Sandig and Sophomore Thomas Klotz, both of Deptford High School, for their proficiency on the piano and drums respectively. All three students will be granted a monetary award to help further their musical studies.
“Our jazz scholarship is a unique opportunity for a young, burgeoning jazz artist, and it fulfills a great part of our mission, which is to advance the education of America’s diversified art form – jazz – in southern New Jersey,” said Nick Regine, SJJS board president.
Named after Bob Simon, the late Northfield resident who was a major supporter of the arts in South Jersey, the award is given annually to the most qualified student or students who demonstrate his/her work as a promising jazz instrumentalist or vocalist. This award is available to middle and high school students in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Ocean counties.
Each spring, SJJS, opens nominations for student jazz musicians. The requirements are: a personal letter by the student explaining his/her reason for applying, along with the intention of the scholarship’s purpose/use; a recommendation letter from the school’s band director; and a sample of the student’s musical/jazz talent and ability.
The South Jersey Jazz Society (SJJS) is a 501-(c)3 nonprofit that has been in existence since 2004. The organization offers year-round jazz events including its popular, annual jazz festival, a twice-monthly jazz series and much more. Each event features a variety of either national, regional or local jazz artists. SJJS also offers scholarship opportunities to local South Jersey students and has donated over $30,000 to support music and arts programs in public schools.
