The Iowa Alliance for Arts Education sponsored its second annual Fine Arts Advocacy Day at the Iowa Statehouse, giving fine arts advocates the chance to talk with legislators about the importance of arts instruction in our schools.
Among the advocates was opera great and Iowa native Simon Estes, who has performed at the world’s major opera houses for presidents, popes and other world leaders. He told the Senate Education Committee that the arts are a core educational experience for all students.
The Committee also heard from Sarah Dougherty, the 2013 Outstanding Elementary Art Educator. She is currently the coordinator of the Turnaround Arts Program at Findley Elementary in Des Moines. The Turnaround Arts Program is a new initiative to help narrow the achievement gap and improve student engagement through the arts.
Findley was chosen to be one of eight schools featured in the program through a highly competitive national selection process, and will receive intensive arts education resources, expertise and the involvement of high-profile artists. Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker has been working with Findley for the past year, thanks to the Turnaround Arts Program.
Grant Ganzer of Johnston, a finalist on The Voice, told legislators that music in his school was important to his success in the TV music contest. Grant auditioned and was chosen by Blake Shelton to be a contestant on the show. For Grant, the experience has set the stage for what he hopes to accomplish here in Iowa: to inspire other young musicians to follow their dreams.
Research shows that:
• Arts-engaged students are much more likely to have excellent attendance records and to be recognized for academic achievement.
• At-risk students site arts engagement as a reason for staying in school.
• High-poverty arts-engaged eighth graders score higher on reading and science assessments.
• Students in the arts outperform their non-arts peers on the SAT by 91 points.
• Arts-engaged students are more likely to participate in civic engagement and community building.