SALT LAKE CITY Friends of Art Works for Kids today announced the wrap-up of a successful statewide tour in 31 communities with the 53 schools that are participating in the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program. Organizers rallied support from parents and educators of 30,000 elementary school children who will be affected, signing up nearly 10,000 to urge state legislators to continue funding.
Launched Sept. 22 with a whistle-stop tour and a new user-friendly Web site, Friends of Art Works for Kids is a grassroots organization promoting an education program that places arts specialists in elementary schools. The arts specialists work in a highly structured partnership with classroom teachers to improve the understanding of the core subjects: math, science, language arts and social studies.
The state legislature funded the program for four years in 2008 and named it after long-time arts education advocate and Art Works for Kids founder Beverley Taylor Sorenson. However in 2009, legislators cut 37 percent of the money. Gov. Gary Herbert’s proposed budget includes funding for a third year, but legislators must approve it during the upcoming 2010 legislative session.
“We appreciate Gov. Herbert’s support of the program,” said Sorenson. “And we are thankful for the leadership legislators have showed in the past. We are asking them to please find a way to continue this program that is so important for Utah schoolchildren.”
Studies and anecdotal evidence strongly suggest test scores for core curriculum subjects go up and behavior problems go down when grade school children receive an integrated arts education. The legislature’s original one-time, four-year funding was intended to allow educators sufficient time to scientifically document the program’s results in 53 public schools around the state.
“From St. George to Brigham City, we met with thousands of parents and educators from every school that will be affected,” said Lisa Cluff, director of Friends of Art Works for Kids. “They expressed how important arts specialists are for their children’s level of achievement and interest in learning. It was inspiring to see how each school finds unique ways to integrate arts into the core curriculum.
“We appreciate the legislators’ foresight in providing the funding and anticipate their continued support for the coming year,” said Cluff. “We hope citizens from across the state will join us by speaking up and telling their legislators how important this program is to them and their children.”
To join Friends of Art Works for Kids, visit: www.artworksforkids.org. Individuals may also contact their legislators directly through the site at www.artworksforkids.org/find-your-legislators.
About Friends of Art Works for Kids
Friends of Art Works for Kids is a grassroots initiative created to ensure that Utah’s school children receive the benefits of high-quality, integrated arts instruction through the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program. Using the Art Works for Kids teaching model, the program integrates art into the core curriculum, effectively increasing student performance in every subject—from language arts and social studies to math and science.