Little Mermaid Cast Picture—Washington School

It was clearly evident Friday night, February 15, 2013, to all of those who attended the Washington School musical, “The Little Mermaid”, that the entire community should be proud of the staff and students of their schools for the promotion of the arts in their educational experience.   The awesome abilities of the staff of the District in supporting and training the students for the musical were self evident in the quality of the performance by the students.  Clearly, the evening would not have been such a success without the commitment and skill of the educators in preparing the students to perform.

The community should be very thankful and appreciative for the opportunities that have been afforded to the students who attend Schiller Park School District 81.

What is the value of the arts education that the District has made available to our children ?

An “arts education” brings every subject to life and turns abstractions into concrete reality.   Research demonstrates that students who receive their education in an artistically promoted environment:

• are more prepared for the global workforce as adults
• increase their academic success
• have higher self esteem
• achieve higher test scores
• develop higher success rates in group collaborations

The District needs to be recognized and thanked for encouraging the students’ creative and artistic expression, and development of interest in visual arts, music, dance and drama.   The Board of Education has done an excellent job of supplying the resources to achieve this significant success.

Finally, the children of the District have truly distinguished themselves in their performance and their commitment to excellence.