Q: Why are the arts so important in school?
A: “The arts cultivate right-brain as well as left-brain skills such as empathy, synthesis and creativity. Empathy leads to leadership and is all about relating and connecting with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering. Synthesis is bringing different left-brain fields of information together and forming a symphonic and creative solution to all problems, especially those encountered by people’s relationships. These skills are necessary for attaining management jobs of the future as we move from the ‘information age’ to the ‘conceptual age.’”

Q: How do you see the arts affect your students?
A: “Students in arts programs score well above their peers on SAT exams.  In a recent study, SAT takers who studied the arts for four years scored 53 and 37 points higher on verbal and math respectively. These students also become leaders since the arts utilize both hemispheres of the brain and are focused on production. Their self-confidence is also greatly bolstered by the analytical and sociological skills.”