Title: Expressing support for designation of the weeks of April 9, 2017, through April 22, 2017, as National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Weeks.
Policy area: Education

Summary:

Expresses support for the designation of National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Weeks. (Young Audiences Arts for Learning is a nonprofit organization that presents arts-in-education programs to students and teachers.)

Honors the contributions that Young Audiences Arts for Learning programs have made in enriching the lives of students, teachers, volunteers, families, and communities.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 251 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 251

   Expressing support for designation of the weeks of April 9, 2017, 
 through April 22, 2017, as National Young Audiences Arts for Learning 
                                 Weeks.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 5, 2017

Ms. Slaughter (for herself, Mr. Payne, Ms. Bonamici, and Ms. McCollum) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                     on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing support for designation of the weeks of April 9, 2017, 
 through April 22, 2017, as National Young Audiences Arts for Learning 
                                 Weeks.

Whereas arts education, comprising a rich array of disciplines including dance, 
        music, theatre, media arts, literature, design, and visual arts, is an 
        essential element of a complete and well-rounded education for all 
        students;
Whereas arts education enables students to develop critical thinking and problem 
        solving skills, imagination and creativity, discipline, alternative ways 
        to communicate and express feelings and ideas, and cross-cultural 
        understanding, which supports academic success nationwide as well as 
        personal growth outside the classroom;
Whereas the nonprofit arts sector is an economic engine and plays a significant 
        role in the economic health of communities large and small with direct 
        expenditures of wages and benefits as well as goods and services;
Whereas to succeed in today's economy, students must masterfully use words, 
        images, sounds, and movement to communicate;
Whereas Young Audiences Arts for Learning impacts over 5,000,000 schoolchildren 
        annually with valuable arts-in-education programs;
Whereas Young Audiences Arts for Learning presents more than 80,000 arts-in-
        education programs to students and teachers;
Whereas Young Audiences Arts for Learning works with over 4,600 professional 
        teaching artists;
Whereas Young Audiences Arts for Learning produces programs in more than 8,300 
        schools and community centers annually;
Whereas Young Audiences Arts for Learning encompasses 30 affiliates across the 
        country and the entire network of YA affiliates is participating in the 
        2017 National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Weeks;
Whereas Alliance Arts for Learning Institute in Atlanta, Georgia, provided 300 
        performances, workshops, and residencies to 10,000 students;
Whereas Arkansas Learning through the Arts joined the Young Audiences Arts for 
        Learning network to better serve the students throughout the State of 
        Arkansas;
Whereas Arts Council of Kern/Arts for Learning in Bakersfield, California, 
        reached students in schools throughout Kern County;
Whereas Arts for Learning Connecticut worked with 560,000 students throughout 
        the State of Connecticut last year;
Whereas Arts for Learning Indiana offered arts integrated programs and worked 
        with over 60,000 students throughout the State;
Whereas Arts for Learning Miami provided 300 in-depth artist residencies with 
        more than 60 partners, with programming reaching youth from infancy 
        through high school graduation;
Whereas Arts for Learning San Diego served over 100,000 students in 170 schools;
Whereas Arts Partners, Wichita, Kansas, offered almost 1,000 programs to 40,000 
        students;
Whereas Big Thought in Dallas, Texas, reached more than 143,000 students at over 
        433 learning locations;
Whereas Center for Arts-Inspired Learning, in Cleveland, Ohio, provided 6,600 
        programs for 225,000 children;
Whereas Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education worked with 4,000 students in 75 
        Chicago Public Schools;
Whereas Kansas City Young Audiences in Missouri, the largest nonprofit arts 
        education provider in the region, served over 100,000 students;
Whereas Springboard, St. Louis, delivered over 1,000 program sessions to more 
        than 60,000 students in the greater St. Louis region;
Whereas Think 360 Arts for Learning, in Denver, Colorado, worked with almost 
        32,000 kids across the State;
Whereas Young Audiences Maryland partnered with every school district in the 
        State to provide programs to almost 180,000 students;
Whereas Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania provided programming 
        to 844 schools and partnering institutions serving over 400,000 
        students;
Whereas Young Audiences New York worked with 100,000 students across New York 
        City;
Whereas Young Audiences of Abilene reached more than 15,000 students this year;
Whereas Young Audiences of Houston hosted the Houston Arts Partners conference 
        for more than 1,000 participants and provided 3,000 programs to over 
        200,000 students;
Whereas Young Audiences of Louisiana served more than 75,000 students this year;
Whereas Young Audiences of Massachusetts served more than 130,000 students this 
        year;
Whereas Young Audiences of Northeast Texas' 45 teaching artists presented 450 
        programs to 22,000 students across northeast Texas;
Whereas Young Audiences of Northern California provided programs to more than 
        25,000 students this past year;
Whereas Young Audiences of Oregon & SW Washington celebrated its 59th year by 
        partnering with schools to provide programs to over 72,000 students 
        across the region;
Whereas Young Audiences of Rochester, established in 1962, is upstate New York's 
        oldest and most comprehensive arts-in-education organization and worked 
        with over 186,000 students this past year;
Whereas Young Audiences of Santa Cruz County, Arizona, provided equitable arts 
        integrated learning programs to students in Santa Cruz County;
Whereas Young Audiences of Southeast Texas reached over 26,000 children with 
        arts-in-education programs this past year;
Whereas Young Audiences of Southwest Florida joined the Young Audiences network 
        to better serve the students in Naples and Collier counties and the 
        surrounding area;
Whereas Young Audiences of Virginia served over 52,000 students last year;
Whereas Young Audiences of Western New York reached 41,000 children in more than 
        180 schools, and in afterschool programs at community and cultural 
        centers; and
Whereas the weeks of April 9, 2017, through April 22, 2017, would be appropriate 
        weeks to designate as National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Weeks: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of National Young Audiences 
        Arts for Learning Weeks;
            (2) honors and recognizes the contributions which Young 
        Audiences Arts for Learning programs have made in enriching the 
        lives of students, teachers, volunteers, families, and 
        communities and pays tribute to arts in education and its 
        contribution to society; and
            (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
        National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Weeks with 
        appropriate ceremonies and activities that promote awareness of 
        the role that arts in education plays in enriching the 
        education of young people and enriching United States society 
        as a whole.
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