2026 PLV Scholarship Winner Ella Fogle on Finding Purpose and Belonging Through Music

Each year, choosing a recipient for the Patricia Lynn Vermeulen-Tomocik (PLV) Scholarship reminds me just how much strength can exist behind a young person’s accomplishments. This year, I am pleased to introduce our 2026 PLV Scholarship winner, Ella Fogle.

Ella’s application stood out to us for its honesty, resilience, and hope. She wrote candidly about living with mental health struggles, enduring bullying, feeling alone, experiencing financial hardship, and growing up in a home marked by conflict. But at the heart of Ella’s story was something else: music.

Ella spent part of her childhood in Victorville, California. On weekends, her mother would pile Ella and her younger siblings into the car and drive an hour and a half down the 15 freeway to visit their grandmother in Garden Grove. For Ella, those drives became an unexpected refuge. With the radio playing, she could temporarily leave behind the troubles at home, the bullying at school, and the anxiety she carried with her. Music became her safe haven.

It remained a refuge through her parents’ separation, starting over at a new school, and panic and anxiety attacks. But when Ella entered high school and joined marching band, music became something more than a way to escape difficult circumstances. It gave her a community, a sense of purpose, and eventually a vision for her future.

During her freshman year, Ella found friends and mentors within her school’s band program who saw qualities in her that she struggled to see in herself. Her band director, Mr. Pauline, also had a profound influence on her. Through his mentorship, Ella learned not only how to become a stronger musician and leader, but what it can mean for a teacher to change the trajectory of a student’s life. His example helped inspire Ella’s goal of becoming a music teacher herself.

What struck me most about Ella’s application was the way she understands her past. She does not minimize the circumstances she has faced, but she also refuses to let them determine what she is capable of becoming. As she beautifully wrote in her scholarship essay, she has come to understand that she can be “the rose that grows from the crack in the concrete.” She now describes herself as a kind friend, a good leader, a passionate musician, and a seeker of knowledge.

Ella is currently a freshman at California State University, Fullerton, studying Music Education. She hopes to one day become an excellent music teacher and to offer her own students the encouragement, belonging, and belief that her mentors gave to her. We are honored to award Ella the 2026 PLV Scholarship and to play a small role in helping her pursue that future.

Ella in Her Own Words

What role has music played in shaping who you are today?

Music has completely changed me. Growing up music was a safe haven for me and once I got to high school it became a future for me. The people I met because of music have helped me understand that I am capable of so much more than I originally thought. I owe a lot of my growth and development to my band director, Mr. Pauline. He taught me how to become an amazing leader and strong musician and he was one of my biggest supporters when I decided that I wanted to pursue music as a career. In fact, he was one of the biggest contributors towards me wanting to become a music teacher. I realized that I wanted to impact and help students overcome challenges and grow similar to how he has helped me and so many others. Had it not been for music, I never would’ve met him and so many other role models that influenced the person I am now.

Was there a particular moment when you realized music was more than just an escape for you?

During my freshman year of high school I was facing a variety of challenges, particularly with my self esteem and social anxiety. My anxiety had reached an all time high to the point that I would have frequent anxiety and panic attacks. The thought of having to talk to people was terrifying to me considering we had just come out of covid, but I found a community of people that made me feel comforted. The friends and role models I found in the band helped me to overcome my social anxiety and self esteem issues. I particularly realized music was more than an escape when I was having a conversation with one of the senior leaders in the band, he said that I had the potential to be a great leader and musician, all I needed to do was believe in myself. It was then that I realized that I could have a future in music.

What motivates you to keep pursuing your goals even during difficult seasons of life?

I tend to have low periods in energy and happiness during the wintertime due to a variety of reasons, but something that motivates me to continue pursuing my goals is the reminder of how good and satisfying the outcome will be. When I struggle to continue leading because of the drain it takes on my mental and physical energy, I remind myself of how happy the rest of the band will be and it motivates me to keep going. When I struggle to complete school assignments I motivate myself by reminding myself of how satisfying it is to be educated and knowledgeable on something. When I struggle to get up in the morning, I think of all the people I will get to see and the things I will get to do. To motivate myself I simply remind myself that the outcome is what makes the process worth it.

What advice would you give to younger students who are currently facing bullying, loneliness, or self-doubt?

I would tell them that there is a place for everyone. When I was struggling with bullying I began to self isolate myself from others to shield myself from being made fun of any further. Music helped me to create moments and spaces that were away from reality and I eventually found a community that I could find comfort in, one that was free of bullies and full of friends. It took me a long time to find my community and second family, but finding them made me realize that there is a safe place for everyone, whether that be a specific person, community, or moments in time we create for ourselves.

What three things does the world need more of?

One thing I think the world needs more of is consciousness. What I mean is that with
modern day technology and society it’s very easy to become distracted from the things that truly matter. I see it everywhere, especially in my own generation, we are stuck to our phones and pulled away from reality. It’s almost as if we’re asleep when we’re caught up in the matters of social media and technology, and to be conscious is to be in the moment.

Another thing I think the world needs is empathy. I think the world could solve 95% of its conflicts if we could have more empathy for each other. To be able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand why they are the way they are makes it easier to forgive and solve conflicts.

The last thing I think the world needs is compassion. As humans we aren’t able to fully
grasp the harsh realities that others face, but to have compassion for one another allows us to better connect with one another. To have compassion for someone that faces trials and problems different from your own allows you to be capable of helping them and understanding where they come from.