Georgetown High School (GHS) student Isabella Leza started her junior year off on quite the high note. When GHS Band Director Justin Smith learned of the Austin Flute Society’s (AFS) Full Flute Instruction Lesson Scholarship in the spring, submitting an application was a no-brainer.
“I opened the email, and Isabella immediately came to mind,” Smith said. “She has a fabulous attitude, she’s hardworking, and I knew she would make the most out of this opportunity.”
The AFS scholarship committee thought so, too. In the fall of 2026, Leza learned that she had been selected as the recipient of the scholarship, which would include a year of free flute instruction with flautist and music teacher Kim Hart.
“I have been thoroughly impressed with Isabella's dedication, her sense of excitement and ability to improve and learn really hard material,” Hart said. “In the three months I have taught her, I have witnessed the absolutely best attitude and work ethic.”
In October, Leza got an unexpected visit from Hart. Hart was there on behalf of Flutes Without Borders, an organization that gives back to young musicians through donations, to deliver a custom Gemeinhardt open-hole flute with a solid silver body and 10K gold-plated embouchure plate.
“This flute is unique as most student flutes are silver plated,” Hart explained. “The gold plating and the solid silver drastically impact the quality of the sound that is made.”
For Leza, receiving the donated instrument and scholarship deepened her appreciation for the support within the Georgetown ISD fine arts community.
“The GHS band has so many scholarships, and there are a lot of ways for students to be involved in the community,” Leza said. “Mr. Smith always pushes us to grow, and him nominating me for this award means a lot.”
