It is no secret that the Fine Arts Department at ETHS offers many opportunities for all students in music, theatre, and visual arts. What is not clear, however, is just how much of an impact this department has on all students– even those with no affiliation with the arts.

Whether you took Theatre I as a freshman for the arts credit or have been in YAMO for four years, the arts have probably affected your social and academic high school experiences more than you know.

According to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, or NASAA, requiring students to fulfill some sort of art-based requirement improves scores in all core subjects. This growth reportedly comes because of an often-subconscious improvement in confidence and interpersonal skills developed in an art-based course.

More importantly, the variety of arts classes at our school allows for our high school experience to become much more independent and individualized that many other schools, creating a variety of different creative channels for our students.

When we are allowed to watch the hard work of our peers come to life in a production like YAMO, we are given a unique glimpse into the creative minds of students that we may never have spoken to.

Similar to how a school can rally behind a sports team, the amount of exposure given to the arts at ETHS creates a unique bond between students, even if not immediately obvious. By being shown the work of our peers, it allows for a new perspective to be cultivated within the student body.

This is an aspect of school that will likely disappear in college. Never again will you be able to take in the work of your peers as much as we are able to at ETHS– appreciate it while it lasts.