Is there a kid's bluegrass program in Texas or any other states?

[Bill Snyder]

I see that there is a Kids on Bluegrass program in California.
See their website Kids on Bluegrass.
I was wondering if there is a similar program in Texas or any other states. If so it might be good to have a current list of similar programs so that people can support these programs at home.

[allenhopkins]

Re: Texas -- might make sense to contact South Plains College in Levelland, which has had a bluegrass program through its music department and hosts a bluegrass camp in the summer. They might be familiar with bluegrass instructional programs aimed at school-age kids. Here's a link to their homepage.

[Charlieshafer]

Hey Bill; Great idea! We run a "bluegrass" program, but it's far from strictly bluegrass. We'll do old-time (this last Saturday was a free workshop with Jay Ungar and Molly Mason) and also try to get the kids interested in all styles. We meet weekly (or so) and have had workshops with folks like Bearfoot, Andrea Beaton, Liz and Yvonne Kane, Grada, April Verch, Jeffrey Broussard, Vishten, Hanneke Cassel, and so on. This winter they'll be working hard on Prince Edward Island stuff, and Vishten will do another workshop, and then we go Cajun with Cedric Watson, if the timing works out. We're also going to go hard on improvisation this year, so they get to stretch their thinking and imagination a little. So far, we've done this at no cost to the kids, but we may have to charge a yearly fee in the near future to get more workshop action. We're in Connecticut, here.

[Bill Snyder]

Actually if we make a list of programs maybe it should not just be limited to bluegrass but any type of music and programs that would help promote mandolins.
The Central Texas Bluegrass Association has a Bluegrass in the Classroom project where they will send out a bluegrass group to do presentations at schools. They also have scholarships to send kids to Camp Bluegrass at South Plains College.
Central Texas Bluegrass Association' website is http://www.centraltexasbluegrass.org/
One of the neat things I noticed about the CBA's Kid' on Bluegrass program I noticed is that they have an instrument loaner program. They also

[Kevin Knippa]

The Bluegrass Heritage Foundation, which hosts a couple of festivals in North Texas, among other things, has the Play It Forward instrument lending program.

http://bluegrassheritage.org/PlayItForward.html