[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 6, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S1418]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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             RECOGNIZING YOUNG AUDIENCES ARTS FOR LEARNING

 Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I wish to acknowledge the 
60th anniversary of Young Audiences Arts for Learning and commend it 
for its contributions to our Nation's school children. Young Audiences 
is the Nation's leading source of arts-in-education services. Comprised 
of 30 affiliates and 5,000 teaching artists, Young Audiences, in 2011 
alone, reached 5 million children in over 6,000 schools.
  Specifically, I would like to recognize the Young Audiences affiliate 
in my home state of Ohio, Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio, YANEO. 
Serving 18 counties, YANEO has enabled over 2,000 students in urban, 
rural, and suburban Ohio school districts to benefit from arts 
education through more than 7,000 programs during the 2009 2010 school 
year.
  Young Audiences' mission and goal is to help make the arts an 
essential part of education. For this reason, Young Audiences offers 
programs for students throughout the P 16 pipeline. From integrating 
music into a middle school math class to providing poetry writing 
classes for high school students, Young Audiences takes a comprehensive 
and innovative approach toward strengthening students' academic 
experiences.
  According to the Arts Education Partnership, art plays a central role 
in a child's social, emotional, and cognitive development. Over time, 
this can help make students more engaged in school and thus better 
learners.
  Arts education can alter a student's entire school experience. 
Involvement in the arts fosters creativity and problem solving--both of 
which help students during the school day and in their personal lives. 
From helping a student find a new social group, to providing a student 
with a new avenue of achievement, arts-in-education can keep students 
engaged and enrolled in school. Young Audiences has helped numerous 
students get back on track in the classroom and on a path towards 
higher education or the workforce.
  Young Audiences not only plays a valuable role in our classrooms, but 
can benefit entire neighborhoods. Members of the Fullerton School 
community in Cleveland participated in the `Parents as Arts Partners' 
program. With the guidance of a Young Audience artist, community 
members were able to design and install a mural that now brightens the 
Cleveland neighborhood. The experience was so positive for the parents, 
students, and the Fullerton community, they are now looking for funding 
to create another community mural.
  To all the students who participate in Young Audiences, thank you for 
taking a stake in your education and in your community.
  To the teachers and parents like those in the Fullerton community, 
thank you for your commitment to integrating arts throughout your 
students' lives. Even during challenging economic times, you go above 
and beyond your duties to provide your students with a well-rounded 
academic experience.
  And to the dedicated artists of Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio, 
thank you for your service to the students throughout the region. Your 
passion and dedication for the arts will help lead to a new generation 
of artists and musicians--and engaged citizens.
  I am proud to celebrate the work of Young Audiences nationwide. Thank 
you, for your 60 years of service.

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