This week we celebrate the Arts in Education!  Research has proven that through the arts, young people acquire invaluable cognitive abilities and social skills including problem solving and perseverance.  These skills prepare them for the rigors of college, careers, and life in the 21^st century.  Sadly, not all schools have the these programs as part of the curriculum.  According to the Department of Education, “1.3 million elementary students attended schools where no music learning occurred and 3.9 million students, in nearly 20 percent of America’s elementary schools, lacked the opportunity to paint, sculpt or draw a picture. Only 20 % of schools offer theater or dance.”  In more than 40 percent of our nation’s secondary schools, students can graduate without taking a single arts course. Read more