HONOLULU – Servco Pacific, a co-majority owner of Fender Musical Instruments Corp. (Fender), continued its $1.5 million Centennial Service Campaign with a donation of musical instruments and services valued at nearly $500,000 to 55 public schools across Hawaii.

The donation of 2,000 Fender ukuleles, 750 Fender acoustic guitars, soft cases and one-year subscriptions to Fender Play will benefit over 8,500 local elementary through high school students.

“Music education is crucial for the creative engagement of our haumana, which positively impacts learning across content areas,” said Dr. Christina Kishimoto, superintendent of the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE).

“Mahalo to Servco for their generous donation that will help to provide students with an outlet for artistic expression. Now, even more current and future students will be able to explore and pursue their passion or curiosity for music.”

Earlier in the year, Servco worked with HIDOE to invite all public and charter schools to apply to receive musical instruments, with the primary requirement that the schools designate a teacher to implement and sustain a music curriculum during or after school. Servco and the Fender Play Foundation fulfilled 100 percent of the requests that were received.

On Maui, 140 ukuleles and 41 guitars were donated, including 50 ukuleles and ten guitars to Lahainaluna High School.