Betty Coale
Young Musician Scholarship
The Betty Coale Young Musician Scholarship grants financial awards to promising middle and high-school instrumentalists and singers. Recipients of this scholarship are featured during Christ Church Cathedral’s summer services.
We are deeply thankful for Harwell Coale’s generous donation in memory of his late wife and for their long-standing support of the music ministry at Christ Church Cathedral. Betty Coale was a cherished member of the Christ Church choir, and we are grateful that her memory lives on in the support of education and performance opportunities for Mobile-area music students.
The Betty Coale Scholars 2026
Kenai Weber
Kenai recently graduated from high school as a homeschool student. He is attending the University of South Alabama this fall as a mechanical engineering student with a music minor in violin. Throughout high school, he played in the Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra as the concertmaster, as well as competed in the Alabama Allstate Orchestra. Most recently, he has been performing for many church services, weddings, and events. Kenai currently works as a professional beekeeper out of Loxley Alabama, and for fun, he enjoys scuba diving whenever possible
Grace Brack
Grace Brack a recent graduate of McGill Toolen Catholic High School, where she served as Drum Major for the McT marching band. She has been playing trumpet for 9 years and is 1st Chair in her school’s concert band. She is also a member of the Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra. This fall, she will attend Auburn University to study music.
Landon Varela
Landon is sophomore at Trinitas Christian School in Pensacola, Florida. He has taken piano lessons for twelve years and voice lessons for seven. He annually participates in the PMTA Sonata contest and the Florida Federation of Music Clubs Junior Festival. On Sundays, Landon sings for the worship team at his church. Recent roles include Beast in “Beauty and the Beast Jr.” and Barbershop Quartet in “The Music Man”. In his free time, Landon loves going to the beach and playing soccer.
Olivia Varela
Olivia Varela is a senior at Trinitas Christian School. After graduation, she plans to attend Liberty University, where she will pursue a pre-veterinary track.
Olivia is a three-time member of the ACCS National Honor Choir, having been selected to perform in Atlanta and Dallas. She has taken voice lessons for the past 3 years and has played varsity volleyball and softball since the eighth grade. She starred as Marian Paroo in “The Music Man” and Sebastian in “The Little Mermaid, Jr.” In her free time she loves going to the beach, hiking, and spending time with her family and friends.
Jeremiah Butcher
Jeremiah Butcher, a recent high school graduate, lives in Daphne, Alabama, and plans to attend Liberty University in the Fall to study Vocal Performance.
He has taken music lessons and participated in choirs from his grade school years and loves being able to share his love of singing and joy for music.
Carter Hale, Jr.
Carter Hale, Jr. is a rising 9th grader at St. Paul’s. Performing as a singer, actor and dancer since 2019, he has been at Sunny Side Theater for 8 years, starring in leading roles including Squidward in SpongeBob and Oliver in Oliver. He recently made his professional debut in A Christmas Story: The Musical, at MGM’s Beau Rivage. Carter also performs in shows at Joe Jefferson Playhouse, currently in the ensemble of Frozen and he played Pugsley Addams in The Addams Family: A New Family Musical. and Chickasaw Civic Theatre, where playing Jesse Tuck in Tuck Everlasting and Newton Davenport in the world.
Premiere of Parcel Post. Carter is an alumnae of Broadway Artists Alliance of NYC. He thanks his family and friends for their support, and Dr. Josh Coble and Dr. Thomas Rowell for their vocal instruction with the 2026 Betty Coale Music Scholarship.
Lucia Espinosa
My name is Lucia Espinosa. I attend McGill Toolen High School, and I am in the school band. I play the flute and piccolo. I have been playing since I was in 5th grade.
Iriel Espinosa
My name is Iriel Espinosa. I am a student at McGill Toolen High School. I play the clarinet in the school band, and I have been singing at the St. Catherine of Siena Saturday Mass for 3 years. I love singing.
2025 Scholarship Recipients
Grace Brack, trumpet
Olivia Varela, singer
Emma Pooler, violin
Matthew Pooler, cello
Kenai Weber, violin
Carter Hale, Jr., singer
Sofia C. Haines, piano
Noah Gilstrap, organ
Jonah Waits, organ (not in picture)
2024 Scholarship Recipients
Jonah Waits, organ
Heaven Gray, soprano
Rhiannon Harris, soprano
Zoe Nguyen, soprano
Matthew Pooler, cello
Carter Hale, Jr., singer
Anika Farid, soprano
Iriel Espinosa, clarinet
Lucia Espinosa, flute
Emma Pooler, violin
Sarah Beth Dudley, soprano
Maurgen Byrne (not in photo)
2023 Scholarship Recipients
Carter Hale, Jr., singer
Ryan Perry, trumpet
Emma Pooler, violin
Matthew Pooler, cello and piano
Jere' Thomas, singer/cantor
Julia Wofford, clarinet
2022 Scholarship Recipients
Cameron Beckham, tenor
Olivia Szymanski, soprano
William Stanush, trumpet
Emma Pooler, violin
Matthew Pooler, cello
Julia Wofford, clarinet
Jeré Thomas, soprano