MOUNT VERNON — Every day you come across an aspect of the fine arts. Whether it be through music, TV, movies, or video games, you can’t deny the impact the fine arts have on society.
Come March, schools across the nation will be observing Music in Our Schools Month and Youth Art Month. The purposes of these programs are to raise awareness of the value and importance of both art and music has in schools and the lives of students. Across the board, teachers and school officials agree the fine arts are important to students and the school. These programs can bridge gaps, encourage thinking and promote community engagement.
He continued to say that life can’t always be about making money and collecting possessions. Art gives life meaning and helps our minds to think beyond the boundaries of math and engineering. The Centerburg school district, according to Hebenthal, enjoys a community that is willing to fund the arts and in every grade level there is a music and art program.
Jason Snively, superintendent at Danville Local School, said their administration, board of education and the community are committed and proud of the tradition the district has in the visual and performing arts. For a small school, he said, Danville has an “outstanding facilities and staff that support these areas.”
“In my 20 years as an educator, I have seen the visual and performing arts give many students motivations and purpose to their education and their lives,” Snively said. “These programs not only support individuals but can promote a positive culture within the schools and communities, just the same as athletics and other extracurriculars.”
“Fine arts are a very important part of school,” Sarah Jancura, East Knox Elementary music teacher, said. “Fine arts allows students to take what they learn in their core subjects and apply them all together within art and music.”
Jancura pointed to a recent study done by Martin Guhn, Scoot Emerson and Perte Gouzouasis that was published in the Journal of Educational Psychology. The article showed that students who participated in music classes performed better in math, English and science classes. Jancura points out that by schools providing music and art programs, they give students a creative break during the day.
Unlike math and English, music and arts tend not to be mandated in public education. Because of this, these programs can be at the top of the list when school districts need to cut their budgets, along with reducing maintenance on buildings, reduced transportation and cutting other extra-curricular activities. Hebenthal said that the districts will try to prioritize by the least number of students affected, what would cause the least damage to the long-term health of the district and what the community wants to be cut. Snively echoed Hebenthal by saying the state or federal government doesn’t give any additional funds for these programs.
“Depending on how deep the cuts have to be made, the arts sometime become one of the things cut,” Hebenthal said.
Everyone agreed that the best possible way the fine arts can promote itself is through performances and community engagement. Between hosting their programs, Hebenthal said that being active in community events, such as the Mount Vernon Art and Music Festival, lets the community see how many students are involved and see the quality of the programs.
Snively said communication and relationships are vital to our culture. Music and arts are forms of communications, he continued, and they help us build relationships with others and within the community. And by making relationships this way, they also build strong communities.
“Even as we focus on academic standards at Danville, we also continue to focus on a high level of expectations or standards for our music, arts and other non-core subjects and activities,” Snively said. “I believe that is why our students are successful in life... We are fortunate at Danville that we have supporters within our district and Knox County that generously give their time and money to support the music and arts programs.”
“Public performances are an important part of music advocacy,” Jancura said. She said that putting on different performances, such as the Christmas program, showcase the importance of music and arts in the school. Her favorite quote to summarize the month and the importance of the arts comes from Plato: “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”
