Kathy Jenuine is an authority on the success of the Taylor Guitars in Schools program.
Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡About nine years ago, I convinced the Encinitas School District to start the Taylor Guitars for Schools program in our elementary schools,Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡ she said. Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡Today they are probably the most popular things on campus that we offer.Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡

The Arts Coordinator for the Encinitas School District, Jenuine was instrumental in, first, persuading the district to approve the program, and subsequently helped individual teachers implement the program on their campus. But her personal experience with the program is highly persuasive, as well.

Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡In fact, my son, when he was enrolled at Capri Elementary school, he was among the very first in a class at our school district to use the Taylor guitars. And, believe me, it completely changed his life. As a parent and an educator, I almost can not tell you how important it turned out to be,Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡ she said.

Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡Today, I am proud to report he is at a university, where he is completely involved in classical music. He is playing and studying it, even. And this is an example, a personal one, of course, but an example of something wonderful IÔø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡d say is directly a result of the Taylor Guitars in Schools program.Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡

Rick Best is a teacher and administrator at Lakeside Middle School in East County. He said the program has introduced benefits the district and the community normally wouldnÔø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡t expect.

Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡Our program is just two years old, but the classes have been full both years,Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡ said Best, who plays and teaches the guitar class. The highlight, especially for a semi-rural area like Lakeside, was how the program has made a cultural contribution to the area.
Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡We have had two guitar ensemble recitals over the past two years,Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡ Best said, proudly. He expects interest in the program will only grow in the coming school year and beyond.

The Guitars for Schools program was developed by Taylor along with the San Diego Music Foundation, which hosts the annual San Diego Music Awards as well as other local music events, such as the North by North Park music conference and festival. The program seeks to introduce the guitar to public elementary-school music curricula in San Diego County, both as a way to augment existing programs and to offset the loss of arts instruction due to budget cuts.

Suzie Reed oversees the Guitars for Schools program for Taylor Guitars. Reed said the popularity of the program goes hand-in-hand with the guitarÔø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡s familiarity and popularity among young people. Its ubiquity in both pop culture and American history makes it an excellent tool for getting kids interested in music and in the performing arts.

Much of the funding necessary to provide so many guitars comes from the San Diego Music FoundationÔø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡s annual concert/award show to honor local musicians. The San Diego Music Awards has become one of the hottest tickets in local entertainment, often selling out by the day of the show. Proceeds from those healthy ticket sales are used to purchase some guitars. and Taylor Guitars donates the rest.

Reid said that by the end of 2009, 1424 Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡BabyÔø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡ Taylors will have been donated to San Diego area schools since the programÔø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡s inception in 2000.
The technical details of the program, according to Reed, are subject to advance approval and available budget by Taylor Guitars, who then donate and/or loan a pre-arranged number of Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡BabyÔø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡ Taylors to San Diego-area public elementary school applying for use in day classes or after-school music programs.

The participating school must have a guitar instructor and a guitar program in place, or have definite plans to begin such a program. The teacher can decide whether the guitars will stay with students during holiday and vacation breaks, or if they will be securely stored at the school.

Each Baby Taylor comes with its own padded Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡gig bag,Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡ which affords protection from moisture and shock. Repairs to guitars due to normal use are done by Taylor, at no charge to the school or students and if a guitar goes missing, Taylor will provide that replacement at the lowest possible cost.

To apply for participation, Reed instructs San Diego area teachers and administrators to send a letter of request, on school or district letterhead, informing her department of the number of guitars needed and outlining the plans for their useÔø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡as well as the name of the instructor who will be responsible for the instruments.

Something tells us the sooner your school applies, the better.

[Check out a list of schools we've donated to...so far!]