“When I examine myself and my method of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing knowledge.” ~Albert Einstein

“Art and Music are the drugs of choice for thousands of kids. If we expect them to just say no to a chemical high, we must recognize the healing alternative, their own creativity. Demand and support the real anti-drug program – Arts in education.” ~Fred Babb in “What is Art?”

“When we teach a child to sing or play the flute, we teach her how to listen. When we teach her to draw, we teach her to see. When we teach a child to dance, we teach him about his body and about space, and when he acts on stage, he learns about character and motivation. When we teach a child design, we reveal the geometry of the world. When we teach children about the folk and traditional arts and the great masterpieces of the world,we teach them to celebrate their roots and find their own place in history.” ~Jane Alexander

“When I examine myself and my method of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing knowledge.” ~Albert Einstein

“I can honestly say I would have been a mess without an escape from reality day by day. Many times I would hate being home. The music room in the school was my real home." ~Everardo Garcia

"I don't think I'd have been president if I didn't have the gift of school music when I was a boy. We cannot let music disappear from our schools."~ Pres. Bill Clinton VH1 Save the Music 10th Annual Gala, USA Today.

“The importance of the arts in No Child Left Behind is clear. They’re an important part of a well-rounded, complete education for every student. The knowledge and skills that learning in the arts imparts uniquely equip young persons for life.
What’s more, combining music, art, dance, and drama with subjects such as math, reading, and language can be highly effective, enhancing student engagement and increasing academic achievement.”
~Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary of Education

“The arts are a major area of human cognition, one of the ways in which we know about the world and express our knowledge. Much of what is said in the arts cannot be said in another way. To withhold artistic means of understanding is as much malpractice as to withhold mathematics... Since schools traditionally develop only linguistic and logical/mathematical skills, they are missing an enormous opportunity to develop the whole child.”~Dr. Howard Gardner, Harvard Graduate School of Education www.artworksforkids.org/

“From music and dance to painting and sculpting, the arts allow us to explore new worlds and to view life from another perspective....[they] encourage individuals to sharpen their skills and abilities and to nurture their imagination and intellect.” ~President George W. Bush, 2004, “Key Policy Letters Signed by the EducationSecretary or Deputy Secretary” www.artworksforkids.org/

"We celebrate the creativity of America's young people and the willingness of our cultural community to invest in making every child's life a work of art." ~ First Lady Laura Bush, Honorary Chair, President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, Coming Up Taller Awards 2001

“We have never discovered a culture on this planet-past or present-that doesn’t have music, art and dance.”~David Sousa

“The quality of civilization can be measured through its music, dance, drama, architecture, visual art, and literature. We must give our children knowledge and understanding of civilization’s most profound works.”~Ernest L. Boyer