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 California State PTA Online Newsletter                                   January 2010

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In This Issue
Fort Ord Musical Planting Event
Help PTA bring back the arts
Public service announcements
California Museum
EdTA Student Essay Competition

Offbeat Ways to Celebrate the Arts



Bluegrass and native grasses will be the order of the day January 23 at the annual Fort Ord Public Lands Musical Volunteer Planting. Local musicians will serenade volunteers while they plant approximately 800 native plants.

 

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SMARTS is California State PTA's program to encourage arts education. Please spread the word about the benefits of arts education.
Help PTA bring back the arts

Did you receive your free copy of the Carol Channing arts public service announcements (PSAs)?  The state office still has copies available.  The PSAs, which feature Channing and many other celebrities, are a great resource to help PTA bring back the arts.  More and more schools are cutting arts education.  Decisions made by your school board determine whether your children will benefit from a quality education that includes the arts.  Share the PSAs with your parents and elected officials to show why the arts are so critical to learning. To request a free DVD, please e-mail [email protected].

Two new radio public service announcements promote arts in education to the Spanish-speaking community

Click here to listen to Fourth District PTA member Laura Zuchovicki speaking about the importance of arts for a complete education.
Here is the approximate English translation.

Since my daughter started her singing class at school, she has changed a lot. She is more expressive, and I notice she feels more confident, her self-esteem has grown. ... Art classes help our children to build up their self-esteem and increase their social skills. ... Join California PTA in its efforts to make sure every child has access to arts education. ... Let�s work together. ... Our kids deserve a complete education in our public schools.


Click here to listen to California State PTA board member David Heredia speak about how arts education helps children to learn more in every subject. Here is the approximate English translation.

Music lights up our spirits. ... Our children learn easily at school if they participate in arts programs. ... A public education should include the arts. ... Join California PTA in its efforts to make sure every child has access to arts education. ... Our kids deserve a complete education. ... This message was brought to you by California PTA.


California Museum

Did you know that each month the California Museum offers a new "artifact of the month" with fact sheets, activity sheets and questions.  Although the activities are planned for classrooms, parents can also download the materials to use at home with their students.  Check out the "artifact of the month" here.  The California Museum's website also offers trivia games and other exciting learning opportunities for your student.

Educational Theatre Association

 

Educational Theatre Association Accepting Submissions for Second Annual Student Essay Competition 

 

The Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) is accepting submissions for its second annual Arts Education Student Essay Competition: "How creativity can change the world."  The winner and a chaperone will receive $1,500 toward expenses to attend Arts Advocacy Day, sponsored by Americans for the Arts, April 12-13, 2010 in Washington, D.C.   

 

"Young people are uniquely qualified to speak about the value of arts education," says EdTA Executive Director Michael J. Peitz. "They can most passionately and articulately express the meaning that arts education has in their lives. EdTA is pleased that students want to express the importance of arts education to lawmakers and do so in our nation's capital. The EdTA Arts Education Student Essay Competition provides them with this opportunity."  Essays must be submitted by e-mail no later than February 15, 2010.

 

For more information, go to the EdTA website.

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