Amanda's Speech
Amanda decided to enter the public speaking competition at school this year to work on her skills and offered a very inspiring speech that she wrote about the importance of keeping music and the arts in school. She did fantastic! I was very proud, of course. She took 3rd place in the competition and won $200 so was pretty excited as well. Here is the text of her speech if interested in reading it!
____________________
Why Music and Art Programs are Imperative in Schools
“Many principals don’t see the arts as critical to their mission because the kids are not tested on that, it’s easy for it to become expendable” says New York City councilwoman Eva Moskowitz. So the question is thus formed, how important is it to keep music and art programs within schools? Over the past few years, communities around the country have faced budget crisis. As finances become difficult to meet, school systems have begun looking into solutions for the ever mounting costs of education. One alternative that boards of education and administrators face is cutting their art programs. A good portion of these communities are forced to make this detrimental decision. Luckily, however, some communities have been able to save the performing arts departments at their schools. The subject is a controversial one that brings out passionate supports for salvation of the arts.
On September 23, 2008 the Oakland Tribune printed an article about a community that stood up against the omission of Music in their schools. In the San Mateo-Foster City School District in California the local budget vote resulted in the cutting of the music program within their school system. This decision outraged the community. Local parents, through fundraising, were able to save the fifth-grade music program. Foster City is one of the fortunate districts, many other school districts have suffered the effects of losing their music and art programs. On Sunday, August 10, 2008 The Republican printed an article about schools that are struggling to keep art programs. In this article Agawam schools superintendent said, “Study after study shows students exposed to the arts tend to do better in traditional academic courses such as math. Offering the courses also gives students a chance to express themselves in a different way and to discover they have a talent.”
In June of 2008 six-time Grammy Award winner Nneena Freelon was quoted as saying, “The arts foster a school environment that encourages self-directed learning, discipline, collaboration and acceptance. Children who are at risk for failure often find the arts a last refuge where they can begin to experience success.” While most people can not profess this idea as eloquently as Ms. Freelon, this is the precise prerogative of a vast majority of American Citizens.
From a young age I have been involved with several music and performing arts programs in the community. I play two diverse instruments, the tuba and clarinet, and have been in the band for seven years. I have also been involved with chorus since third grade, a total of nine years. In addition, I have performed with theatrical programs on both the local and high school levels. I feel I possess an adequate understanding of the significance of art and music within schools. I know that without these programs I would not be ranked fifth in my class, nor would I have a grade point average of 4.26.
In my own personal experience I’ve seen examples of the arts developing a greater understanding in other courses during my years in school. These programs serve as a stress-relieving time in the every day life of busy students.
Music and art give students a creative outlet which they might not otherwise encounter. My friends and I look forward to music classes everyday, because it’s not about being perfect and getting the best grades, but instead, it is about creating something truly beautiful and inspiring through hard work, dedication, and love. Music is a time to get in touch with life. It is also an invaluable tool when working with new people, since music and art are universal languages, one can learn to communicate with people throughout the world and people from different cultures. One does not have to understand each other’s home language, as long as people have music and art bridging the gap.
The arts are not only a hobby but a form of self expression, and communication. Both of these characteristics are priceless traits in all aspects of life. It is no great coincidence that a large portion of children involved in music and the arts move on to succeed and achieve impressive feats later on in life. In fact Johann Wolfgang Van Goethe, who is according to listserve.com the number one person in the list of top 10 geniuses, was known for his involvement in many intellectual endeavors including art and theatre. Also it is stated on Supportmusic.com that high school music students have been shown to hold higher grade point averages than non-musicians in the same school. Also, arts education increases interest in academic learning, cognitive and basic skills development and the development of academic achievement skills. Without being exposed to the arts a despairing amount of these potentially successful graduates would be limited to less-fulfilling lives. A study done by Martin Gardiner in 2000 showed that residents at the age of 30 who were not involved in music and the arts had a higher arrest record than those who had been involved in the arts. Music and Art programs are imperative to schools and the lack of these programs could be devastating to not only students in schools, today, but also to students in schools of the future.
Michelle Cahill, the senior educational policy advisor for Chancellor Klein, said it best in the New York Times when she was quoted as saying ''This is not a switch that you turn on and off.” In this quote she meant that once music and art are taken away from students the skills and traits earned from this training will be very hard to achieve later on. Despite recent efforts to give all students an equal opportunity to succeed, students without a well rounded background including music and art programs will forever be left behind.
Thank you.
___________________
This clipping showed up in the paper this week - sorry it is so grainy, but thought you all might like seeing it regardless!
____________________
Why Music and Art Programs are Imperative in Schools
“Many principals don’t see the arts as critical to their mission because the kids are not tested on that, it’s easy for it to become expendable” says New York City councilwoman Eva Moskowitz. So the question is thus formed, how important is it to keep music and art programs within schools? Over the past few years, communities around the country have faced budget crisis. As finances become difficult to meet, school systems have begun looking into solutions for the ever mounting costs of education. One alternative that boards of education and administrators face is cutting their art programs. A good portion of these communities are forced to make this detrimental decision. Luckily, however, some communities have been able to save the performing arts departments at their schools. The subject is a controversial one that brings out passionate supports for salvation of the arts.
On September 23, 2008 the Oakland Tribune printed an article about a community that stood up against the omission of Music in their schools. In the San Mateo-Foster City School District in California the local budget vote resulted in the cutting of the music program within their school system. This decision outraged the community. Local parents, through fundraising, were able to save the fifth-grade music program. Foster City is one of the fortunate districts, many other school districts have suffered the effects of losing their music and art programs. On Sunday, August 10, 2008 The Republican printed an article about schools that are struggling to keep art programs. In this article Agawam schools superintendent said, “Study after study shows students exposed to the arts tend to do better in traditional academic courses such as math. Offering the courses also gives students a chance to express themselves in a different way and to discover they have a talent.”
In June of 2008 six-time Grammy Award winner Nneena Freelon was quoted as saying, “The arts foster a school environment that encourages self-directed learning, discipline, collaboration and acceptance. Children who are at risk for failure often find the arts a last refuge where they can begin to experience success.” While most people can not profess this idea as eloquently as Ms. Freelon, this is the precise prerogative of a vast majority of American Citizens.
From a young age I have been involved with several music and performing arts programs in the community. I play two diverse instruments, the tuba and clarinet, and have been in the band for seven years. I have also been involved with chorus since third grade, a total of nine years. In addition, I have performed with theatrical programs on both the local and high school levels. I feel I possess an adequate understanding of the significance of art and music within schools. I know that without these programs I would not be ranked fifth in my class, nor would I have a grade point average of 4.26.
In my own personal experience I’ve seen examples of the arts developing a greater understanding in other courses during my years in school. These programs serve as a stress-relieving time in the every day life of busy students.
Music and art give students a creative outlet which they might not otherwise encounter. My friends and I look forward to music classes everyday, because it’s not about being perfect and getting the best grades, but instead, it is about creating something truly beautiful and inspiring through hard work, dedication, and love. Music is a time to get in touch with life. It is also an invaluable tool when working with new people, since music and art are universal languages, one can learn to communicate with people throughout the world and people from different cultures. One does not have to understand each other’s home language, as long as people have music and art bridging the gap.
The arts are not only a hobby but a form of self expression, and communication. Both of these characteristics are priceless traits in all aspects of life. It is no great coincidence that a large portion of children involved in music and the arts move on to succeed and achieve impressive feats later on in life. In fact Johann Wolfgang Van Goethe, who is according to listserve.com the number one person in the list of top 10 geniuses, was known for his involvement in many intellectual endeavors including art and theatre. Also it is stated on Supportmusic.com that high school music students have been shown to hold higher grade point averages than non-musicians in the same school. Also, arts education increases interest in academic learning, cognitive and basic skills development and the development of academic achievement skills. Without being exposed to the arts a despairing amount of these potentially successful graduates would be limited to less-fulfilling lives. A study done by Martin Gardiner in 2000 showed that residents at the age of 30 who were not involved in music and the arts had a higher arrest record than those who had been involved in the arts. Music and Art programs are imperative to schools and the lack of these programs could be devastating to not only students in schools, today, but also to students in schools of the future.
Michelle Cahill, the senior educational policy advisor for Chancellor Klein, said it best in the New York Times when she was quoted as saying ''This is not a switch that you turn on and off.” In this quote she meant that once music and art are taken away from students the skills and traits earned from this training will be very hard to achieve later on. Despite recent efforts to give all students an equal opportunity to succeed, students without a well rounded background including music and art programs will forever be left behind.
Thank you.
___________________
This clipping showed up in the paper this week - sorry it is so grainy, but thought you all might like seeing it regardless!
posted by Young-Conkey Clan at
9:19 PM
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