As many of you know, JT (Jonathan) Tautkus was a young man with many extraordinary talents who was taken too soon after a horrible motorcycle accident, February 28, 2016, at 8:50 PM, which took his life instantly at the age of 21.

His teachers recognized at an early age, that Jonathan had a special gift and passion for Lighting Design.  He had just graduated from college and was very excited to make his life work be about new uses in lighting and technology. He could fix any light and did!  His favorite lights were in the Moving Lights department... and that boy loved himself some FOG!  (technically "Hazers" ~ see photo above)

JT was a loving, generous young man with a heart to mentor other young people interested in the arts.  Trying to make sense of this tragedy, we want to raise money for a Scholarship to be given in JT's name to support talented lighting designers in the future. We will award a scholorship every year to students from Santa Susana Art/Tech Magnet School with a passion for the Art of Lighting.

In every way, his spirit will live on and in every stage that sits in darkness . . . his light will illuminate and remind us to be grateful for the light that lives inside of all of us!

Besides being a wonderful loving son & grandson, he had very many friends and was respected and highly regarded by his teachers & mentors.  His Mother, Monica Tautkus, has been directing Sweet Adeline International Barbershop Choruses for over 38 years, with many wonderful memories of Jonathan growing up with music all around him.    His Father, Dave Tautkus, teaches High School music and is a sound judge and sings in the mens Barbershop Harmony Society.  He loved to help out his Dad with Lighting with his choruses and his school as well.  JT was also an accomplished musician which gave him an edge in the Lighting Design world.  JT grew up in a family who has & still remains  very active in bringing art in many ways to their local community. 

We are so thankful for the too short time our precious JT had on this Earth and hope we could help other kids who share his passion for being "behind the curtain" and provide this financial scholarship to further their education. 

We hope to award the first scholarship in June, 2016 and then each year thereafter.

A note from JT's Mom:
One of my Chorus sisters put this all together... isn't it a beautiful way to honor his life? I am so touched. He was always giving back and helping others with his big heart.. and with this scholarship he will continue to do so. You know there are stages in our lives where we are so influenced by our surroundings... I know that my son was changed forever by the INCREDIBLE teachers, staff, Irene and other Artists in Residence and everyone that makes Santa Su such a special tight knit community. Best life decision I ever made to fight to get JT into this very special school. Honoring other kids who come through the SSHS Stagecraft program seems just perfect since my son, Class of 2012, has still been on campus... constantly.. I swear he lived there! The photo above was taken there when a Hazer wasn't working right before a special performance and they called JT and he ran over there and was able to get it working... he had a knack for fixing these moving lights... and then he was so happy it was working... "Ta Da" and someone captured this moment - which captured my son.