Prioritize Arts Education 17/31 #sol17

“I wanna be like yooooooouuu” sang an amazing cast of the Jungle Book at the elementary school where I worked the longest at.  The cast of third, fourth, and fifth graders looked adorable in impressive animal face paint and costumes with a great set design and fantastic acting and singing. I was blown away by the quality of the performance. It’s hard to believe that the whole thing was put together by a small group of teachers in their “spare time”.

As I watched the performance, so many emotions crept across my face as one giant smile while I bounced and swayed to the music (and to keep baby asleep in my wrap). I felt pride, amazement, a twinge of jealousy (I used to love Children’s Theater and now I’m too old!), and pure enchantment at the way so many of my former Kindergarten students have blossomed into incredible children. These former students had me singing along and really finding so much truth in the lyrics, “I wanna walk like you, talk like you toooo!”

I can’t help but think that this is exactly the proof that our current leaders of this country need to prioritize government funding for the arts (not to mention PUBLIC education!). If they could only see what I’ve seen today: A quiet almost shy little kindergarten boy who is now the lead in a major Disney production singing and dancing and remembering lines like the best Hollywood and Broadway performers out there! Who knew he had it in him?

Today was just one of many moments where I remembered how valuable it is to remember children as whole and not just mathematicians, readers, and writers.