Dear President,

Did you know that college kids in music programs performed higher on an IQ test than the average students who don’t? Maybe you didn’t know that high arts-involved students also watch fewer hours of TV, participate in more community service and report less boredom in school? Or that being in any type of arts class also increases the ability to receive constructive feedback from a teacher or instructor? I strongly believe that all kids should be given an arts program in school. The arts have helped me, and I believe all kids should have the opportunity I do. They shouldn’t be given a glimpse of the art world but a picture of the whole thing.

The arts can help kids in school. Not everyone knows the impact they have on a child’s education. The infographic “How Your Love of Music can Lead You to Success in All Aspects of Life” by Colin Fredericson from the Vision Times, says that “students score an average of 45 points better on an IQ test if they are in some sort of musical program.” The article “7 Things Students Can Learn from Acting Classes” by Jennifer Oleniczak from noodle.com, “acting classes can help communication skills which are very important when working with partners or in a group.” It might also help to encourage them to raise their hand and ask or answer questions. Art can help someone’s thinking skills. Before creating a piece of art the artist needs to think of different ways and things to create.

The arts can help in everyday life too not just when it comes to school. “Acting classes help kids gain more confidence,” Oleniczak included in her article. The arts help to teach perseverance and to not give up. Monet probably put a few dots in the wrong places a couple times. Music helps kids learn to multitask. When any musician plays an instrument they need to read or memorize music, make sure they're playing the right notes, keep a steady beat, and know when they are supposed to play.

The arts connect kids to different cultures and people from around the world. According to the article “Why Arts Education is Crucial, and Who’s Doing it Best” by Fran Smith from Edutopia, the arts, “can connect people more deeply to the world and open them to new ways of seeing.” Different genres of music are from different cultures. When kids listen to these different genres they are exposed to different parts of the world and the people from there. Art can also help to expose students to different parts of the world through pictures and sculptures created to portray these places or if they are from that place. Even different mediums teach young artists about places from around the world.

A popular argument is that not all schools have the funding for these programs. It’s because when there are budget cuts the first thing cut is the arts. My school experienced it a few years ago, and our band director left until we got proper funding because of his job being turned into part time instead of full time. Kids don’t need all the arts if schools can’t afford it. Just one art, music, or acting class can make a difference. An after school club that is optional to join would work too. Some kids need the arts to express themselves since they aren’t athletic. There has to be something else schools can cut down on. Some schools incorporate the arts in abstract ways. According to Smith some schools might,” incorporate the arts into core classes such as writing and performing a play about, or schools might play Mozart in the hallways every day.” Another argument is that schools need to focus on the standards before adding these types of classes. There are plenty of facts that say that having an arts program can actually help the intellectual level of students. For example the infographic by Colin Fredericson states that,” students who took music programs had better memorization skills and longer attention spans.”Oleniczak’s article says that, “Acting can help promote kinesthetic learning too.” The arts also help to create more of a creative mindset for projects.

“Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected,” says William Plomer, a novelist, poet, and literary editor. Creativity is where the arts are based, and this quote means that the arts can connect kids to anything they need to connect to . Not all schools have to have every single type of art just one class a week. It can be art, music, or acting it doesn’t really matter because all types of arts make an impact on a student’s life. I live in a wealthier community and I have been given very easy access to the arts. If all students get a chance equal to what I have we can make a difference in their lives.

Sincerely,

An American Citizen