#BecauseOfFineArts Story Spotlight

Proud mom with dancers

#BecauseOfFineArts

As a fine arts advocate, I know the data: arts education boosts test scores, strengthens the brain, and prepares students for the workforce. But numbers only tell part of the story. What really moves people are personal experiences. 

So here’s mine…

Growing up as the daughter of an Air Force pilot, I moved often. Band gave me an instant family in every new place. By the time I graduated, I had attended three different high schools in three states—but I always found a “band family” before school started. Through music, I found belonging, discipline, and lifelong friends. I even met my husband in the University of Texas Longhorn Band. Most of us didn’t become musicians, but the skills we gained—time management, communication, collaboration—shaped our careers in countless fields.

Naturally, I assumed my children might follow my musical path. Instead, they became dancers—and I became a drill team mom. I loved every minute of it.

Their journey, however, looked different. The pressure to pack high school schedules with AP and STEM classes was intense. At a 4th-grade parent meeting, we were even told, “Your child won’t have a job without a STEM degree.” Despite that climate, both of my daughters chose dance because it was what they loved. My youngest even triple-blocked dance as a drill team officer.

Then came college applications. What we discovered is that universities value more than just AP credits and specific career classes. They look for leadership, passion, and commitment outside of academics. My oldest earned acceptance to the top accounting program in the country, despite taking only one business elective in high school. She now advises business students at a major university and teaches dance on the side. My youngest, a neuroscience honors student at the University of Texas, also teaches and performs dance when she’s not in a lab. Both say the arts keep them balanced and focused—and both credit dance for building skills they continue to use in their careers.

Of course, not every student has the same access to fine arts. Where you live, what you can afford, and what your school district prioritizes all matter. That’s why I started Parents for Arts Education: to help ensure fine arts courses remain available to every child, everywhere.

The future workforce will demand skills we can’t yet predict. Fine arts education equips students with the creativity, resilience, and adaptability they need—no matter their path.

That’s my #BecauseOfFineArts story. What’s yours?

👉 Share your story and join us at Parents for Arts Education: parentsforartseducation.org

Go to www.parentsforartseducation.org and share your #becauseoffinearts stories…