ART with MEYERS: District Arts Celebration Exhibit

Friday, January 20, 2017

District Arts Celebration Exhibit

On January 19, 2017, our District Arts Celebration included works of art by children of our sending districts.Thank you to the art teachers who participated in this special event: Ms. Robin Niemis of Frankford Twp. Elementary School, Ms. Karen Johnson of Lafayette Elementary School, Ms. Tery Castriovanni of Clifton E. Lawrence Elementary School and Wantage Elementary School, and Ms. Regina Hagemann of Sussex Wantage Middle School. It was really neat to see the work of the younger children displayed along with the high school students' work.

I took my students on a 'class trip' to the lobby to see the artwork from the very schools that most had attended. It was very special to hear them reminisce about their former art teachers and art classes.

In the lower left-hand corner is artwork by my niece, first-grader Victoria Meyers

'Cubist Cat' by my niece, third-grader Grace Meyers

The Power of Art Education

All children, not only those with specific artistic talent, benefit from an education in the arts. The arts are, in themselves, a vital part of a comprehensive education. Current research suggests that young people who participate in the arts acquire skills that help them in decision making, problem solving, critical thinking, and teamwork. The arts also help motivate children to learn and achieve stronger results in core academic subjects. For some children, the arts even provide the impetus to stay in school and find their way to contribute to society. Creative thinking and art education challenge students to utilize the right-hemisphere of the brain more often, resulting in more holistic thinking and intuitive learning.