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AEI Needs You! Today is Arts Day at the West Virginia Legislature!
01/25/2010
Appalachian Education Initiative (AEI), which is a statewide organization and the West Virginia Affiliate of the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network (KCAAEN).
AEI is participating in Arts Day at the Capitol today, in order to advocate for its critical work – which is to support arts education in our public schools.
Since its inception in 2001, the Appalachian Education Initiative (AEI) has been dedicated to ensuring that quality arts education should be a central part of the education of every public school student in West Virginia. The Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network (KCAAEN is a coalition of statewide non-profit organizations working in partnership with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to support policies, practices, programs and partnerships that ensure the arts are an essential part of American K-12 education.
We have a lot of evidence that learning in, through, and about the arts is beneficial. From an education standpoint,
- Studies show that students who participate in the arts earn better grades, perform better on standardized tests and have higher graduation rates than their peers.
- Arts activities promote growth in positive social skills including self-confidence, self-control, conflict resolution, empathy and social tolerance.
- Research evidence demonstrates these benefits apply to all students, not just the gifted and talented.
- Critical thinking, problem solving, and teamwork are also skills considered key for success in our global economy –and- are all skills that can be learned through the arts.
From an economic development standpoint, nationally, the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $166.2 billion in economic activity every year—$63.1 billion in spending by organizations and an additional $103.1 billion in event-related spending by their audiences.
Check out AEI on the web – www.aeiarts.org – and please take the opportunity to become a member by either signing up online or by visiting their informational table in the rotunda and signing a “Pledge of Support” form.
Call your Delegate and/or Senator, and encourage their support of the arts in our public schools! Their contact information can be found at the following links: West Virginia Senate: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Senate1/members/senmemview.cfm
West Virginia House: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/House/members/delmemview1.cfm
By supporting the arts today - specifically arts education – we are creating a better tomorrow for West Virginia.
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