Music Scholarships
Learn about our scholarship program and download our application.
Learn about music scholarships
Empowering Teens Through Music
About
The Justin Veatch Fund is a 501(c)3 corporation and recognized New York State charity. It awards annual scholarships to graduating high school seniors who are pursuing music either as a career or avocation. Jeffrey Veatch, Justin's father, has presented the multimedia talk, A Message from Justin, to more than sixty-thousand students.
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A Message from Justin
This father's powerful message about his 17 year old son who died after snorting heroin is changing the attitudes and habits of young people.
Learn about A Message from Justin
Whispering Spirits
Whispering Spirits tells the story of Justin Veatch, a talented musician who tragically died of a drug overdose at the age of seventeen. The film follows Jeffrey, Justin's father, as his family grapples with their devastating loss while reconnecting with him through the music he left behind.
Learn about Whispering Spirits
The Dyer Island Boys
A summer island off the coast of Maine run by teenage boys. Can they succeed? Based on true events, The Dyer Island Boys spans the 50-year tale of Wick, Doc, and the boys whose lives they changed. Portions of the profits from this book go to support Justin Veatch Fund Scholarships.
Learn about The Dyer Island Boys
Listen to Justin's Music
Permagrin is a compilation album that features original music by Justin Veatch performed by Justin as well as some prominent artists that lent their skills to this project.
Latest News
Veatch Fund Awards Four New Music Scholarships 2026
The Justin Veatch Fund will award four new music scholarships this month to graduating high school seniors from four high schools. This year’s recipients are Devin Robinson, Oliver Lee Schlecter, Ella Stark, and Cormac J. Taylor.
Read the 2026 scholarship announcement
Justin Veatch Fund Awards Six New Music Scholarships 2025
The Justin Veatch Fund has awarded six new music scholarships to graduating high school students from five high schools. The recipients, selected from a highly competitive field of seventeen applicants from 13 schools, are Laurel Aronian of St. Luke’s, Christopher Cilauro of John F. Kennedy, Will Harris of John Jay, Brandon Ramon of Pleasantville, Nicolo Tortorella of Tuckahoe, and Madison Varriale of John Jay.
Read the 2025 scholarship announcement
Justin Veatch Fund Awards Six New Music Scholarships 2024
The Justin Veatch Fund awarded six new $1,200 music scholarships to graduating high school seniors at an awards program at Yorktown Town Hall. The six, chosen among 19 applicants from 11 high schools, are Madeline Galgano of South Salem, Christian Laughlin of Cortlandt Manor, Annabelle Newberger and Tyler Olener of Yorktown Heights, Mia O’Malley of Peekskill, and Noah Volkman of Granite Springs.
Read the 2024 scholarship announcementPodcast
The Drug Crisis: Faces Behind the Struggle — A podcast hosted by Jeffrey Veatch that enables those touched by the drug crisis to tell their stories, as well as those with special insight to offer advice.
Let's Make A Change
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