A wise man once said that he would “teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning.”
Who was this wise man?
Plato. His message is as relevant today as it was during the classical period of Greece, when by some accounts he founded the first institution of higher learning. Today, in the Chula Vista Elementary School District, we celebrate our selection as a 2018 “Best Communities for Music Education” district honoree. This designation by the non-profit NAMM Foundation honors our commitment to music education for all students. We, too, discovered that “music and all the arts” are the keys to learning.
Chula Vista’s arts renaissance began in 2010. The San Diego Youth Symphony (SDYS) and Conservatory piloted an after-school program called “Community Opus” in two of our schools, then six more soon followed. The success of Community Opus served as the catalyst for the re-instatement of Visual and Performing Arts as part of the school day, including the hiring of now 86 full-time certified music and arts educators.
The NAMM Foundation, in cooperation with researchers at University of Kansas, examined information about hundreds of schools and school districts across the nation to identify those, like ours, who are making investments in arts education. Founded in 2006, the NAMM Foundation represents the generosity and philanthropy of the music products industry, in large part through its supporting trade group organization, the National Association of Music Merchants.
As Superintendent, I see first-hand how our students and their families are benefitting from music education—in more ways than meet the eyes, or the ears. A student’s family is at the heart of what we do in our schools. Our families are more engaged in our schools now because of our partnership with the San Diego Youth Symphony and other arts organizations that followed. When students perform, mother, father, sister, brother and even the abuelitos are in the audience. Parent attendance is our opportunity to involve them in activities, and let them know how important they are to our academic programs, our school committees—our mission in educating the whole child.
Arts instruction prepares young people for success in the 21st century workplace, fostering collaboration, communication, critical-thinking, and creativity. These are essential skills students needs to successfully participate in the information-based society of tomorrow.
Leading research continues to demonstrate that music education builds skills which span a lifetime, enriching our children beyond their school years. After two years of music education, researchers found that participants showed larger improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores than their less-involved peers, and that students who are involved in music are not only more likely to graduate high school, but also to attend college as well.
The research supports what I see as Superintendent. I hear from students and families over and over about their love of VAPA. Music is an essential part of their lives, and I couldn’t be prouder of the students, parents and teachers in our community who recognize that the cognitive, social, and behavioral benefits of music education are designed to last a lifetime. Just as Plato said.
Francisco Escobedo, Ed.D., is Superintendent of the Chula Vista Elementary School District.
