Kaitlin Fritz: Arts provides essential skills

In the Nov. 10 news article “Less money leads to fewer arts offerings in Wake County,” I believe the reporter unearthed an important problem that usually goes unnoticed.

Music and art in schools not only allows students to express their creativity and personality but also enables students to break from the myopic view of education.

Though academia is fundamental, schools should enable students to explore all avenues of knowledge during their educational experience.

It is startling to see that many students, because of their geographic location in Wake County, will not have the opportunity to participate in the arts.

As a student who participated in orchestra growing up, I learned that playing the viola gave me skills beyond music education. Orchestra teaches teamwork, discipline and tenacity, and I believe that students should have the opportunity to gain similar experiences.

This story was originally published November 14, 2015 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Kaitlin Fritz: Arts provides essential skills."