Imagine a life without the arts. There would be no entertainment, music or visual imagery. There would not be any photographs, colorful advertisements, paintings or video games. It would be a dull, lifeless world. We would once again be living in the Dark Ages. However, what advanced society out of the Dark Ages and into the Renaissance? The arts.

Portage children are fortunate to have a school system that understands the value of arts in education. A child's first form of expressive communication is drawing. Throughout the formative years, the arts enhance a child's life and educational potential. Students learn critical thinking skills through art and music. This can be used as a springboard for other subjects like social studies, math and English. Children can relate to a subject through art and gain deeper understanding. In fact, that is why art is one of the core subject areas in the No Child Left Behind Act.

Art education has come a long way from the unimaginative "hand-turkeys" and singing "Kumbya" of the past. Now, starting in kindergarten, children are taught styles of the masters, such as Georgia O'Keefe and Vincent Van Gogh. The students learn techniques used in various media from painting and ceramics to metal-tooling and digital technology. Students compose their own music scores and learn to play the recorder and ukulele by the fifth grade.

Today's music and art teachers also incorporate math into their lesson plans by using skills such as measurement, proper ruler usage and geometry. Literature is no stranger to the art room either. Students often are inspired by current authors. At times, children write their own fictional stories and create illustrations making their imaginations come to life.

Students who struggle in school can find solitude in the arts. It can be an area where they can succeed and build confidence. Art and music encourage children to create their own methods of solving problems, where original thinking can run free. The arts can be a strong motivator to reach children who are at risk, by giving students a non-threatening environment for them to learn.

Gifted child can expand their learning potential through the arts. Students who need greater challenges are able to go above and beyond the average expectations.

This past year, Portage Township Schools has had hundreds of students participate in artistic venues, such as school musicals and art shows at universities and at our state capitol. Art and music are incredibly important and provide a strong foundation for learning where students can soar. We are truly fortunate to have the arts in our schools today.

The opinions expressed solely are those of the writer. Tracey Hunter-Doniger teaches art at Aylesworth and Central elementary schools.