The Santa Barbara Education Foundation recently wrapped up its sixth annual Keep The Beat Instrument drive, gathering 40 instrument donations from the community, and raising $18,000 in funds for the Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD) music program.

Students in La Cumbre Junior High Band practice outside the school with their teacher. (Courtesy photo)
La Cumbre Junior High Band is among the school music programs benefiting from the recent campaign. (Courtesy photo)

The program partners with 99.9 KTYD to host the live on-air event with Morning Mojo hosts Lin Aubuchon and Bill Pesso. Community members are asked to donate gently used instruments so they may be repurposed and distributed to students in the SBUSD.

The monetary donations will be used to purchase new instruments, repair existing ones, and hire specialists to further support school bands and enhance student music education, the foundation said.

The foundation thanks Keep The Beat’s sponsors the Johnson Ohana Foundation, Deckers Outdoor Corporation, Nick Rail Music, Raymond Music, The Red Piano, and Jersey Mike’s on Fairview Avenue.

“Keep The Beat has been an invaluable support for music educators in the SB Unified School District,” said Karen Dutton, Adams Elementary music teacher. “The annual instrument drive has enabled us to provide more quality instruments to our students.

“Access to quality instruments can greatly enhance students’ engagement with music and skill development, and seeing the excitement of a student receiving a donated instrument is priceless.”

“Research shows that music benefits students’ academic and psychological well-being, and after the impact of the pandemic on student learning, we believe it is even more important than ever to include it in our school schedules,” said SBUSD Superintendent Hilda Maldonado.

“We are deeply grateful to our community members, our music partners, KTYD 99.9, and all involved in this year’s Keep The Beat event,” she said. “Our music teachers have been able to provide valuable learning to students thanks to the generous donations of time, instruments and money.”

Throughout February, 99.9 KTYD hosted interviews and performances from a number of public school music program alums. Keep The Beat hosted professional guitarist Tony Ybarra; singer-songwriter Karla Bonoff; and Karl Hunter, saxophonist for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

Since its inception 21 years ago, Keep The Beat has been an annual highlight for the Santa Barbara Education Foundation.

“It’s always great to see the community come together and support music education,” said SBEF programs manager Katie Szopa. “The SB Unified music programs are full of talented musicians, and supporting their journey is a privilege.”

Santa Barbara Education Foundation promotes private support of Santa Barbara’s public education system, serving some 12,200 students in 21 schools. For more, visit www.santabarbaraeducation.org.