The Importance of Performing Arts in High School

BY LEA GREEN GJHS JOURNALIST

Walking through the halls and seeing all the flyers that support the musical and performing arts we have here at GJHS sparks an interesting question in my mind. Even though there are signs posted in the halls, what are the benefits students get from joining them?  Does your school have any form of performing arts?

Even if your school doesn’t, you might want to keep reading this article. There have been many studies proven to show that students grow more as both a student and a person when involved in these classes. As most of you know, teenagers in today’s society have more stress than usual, whether it be drama in school, social media, family, etc. So, why do kids still go out of their way to perform in these activities?

According tothe site Washington Christian, students who participate in performing arts are more proficient in reading, math, and writing. Isn’t that amazing?  Just being involved can boost you further in your everyday classes in school. That’s just one benefit of having these at your high school. It also says that students have an easier time taking instruction from adults and learn to respect authority.

The site Arts for Life, explains why. “Arts are so important, particularly in a child’s education.” In further detail, it explains, “In a well-documented national study using a federal database of over 25,000 middle and high school students, researchers from the University of California at LA found that students with high arts involvement performed better on standardized achievement tests than students with low arts involvement.”

Being involved in the arts can allow you to grow not only as a person, but as a student, too. I suggest that if your high school or middle school offers you any performing arts, to get involved and start taking advantage of the great opportunities that you are able to achieve. Also, if your school doesn’t offer any performing arts you can start your own club or organization through the school if you talk to your principal and school board for permission. There are some major benefits that come from being involved in performing arts, and to any high school student that is too nervous or doesn’t have it available to them,don’t let that stop you from getting these benefits.