Creative Bridges illustrations help to demonstrate the many ways a strong arts curriculum develops more well-rounded students who do well in post-secondary education, business and life. Those attributes can also help to strengthen the local creative economy. Americans for the Arts research shows that $80.4 million had been generated in annual economic activity in Sonoma County by 42 nonprofit arts groups and there were 2,684 full time jobs created by those 42 nonprofit arts groups. Strengthening arts education in the schools will lead to an even stronger creative economy. The Sonoma County Office of Education created its “Portrait of a Graduate” that illustrates the hopes for six important strengths that students would have when they graduate. 1 . Curiosity: Art students consistently test higher in reading and math and are much more curious because the arts are thought to aid the wonder in education. 2 . Empathy: The arts develop cross-cultural understanding and empathy. 3 . Communication: The arts give students a voice in telling their own stories. 4 . Initiative: Art students are more likely to pursue and succeed at post-secondary education. 5 . Ethical and Engaged: Art students have significantly better attendance rates. They actually want to come to school. 6 . Collaboration: In orchestra, dance, theater, even murals, art students learn cooperation and problem-solving skills. Creative Bridges shares Americans for the Arts research to illustrate the importance of an arts education. • Low-income students who are highly engaged in the arts are twice as likely to graduate college as peers with no arts education. • The dropout rate is five times lower for students from low socioeconomic status who are highly involved in arts classes than comparable peers who do not take arts courses. • 91% of Americans believe that the arts are vital to providing a well-rounded education. • Students who are provided with visual- and performing-arts education experiences have significantly less disciplinary infractions. • Two-thirds teachers nationwide believe it is unfortunate that the arts are getting crowded out of the school day by an increased focus on math and English. • Students who take four years of secondary arts and music classes score an average of over 150 points higher on the SAT than students who take only one- half year or less.
gratifying, too. That was boots-to-the-ground kind of energy and it was nice. I was working with teachers that I had when I was a kid to pack up the supplies and stuff, so it was really cool.” While ACNV funds programs, the nonprofit is not involved in the functioning of the program, explains Tim. “But I try and go see the show or be involved in some kind of way outside of just being a funder,” she says. One of the ways Tim gets involved beyond her work with the Arts Council is by helping out with student murals in the summer. She spends her Saturdays with another Napa arts organization, the Rail Arts District (RAD) and RAD Wall Coordinator Kara Harrington, to help students paint murals. Each summer, Devine Paint Center in Napa hosts a wall for student murals and Tim is there with Harrington to help make sure kids know how to use the art supplies and nobody’s falling off ladders. The grid for the murals goes all the way up to the top of the building. “They have to use these big ladders and you’ve got middle schoolers on these ladders. It’s kind of scary,” says Tim. “So we have a few people onsite to just help out, make sure the kids are safe. I plan to continue coming back and doing it every summer until they tell me to go away.” Tim says it’s important that arts in the schools get built back up. “[We need to ensure] that we’re not further diminishing the importance of art in school and making sure that we build back up these programs that are suffering and getting cut,” she says. Cutting programs for younger grades causes a ripple effect later on, says Tim. “It doesn’t matter if there’s a band program available in high school if the kids weren’t able to start in Napa Valley students use ladders to reach the tops of their murals at the Devine Paint Center. The murals are part of the Rail Arts District’s ‘Our RAD Wall’ project and has been supported with grant money from Arts Council Napa Valley for the past few years.
January 2024
NorthBaybiz 55
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