I am a strong believer in the fine arts. Yeah, that sounds a little free-love and Woodstock, but honestly. I really do think that it’s the best way to express the way you feel. That’s why everyone at HHS should have to take some sort of fine arts class every year.

Think about it. Now, students who are in all AP’s and no electives and Governors School and dual-enrollment and honors classes have absolutely no time to relax and (cliche) feel something. Music classes have been proven to help you in other areas- they improve your thinking, listening and even your test taking skills. Most colleges even say that being a well-rounded student helps you through the admissions process. People need to take their education seriously, of course, but once we graduate there aren’t nearly as many opportunities for arts.

Everybody in the entire world has the ability to be musical or dramatic or artistic, and there’s no reason we shouldn’t be. At HHS we even have the benefit of allowing our fine arts classes to be Honors credits, making it no detriment to anyone’s GPA. Since there are so many different arts classes (dance, mac-music, jazz theory, regular music theory, band, choir, art, creative writing- honestly it’s endless) legitimately everyone has to be able to find something that they like.

The major benefit from arts classes is that is makes you better at everything. Studies show that musicians are better at math (although I would beg to differ) and that arts kids are, obviously, more creative in their english classes. Basically being good at the arts makes you good at everything. Even just doing them makes you achieve more.

Since there are absolutely no detriments to taking arts classes, everybody should. We could all use a little Woodstock- it’s only high school anyways.