SHS junior wins piano award

SPARTA — Zachary Petrucci was this month awarded The Paderewski Gold Medal from The American College Of Musicians upon memorizing, and playing 10 pieces for 10 consecutive years in front of a national guild adjudicator. Petrucci auditioned before Dr. Donna Mulzer Beech. His 2011 program included pieces by Chopin, Bach, Brahms, Vandal, and several other classical composers. He has been studying under Beverly Flormann for 11 years. Zachary is a member of both Blues Sanction, and Blues Inc. Jazz Ensembles at Sparta High School. He is also a member of The Strings Club, The Marching Band, and Boy Scout Troop 95 of Sparta. He recently completed his Eagle Scout Project. Petrucci is a junior at Sparta High School who has excelled academically earning membership in the National Honor Society, and The World Language National Honors Society. In his sophomore year, he represented Sparta High School at The Hugh O’Brien Leadership Conference. Zachary has been a Newton Hospital Junior Volunteer since 2009, and has donated over 100 hours to the hospital program. He is also a member of The Blessed Kateri Youth Group, and has participated as an Antioch leader this spring. When Zachary graduates high school he plans on going to college to study both biology and music. After college he hopes to go to medical school to become a pediatric oncologist.