BWW Fan Girl: Olivia Hardy On Why Arts Programs Should Not Be Cut From Schools

Miss our exciting announcement about Olivia Hardy joining the BroadwayWorld.com as an intern writer, teen correspondent and @BWWFanGirl? Click Here. Today Olivia reports on the need for school arts programs.

How many times have you heard about schools having budget cuts? Pretty often, right?

What's usually the one thing the cuts are made from? That's right, arts programs. Some schools even go as far as to cut all arts programs from their schools completely. This includes choirs, bands, theatrical performances, visual arts classes, etc.

While many school boards and directors think arts program cuts are worth the sacrifice, studies suggest very different. Arts programs should not be cut by schools/school systems because they are a beneficial necessity to students and deserve to be utilized just as much as any other extracurricular program.

Usually and unfortunately the number one reason why arts programs are cut is because anything artistic is not seen as a practical career. "You'll never get a job doing that, you'll never be able to provide for yourself," we've all heard it before. Arts programs are cut because society doesn't think they're important in a practical lifestyle, but that's not exactly true.

Yes, there is a very slim chance that young artists will make it big and famous, but research has shown that children participating in arts programs such as choir and band cause positive effects on brain growth and development. Actually, students learn to use vital 21st century skills participating in these programs which are very essential to employers. Skills such as project management, team building, effective time administration, leadership, cooperation, collaboration and many more are all incorporated in these programs.

So, even if a child doesn't make it to be the next Tom Cruise, the skills they have earned through these programs can be beneficial to them in the "practical" work field anyway.

While arts programs continue to get cut because they aren't deemed important, programs that never seem to get cut from are sports programs. If we were to stay on this topic of occupation practicality, according to statistics, only 2.9 percent of male high school basketball players make it into the NCAA and out of those players, only 1.3 percent get drafted into the NBA. The chances of female high school basketball players getting drafted into the WNBA is only 0.02 percent.

High school football players only have about a 5.8 percent chance of getting to play NCAA football and of those players, only 2.0 percent actually get drafted into the NFL.

Amongst other near-impossible numbers, you can see that having a future as a professional athlete is extremely unlikely for the general public. Also, any injury an athlete can encounter can ruin their whole sports career or lifelong physical ability, subsequently deeming themselves useless in the professional leagues.

If we're to discuss the topic of practicality career wise, a future in sports is just as "dim" as a future in the arts, yet one is still considered inferior. Perhaps creativity is being seen as "dangerous" or "threatening" to our thinking-inside-the-box-like society.

This observation is not to be viewed as one that bashes sports players with dreams in any way. Each and every dream is valid no matter what it may be, however with that being said, each and every dream should be given the chance to blossom in every way it can which means keeping those opportunities there for those who want or need it.

Finally, I have reached my final and most vital point; need. Arts programs have been known to keep countless children off the streets. Sure, sports have also kept children off the streets, but if they don't have the physical ability to make it onto the team, or just aren't good, where else can they go? Arts programs are full of all kinds of people from all walks of life who all have different stories that they are given a chance to express through art. It's one of the most accepting communities and seen as a safe haven for kids who don't really have anything else.

As someone who is heavily involved in the arts and who knows people also heavily involved, most of us see it an an escape. In theatre, you get to be someone completely different from yourself, living in a different world on a stage for a couple hours.

For painting and other visual arts, you can show others a world through your eyes on a canvas or on a screen in hopes that they might understand your mind just as much as you do. For musicians, music is a way to escape the outside world as their symphonies take you away to new heights and new emotions.

The arts are something that people can easily become passionate about, especially kids who don't have much else to turn to. Take that away from them and they don't have anything left.

Kids will be back on the streets and unfortunately getting involved in things they definitely should not be associated with. Schools need arts programs if one of the biggest rules for our education system is to provide and help children across the county.

So now I ask you, is it really worth it to cut these programs? I understand that money must be saved and cuts do have to be made, but perhaps we could cut a little from EACH extracurricular program as a compromise.

We pressure our kids into choosing what they want to do with their lives at an early age of 17, so we should provide them with as many options as possible and it starts with what is provided in our schools.

The arts are more than useful when it comes to providing for kids in need. Think about it.

To read Olivia's previous articles, click here and here. Follow Olivia on Twitter, here.