[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 149 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 149

   Expressing support for designation of the week of March 15, 2015, 
 through March 21, 2015, as National Young Audiences Arts for Learning 
                                 Week.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 13, 2015

 Ms. Slaughter (for herself and Ms. Bonamici) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 
                               Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing support for designation of the week of March 15, 2015, 
 through March 21, 2015, as National Young Audiences Arts for Learning 
                                 Week.

Whereas arts education, comprising a rich array of disciplines including dance, 
        music, theatre, media arts, literature design, and visual arts, is a 
        core academic subject and an essential element of a complete and 
        balanced education for all students;
Whereas arts education enables students to develop critical thinking and problem 
        solving skills, imagination and creativity, discipline, alternative ways 
        to communicate and express feelings and ideas, and cross-cultural 
        understanding, which supports academic success nationwide as well as 
        personal growth outside the classroom;
Whereas the nonprofit arts sector is an economic engine and plays a significant 
        role in the economic health of communities large and small with direct 
        expenditures of wages and benefits as well as goods and services;
Whereas to succeed in today's economy, students must masterfully use words, 
        images, sounds, and movement to communicate;
Whereas the Young Audiences Arts for Learning impacts more than 5,000,000 school 
        children annually with valuable arts-in-education programs;
Whereas Young Audiences Arts for Learning presents more than 79,000 arts in 
        education programs to students and teachers;
Whereas Young Audiences Arts for Learning works with over 4,500 professional 
        teaching artists;
Whereas Young Audiences Arts for Learning produces programs in more than 8,900 
        schools and community centers annually;
Whereas Young Audiences Arts for Learning encompasses 30 affiliates across the 
        country, including 25 participating affiliates for 2015 National Young 
        Audiences Arts for Learning Week;
Whereas Young Audiences of Rochester, established in 1962, is upstate New York's 
        oldest and most comprehensive arts-in-education organization, working 
        with over 118,000 students this past year;
Whereas Arts for Learning Indiana offered new career development courses and 
        worked with over 107,000 students in 2014;
Whereas Arts for Learning Miami provided 300 in-depth artist residencies at more 
        than 40 schools, with programming reaching youth from infancy through 
        high school graduation;
Whereas Arts for Learning, Woodruff Arts Center Atlanta, now in its 30th year, 
        provided 1,400 performances, workshops, and residencies to 200,000 
        students;
Whereas Arts Partners, Wichita, Kansas offered almost 1,000 programs to 22,000 
        students;
Whereas Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education worked with 3,500 students in 50 
        Chicago Public Schools;
Whereas COMPAS, St. Paul, in its 46th year, provided creative opportunities for 
        55,000 students;
Whereas Center for Arts-Inspired Learning, Ohio provided 5,700 programs for 
        220,000 children;
Whereas Kansas City Young Audiences, Missouri, the largest nonprofit arts 
        education provider in the region, serving over 114,000 students;
Whereas Think 360 Arts for Learning, Denver worked with almost 25,000 kids 
        across metro-Denver;
Whereas Young Audiences Maryland partnered with every school district in the 
        State to provide programs to almost 180,000 students;
Whereas Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania provided programming 
        to 711 schools serving over 400,000 students;
Whereas Young Audiences New York worked with 170,000 across New York City;
Whereas Young Audiences of Houston hosted the Houston Arts Partners conference 
        for 870 participants, and provided programs to almost 10,000 kids;
Whereas Young Audiences of Louisiana opened its first charter school in 2013, 
        providing a creative educational setting for 400 creative learners;
Whereas Young Audiences of Massachusetts expanded its Horizons Through Music 
        program, offering music and literacy programs to 150 homeless 
        preschoolers;
Whereas Young Audiences of Northeast Texas' 47 teaching artists presented 105 
        programs to 25,000 students across 18 counties in northeast Texas;
Whereas Young Audiences of Oregon & SW Washington celebrated its 55th year by 
        partnering with schools to provide programs to over 300,000 students 
        across the region;
Whereas Young Audiences of Northern California provided programs to more than 
        24,000 students this past year and continued to expand its peer 
        mentorship program;
Whereas Young Audiences of San Diego served over 50,000 students in 120 schools, 
        and continued to grow its Military Family Arts Connection program;
Whereas Young Audiences of Southeast Texas reaches over 28,000 children with 
        arts-in-education programs each year;
Whereas Young Audiences of Virginia, serving over 170,000 students, recently 
        finished collaborating with school districts to redesign in-school 
        programs and strengthen professional development;
Whereas Young Audiences of Western New York worked closely with 100 young 
        people, all of whom had experienced difficulties in their school or 
        communities; and
Whereas the week of March 15, 2015, through March 21, 2015, would be an 
        appropriate week to designate as National Young Audiences Arts for 
        Learning Week: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of National Young Audiences 
        Arts for Learning Week;
            (2) honors and recognizes the contributions which Young 
        Audiences Arts for Learning programs have made in enriching the 
        lives of students, teachers, volunteers, families, and 
        communities and pays tribute to arts in education and its 
        contribution to society; and
            (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
        National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Week with 
        appropriate ceremonies and activities that promote awareness of 
        the role that arts in education plays in enriching the 
        education of young people and enriching United States society 
        as a whole.
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