Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Can the Arts Really Save our Students?


Joan's Art Blog. . .
How Can The Arts Save our Students?

In the February 24, 2013 issue of the Washington Post magazine, the cover read “Can the Art Save Students?”   If you missed it, and you are in arts education you must read it online or order a copy.   The focus article,  written by Anne Midgette, discuss the arts programs in the elementary school in Anacostia, one of the eight schools in the country earmarked by the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities as a “turnaround” school.  With three years of extra funding and the school being adopted by a well-known artist, Kerry Washington, it is believed that the power of the arts can motivate and engage the students, teach them skills in teamwork, innovative thinking, and generally raise their level  of education and test scores in these schools.  In this article, the school and students are awaiting the arrival of Yo-Yo Ma for an arts workshop (some of them will get to play with him!)

The Cultural Alliance is presenting Dr. Barbara Laws, the Art Coordinator for the Norfolk Public Schools as a speaker for the Alliance Membership Breakfast on May 29, 2013.  She believes that the arts can save our students and will discuss some of the changes  being made statewide and locally to enhance the art programs in our schools.  Hampton Roads has numerous programs that offer arts and cultural opportunities to children of all ages and in a future blog, I will talk about the numerous summer arts camps that are available for parents to send their kids.  You can see information about these camps on our website, www.culturalli.org.
Many of us do believe that the youth of today will be the arts leaders of tomorrow!  

No comments:

Post a Comment