The Deb Heine Scholarship for Young Ringers was created in 2010 to honor and memorialize Deborah Heine, a longtime member of Handbell Musicians of America and former National Seminar event chair. The scholarship provides support for individuals under the age of twenty to participate in Handbell Musicians of America national events and includes full registration to the event, hotel nights (location and number of days depending upon on event), and up to $300 reimbursed for travel expenses. In 2026, two scholarships will be awarded for Distinctly Teen.

Application Criteria & Instructions

• Applicant needs to be a member of Handbell Musicians of America, affiliated with a recognized Group member organization, or participant in a group directed by a Handbell Musicians of America member.
• Applicant must be under the age of 20 at the time of the event.
• Applicant must demonstrate financial need.
• Applicant is to describe their desire to attend the event, articulate their goals to be realized by participating, and provide detail on how the knowledge gained there will be shared.
• If applicant is not a member of HMA, a statement of support is required from an Individual or Group HMA member, sharing why they believe the applicant would benefit from attending the event. This statement should be emailed to HMA executive director, Linda Onorevole, [email protected], by April 1, 2026.

Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM (eastern) on April 1, 2026. Scholarship recipients will be notified by email.