Letters to the Editor for Monday, March 15, 2010

Arts more crucial than you may think
I am a sophomore at E.C. Glass High School. I attended two schools for innovation, Dunbar Middle School and T.C. Miller Elementary School. Throughout my years of education in Lynchburg City Schools, the arts programs have impacted my life.

I was fortunate to be a part of the T.C. Miller grant for innovation which gave us pianos for a piano lab and I was able to learn piano at the age of 5. Then I continued to embrace the arts and I began the Suzuki method in first grade with the help of Nancy Koes. In middle school, Jeff Scruggs took me under his wing and taught me the oboe, which has been by far one of the greatest experiences in my life. By doing chorus, band, orchestra, and theater, I learned how to multi-task, something important to know as a high school student.

As I continued on to high school, I kept up with chorus and band. Unfortunately, there had been a situation involving the RIF (Reduction in Force) policy last year. My band teacher, Jenny Lipford, was cut from being the assistant band teacher and was sent to teach chorus at Linkhorne Middle School. We have felt the effects of this decision and we are continuing to feel these effects as we go through the District Festival in these next few weeks.

Nancy Volk-Stalcup is by far one of the most impressive chorus directors that I have ever met. She has been teaching for 25 years and at E.C. Glass for nine. We had 15 students go to all-district chorus, and we had two students make it into the all-Virginia choir this year. Without her guidance, we would be at a loss. Not many people think about this fact, but chorus is by far one of the cheapest run music programs. You don’t need to rent or buy an instrument, music, reeds or any type of cleaning supplies. All that you need is your voice and your $20 performance attire rental, that is if you go to Glass.

According to the No Child Left Behind Act’s definition of core subjects, English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics/government, economics, arts, history and geography are all core classes. It does not state that physical education, health or driver’s education are core classes. Every year we have a large number of students to graduate and decide that they want to be music majors at great schools like JMU, VCU, Shenandoah University and several renowned conservatories. I know that when I graduate, I want to study music therapy and share one of the things that I love with the world.

The budget decision is difficult at this moment in time. It is difficult to have to say “no” to some programs, but I want other students to have this great experience that I have been fortunate to have had. Please continue to support the arts and please recognize the amazing work of those involved in the arts on a day to day basis. Lynchburg would be as colorless, bland, and as boring as ever without theater, chorus, band and orchestra programs in the city.

MARY ELLEN GOLCHESKI
Lynchburg