Throughout my school career, I have been a student and artist simultaneously. Growing up in the world of ballet has helped me be able to develop the important skill of channeling my energy into a something outside of academics, keep my mental stability and creativity in check, and have a community of peers and instructors that care about me and support me. I can’t picture growing up any other way, and that is why I now am always pushing for more arts opportunities within our public school system. Although I am lucky to be as fortunate as I am, I still had hardships throughout my childhood and teenage years, and I still struggle with those hardships. But something that I have noticed about struggles is that they always seem to get better by having some way to express your emotions and to let go. That might be academics for some people, but for me it has been ballet. My parents separated when I was thirteen, and my entire family suffered for almost a year to find a balance of how our lives were going to go with this new and scary change to adapt to. However, I would have …show more content…
Theatre classes, choir, or art classes can be that necessary release for those students. My school only requires one fine art for all four years of high school, but I believe that having that break to think about music, theatre, or visual art is an amazing way to put academic stresses on the back burner for one class period each day. While most kids just see the fine art class as an annoying requirement, it has allowed many students to find or use their artistic passions or at least find a skill that will help them indirectly in academics. Learning to channel your energy in art teaches the mind about the importance of creativity, the value of being a leader and a member of a team, and the old but vital virtue of ‘practice makes