Nonprofit Guitars Not Guns continues to positively impact at-risk teens throughout Monterey County.

The grounds are unusually quiet on a Tuesday afternoon at Rancho Cielo Youth Campus in Salinas. Christmas vacation began the week before. There is an exception: room 115, which is rife with excitement.

“I can’t believe I get to keep this,” says 17-year-old Jose Peña as he grasps the neck of a black acoustic Johnson guitar.

Peña, Jessica Diaz, 18, and Alejandra Garcia, 19, each received guitars and completed an eight-week guitar course as part of the Monterey County chapter of Guitars Not Guns. The nonprofit, all-volunteer program has been engaging musical potential in at-risk youth ages 8-18 – diverting them from drugs, alcohol and gang-related activities – since 2000. Peña, Diaz and Garcia represent three of 215 who are 2013 Guitars Not Guns graduates and don’t mind that they’re stuck in a classroom while most of their classmates are already enjoying their winter break.

Sand City Councilman Todd Cooper, Guitars Not Guns Monterey chapter president (and Monterey County Assessor) Steve Vagnini and volunteer instructors Jim Hansen, Jeffrey Richman and David West are on hand for the graduation, which includes a song representative of their newly acquired guitar skills. They go with the kid-friendly French ditty “Frere Jacques.” Even more amazing: 12 of their peers, on campus for a holiday lunch, stay for the ceremony and watch their fellow classmates gently pluck each string in unison.

“You can use this skill for whatever you want,” Vagnini says. “Whether you want to play music for a living or just for yourself, this is a skill that will always be with you. If you’re sad and want to play a sad song or angry and want to play loud rock and roll.”

Vagnini awards each student a certificate of completion and a Guitars Not Guns T-shirt. All three plan on taking the class again. Vagnini asks if any of the students have anything to say.

“Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules,” Peña says with a smile, directing his comment to the volunteer instructors.

Meanwhile, Garcia, who says she’s a diehard Carrie Underwood fan, says she plans to continue practicing guitar over winter break using free online sites that instructor Richman turned her on to.

As for the future of Guitars Not Guns, new classes are in the works in both Big Sur and Soledad.

It evokes what Paul McCartney once said: “Music can heal. It can throw a lifeline to kids who can’t be reached in any other way.”

For more information on Guitars Not Guns visit www.guitarsnotguns.org