Transcript The Benefits of the Performing Arts PRESENTATION

The Benefits of the Performing
Arts
Somer Bjork
Driving Question
• Describe what happens when children are
introduced to the performing arts at a younger
age and how it affects their success later in life.
Thesis Statement
• When children are introduced to the performing
arts, they are more likely to be accepted to a
university, more likely to be accepted in society,
more likely to be considered role models in their
community, and they are more likely to achieve
higher grades in school.
Interesting Facts
• Students with or more than three years of in-school
arts instruction scored remarkably higher on tests
based on creative thinking, an important life skill to
carry on through life (Champions of Change 3).
Interesting Facts
Figure 1: Comparisons of High Arts vs. Low Arts
Students in Grade 8
Low Arts Involvement
Students
High Arts Involvement
Students
Grade 8 Students
Scoring As and Bs
64.2%
79.2%
Scoring in the Top 2
Testing Quartiles
45%
72.5%
Consider Themselves
to be Bored in School
>50% of the Time
45.9%
37.9%
Successes and Challenges: Paper
• Successes
• Majority of paper was
finished during
sophomore year; only a
few revisions were
necessary.
• Valuable resources –
Champions of Change
and ArtsConnection
• Challenges
• Meeting the length
requirement – quality vs.
quantity.
• Last-minute additions;
changing citations from
MLA to APA.
Interest
• Personally involved in local
theatres such as New Bern Civic
Theatre and Rivertowne Rising
Stars.
• President of Troupe #7777 of
the International Thespian
Society.
Product
• Assistant Directed
“The 25th Annual
Putnam County
Spelling Bee.”
• Rehearsals started in
November, show
ended in February.
• Director – John Van
Dyke
Behind the Scenes
Behind the Scenes: Video
Promotionals
Impact of Product
Impact on Me:
- Knowledge on managing a cast and being on
production team, increased organizational skills,
communication skills increased, strengthened bond
between cast.
Impact on Others:
- Being the only high-school student in a cast and
crew of adults made it a worthwhile challenge to earn
equal respect both as a group of peers as an equal
and respect as an assistant director.
Connection
• Because I am a high-school student, I was be
able to experience the mental, physical, and
social benefits of being directly included in a
theatrical production.
• Because I am of such a young age taking on the
job of assistant director in one of the town's
largest theatre groups, I am considered a role
model to younger students of theatre.
Successes and Challenges: Product
• Successes
• Experience on
production board
• Impact on others
• Overall connection
with cast
• Improved relations
with local directors
• Addition to resume
• Challenges
• Becoming close with an
adult cast
• Preparing the set on
time
• Unreliable stage
managers and crew so
that the assistant
directors were required
to step in
Future Plans
• Internship at Camp Broadway with Rivertowne
Rising Stars
• UNCSA Summer Intensive for Drama
• Summer productions (Cabaret? RENT?)
• 2013 Season at NBCT and RRS
• Elon University to major in Musical Theatre with
a minor in Elementary Education
Works Cited
Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved
December 7, 2011, from The GE Fund, The John D. and Catherine T.
MacartherFoundatio website: http://artsedge.kennedycenter.org/champions/pdfs/ChampsReport.pdf
Involvement in the Arts and Success in Secondary School.(n.d.). Retrieved
December 10, 2011, from Americans for the Arts website:
http://www.americansforthearts.org/NAPD/files/9393/Involvement%20in%
20the%20Arts%20and%20Success%20in%20Secondary%20School%20('98).
pdf
Fretz, J. (2005, July 15). Arts for...Everything's Sake. Retrieved December 10,
2011, from Children's Music Workshop website:
http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/advocacy/artsforeverthing.html
Questions?