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Celebrating Youth Art Month Your family and friends are invited to an “artist’s reception” Saturday, March 23rd from 11 am– noon at Otter Creek Custom Framing 3 Park Street in Middlebury This event is in honor of the young artists whose prints and drawings are on display at OCCF throughout March in celebration of “Youth Art Month”. *****Artist’s families, please RSVP: [email protected] What is Youth Art Month? Youth Art Month is an annual national observance each March to emphasize the value of art education for all children and to encourage support for quality school art programs. Why Promote Art Education? Art education develops self-esteem, appreciation of the work of others, self-expression, cooperation with others, and critical thinking skills, skills vital to the success of our future leaders — our children. In “The Nation and the Arts,” a Presidential briefing paper prepared by the Independent Committee on Arts Policy, it was stated: “Well-developed programs of making and studying art serve many functions. They help students better articulate their perceptions and shape coherent responses to their experiences. When children learn to appreciate form and color…when they learn the importance of fashioning their own images of the world around them, they achieve greater discipline and self confidence. Further, the arts have extrinsic public value as they are increasingly important to this nation’s economy.”Art education does a lot of great things. Yet, art education is often wrongly considered a “fringe” program. In reality, it provides students skills they will need as adults. Art education develops self-esteem and self expression, as well as appreciation for the work of others. It also develops critical thinking skills that will be important as children continue their education and as they enter the working world. Our fast-changing environment will require that future leaders – today’s children – be creative and imaginative in problem-solving. These skills are learned best by students involved in art. We can make a world of difference for our children by keeping art in schools. Support art and art education! |