St. Francis Prep Honors Teacher With Music Scholarship

The New York City school is raising funds to establish a permanent scholarship honoring longtime music director Robert Corbino.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Scholarships

St. Francis Prep Honors Teacher With Music Scholarship

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St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens has launched the Dr. Robert Corbino Music Scholarship to celebrate the educator's 50-year tenure. The school is currently raising funds to reach a $100,000 endowment goal to support incoming freshmen.

Why it matters

The initiative honors Corbino for his role in significantly expanding the school's music department over five decades. Establishing the endowment ensures that his legacy of music education remains a central part of the school's identity for future students.

The school has secured approximately 70% of its $100,000 fundraising target to support the music program. Currently, 1,600 students participate in 11 performing groups at the Fresh Meadows campus.

The players

Robert Corbino

He is a veteran music educator who has served as the music department chair at St. Francis Preparatory School since 1980.

St. Francis Preparatory School

This is a private Catholic college preparatory school located in Fresh Meadows, Queens, that serves a large student body.

Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn

This religious order maintains a long-standing partnership with the school to support its academic and extracurricular missions.

The details

Robert Corbino joined the faculty in 1976 and became department chair in 1980, helping grow the band class from 27 students to over 150. Students participate in the elective program before the start of the official school day, a tradition supported by the administration and the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn.

September 1976 marks the start of Robert Corbino's teaching career at the school.
Robert Corbino took over as music department chair in 1980.
As of October 2026, the school confirmed the establishment of the scholarship fund.

Culture Shift

The establishment of this endowment reflects a growing trend in secondary education where institutions create permanent financial legacies to honor long-tenured staff. This move aligns with broader shifts toward institutionalizing successful extracurricular programs through dedicated funding.

For prospective and current students, the scholarship provides a new financial pathway to access specialized music training at the school. Families interested in the program can monitor the school's development office for official award criteria and application timelines.

The takeaway

Donors and community members can contribute to the endowment to ensure the scholarship reaches its $100,000 threshold. Supporting such funds creates sustainable opportunities for student musicians to pursue their talents for generations to come.