Arts Programs Paint Promising Futures for Students

By Hayley Graham
Imagine a school patrolled by security guards and riddled with crime. Students are not
allowed to carry backpacks because of the risk that they will have weapons or other illegal
substances in them. New teachers come and go, with only about half staying for more than a
year. Five principals have tried to oversee this school in the last seven years. The environment is
that of a prison, and one which is not conducive to learning in the least bit.
However, that all changed starting three years ago. Today, Orchard Gardens School in
Roxbury, Mass. is a lively place, filled with active students. Music, played enthusiastically, can
be heard radiating from the band room. Colorful art projects and displays line the hallways. Test
scores and academic achievement have improved by leaps and bounds. Most importantly, the
students enjoy coming to school and are being prepared for successful futures.
It develops the whole student, said one Orchard Gardens teacher, Chris Plunkett.
Youre going to see improvement in other academic areas.
This change is due to a bold action taken by current Orchard Gardens principal, Andrew
Botts. When he arrived at the school he decided to eliminate the entire security infrastructure and
reinvest those funds in the arts. This appeared to be a risky move to many; however it has paid
off dramatically, as Orchard Gardens has been transformed from among the worst performing
schools in Massachusetts to one of the fastest improving schools statewide.
Orchard Gardens story demonstrates a concept that is currently a topic of discussion for
educators, parents, artists, musicians, and other interested individuals. As No Child Left Behind

and other measures push improving test scores in core areas by increasing instruction in math,
science and language arts, the creative arts are being pushed to the bottom of the list.
This is a backwards approach, as the arts allow students to develop skills to be more
successful in life as a whole. Whether it is reading, writing, math, problemsolving skills, or
getting along with other people, research has long indicated that involvement in the arts has a
positive impact on student success and should be treated as a core subject.
I believe that the rules of music shed auditory or sensory light on the concepts of other
disciplines, said Doreen Anderson, assistant band director at Jefferson High School and Taft
Middle School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. More than that, they have been shown scientifically to
open pathways in the brain. Medical studies have shown that playing a musical instrument
develops more areas of the brain than any other activity.
There is a plethora of statistics to back up this assertion. According to Americans for the
Arts, arts education has a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and
has been proven to help level the learning field across socio-economic boundaries.
It develops skills such as imagination, critical thinking, problem-solving, informed
perception, articulating a vision, building self-confidence and self-discipline, and team building
skills. In other words, the benefits are vast, and can be applied to all areas of life. Many of these
skills are the exact things that employers look for when hiring, demonstrating the lifelong
universal benefits of an arts education.
These areas of improvement can also be specifically applied to academic concepts that
students need to understand in their present schoolwork. Whether it is reading, math, or another
subject, music corresponds to academic knowledge needed in education.

When we talk about the division of rhythm, fractions in math become easier to
understand. It brings an auditory understanding to visual concepts, said Anderson. When we
talk about phrasing and form in music, sentence and paragraph building in language arts makes
more sense.
These skills not only need development later in life, but should be discussed from birth
onward. According to a PBS article, there are many developmental benefits of art for pre-school
and elementary school children. These include motor skills, language development, decision
making, visual learning, inventiveness, cultural awareness and improved academic performance.
In addition to academic success, music can teach students how to relate to their peers and
express emotions. As society becomes increasingly dominated by technology, young people are
losing interpersonal skills. Parents place them in front of the television or computer for
education, instead of interacting with them and taking them places to learn new things. This often
results in a lack of emotional perception and empathy. Music is one of the few things in our
society that can counteract this phenomenon.
It is the last part of our curriculum that deals extensively with the right side of the brain,
the intuitive side, said Dr. Ronald Johnson, a music professor and conductor at the University of
Northern Iowa. Music and the creating of arts wholly engage this side of the brain, and they are
the only classes that deal directly with emotions.
According to Johnson, music can also open pathways to future opportunities for travel
and study. People that are involved in music tend to have a larger view of the world, involving
other cultures, countries and time periods.

The world becomes less two-dimensional, said Johnson. There is more to decision
making than just yes or no, black or white. Theres lots of gray area. As it increases, decision
making becomes more difficult, but better choices are made long-term.
The need for arts education and the dialogue that surrounds its value in society are
concepts of which current and future educators alike are very aware.
I think we need to give them equal time in all subjects, including the arts, so that theyre
well-rounded, said sophomore music education major Laura Rodriquez. But its going to have
to be a constant fight for music education. Thats the way that its going these days.
The success of Orchard Garden and the philosophies of the educators discussed so far are
by no means isolated incidents. Music and arts programs have been transforming the lives of
young people around the world for years.
El Sistema is one example of a program that has had great success. Started 33 years
ago in a parking garage, this Venezuelan venture now teaches music to 300,000 children
suffering from poverty that would not have had the opportunity without this organization.
Throughout its existence, it has demonstrated the power of ensemble music to dramatically
change the life trajectory of hundreds of thousands of a nations youth while transforming the
communities around them, according to the organizations website.
El Sistema has reached many children living in poverty, bringing them to a point in
their lives where they can expand their minds through music, using the skills they develop to
paint a brighter future. It has served as a model for countless programs across the United States
with similar aims. A collection of these programs are discussed in this Washington Post article.

Many programs of this type have been implemented in at-risk and high poverty areas in
recent years. This is because research has found that the children with the least access to music
are often those who need it the most. In low-income areas, schools often report having an arts
program that really only consists of a very limited number of low quality instructions, simply to
fulfill a requirement. This creates a need to supplement the existing programs with those from
outside sources that will truly engage and reach children.
One of these is a program that is run by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, known as
OrchKids. This program works to provide music programs for inner city kids who would not
otherwise have access to such an education. Unlike some programs, this organization brings
music programs into the school, so that the students have this experience as part of their regular
school day. This means they do not have to put in any extra time and money to receive the
benefits that music can provide. The program is currently working with about 600 students.
I truly believe that every child is born a genius, filled with endless possibility, said
Marin Alsop, the music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and founding director of
OrchKids. We must have high expectations for children and as long as we have high
expectations and believe they can achieve, they will. They'll step up to the plate each and every
time.
This trust in our youth is vital for the success of our world. Instead of downplaying the
intelligence of young people and forcing them into a mold of standardized test scores for ease
and efficiency, we must challenge them to expand their minds and think creatively. It is the only
way that the leaders of tomorrow will be equipped to tackle the problems ahead of them and
make this world the best it can be.