On June 6, Point Loma High School and its music program paid tribute to the late Eric Pratt, naming a campus building music room in his memory during a short ceremony.
“Eric was a drummer in the band for four years, and then came back to work as a percussion coach for the program,” said Carissa Mattison, the high school’s music director. “Eric passed away last year, and his parents, Tim Pratt and Leslie Perlis (both lifelong members of the OB/Point Loma community) started a memorial scholarship and fund in Eric’s name.”
Mattison said Pratt’s parents contacted her last year with the notion of “getting up some scholarship money for a student participating in the music program on percussion instruments. We thought maybe it would be a nice thing to do to dedicate the percussion room to Eric’s memory.”  
“Last year we gave out five $1,000 college scholarships to graduating drum line seniors,” said Eric’s mother Leslie Perlis. “We gave out six $1,000 scholarships this year plus one for leadership camp for the new drum line captain.”
Some of the funds were used to purchase new percussion equipment, including a new set of chimes and a xylophone. “We are channeling the fund through the PLHS Pointer Association,” Perlis said. “All funds go directly to scholarships and equipment.”
Eric Pratt started playing drums in fourth grade in Sunset View Elementary School Band. He continued with bands at Dana Middle and Correia Middle. He was a member of the PLHS Class of 2006, where he was a three-year drum-line captain and drumline instructor from 2007-2016.
“He was a real good drummer and he loved teaching the kids that whole process,” said Eric’s dad, Tim Pratt, noting he was surprised at the turnout for Eric’s celebration of life on Sunset Cliffs in November 2016.
“We were just amazed at how many people showed up,” Tim Pratt said. “We didn’t know if we’d get 10 people – and at least 200 showed up. We didn’t know what to expect. It was a great honor. We just didn’t realize how many people loved him, and how well liked he was.”
Tim Pratt said he inscribed a cymbal for his son, which now hangs in the Eric Pratt Drum Room honoring all PLHS drummers “past, present and future.” “We’re going to keep providing funding just as long as we can,” he added.
Mattison said the Pratt Music Room is a fitting memorial.
“Now all my current students, who didn’t know Eric, will be able to share that story and his commitment to excellence, which will continue with the program,” she said.
If you would like to donate to the Eric Pratt Drum Line Fund, email [email protected] to get a tax-deductible donation form.