Recent Esperanza graduate and Miss Anaheim’s Outstanding Teen donates instruments to PYLUSD schools

Kayla Arellano is an Esperanza High School graduate from the Class of 2021.  She is currently a freshman at UCLA studying neuroscience with hopes of becoming a Pediatric Neurologist in the future. Kayla also currently serves as Miss Anaheim’s Outstanding Teen 2020 and 2021. 

Two years ago, Kayla started Instrumental Outreach: #Music4Children. She has collected 45 used instruments from the community and purchased instruments from music stores using $1,100 she raised through GoFundMe. She then donates the instruments to music programs at local schools for students to borrow during the school year so they don’t have to purchase or rent instruments, which can be quite costly.  

On January 21, 2022, Kayla donated 11 instruments to the orchestra and band program at Rio Vista Elementary School in Anaheim. She met with Principal Brandon Frank and Assistant Principal Cynthia Alvarez who were excited and so grateful to receive the much-needed donation for their students.

This is Kayla’s third Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (PYLUSD) school that she has donated instruments to in the past year. Last May, she donated 12 instruments to Woodsboro Elementary School in Anaheim and in September she donated 14 instruments to Valdez Middle School Academy in Placentia.

Kayla’s reign as Miss Anaheim’s Outstanding Teen will officially end when the new winner is crowned on January 29, but Kayla plans to continue advocating for her initiative Instrumental Outreach #Music4Children to help provide instruments to schools. She shares that it has been a rewarding experience knowing that she is making a difference in her community and having a positive impact on the lives of students for years to come!