Deseret News: Opinion-“Every Utah School Child Deserves Arts Education”

It’s well documented that the arts have positive impacts on a child’s mental, social and physical health

It’s the opinion of many that every Utah school child deserves an arts education. According to
Crystal Young-Otterstrom, executive director of the Utah Cultural Alliance, students are “more
likely to be civically engaged, or more likely to graduate and more likely to have higher grades
when they participate in arts and humanities education, and so it greatly, greatly benefits all
Utahns. It’s quality of life, but it is also life.” Since 2008, the Utah State Board of Education has
implemented the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program to hire arts educators in
select K-6 schools across the state. However, currently, less than half of Utah’s K-6 kids have
the arts as part of their education. Sorenson’s dream — to assure every child in Utah receives
an education rich in the arts — is taking a giant leap forward as the board works with legislators to
fully fund the program and hire qualified arts educators in all K-6 schools.

To access the full article in the Deseret News click HERE.