Arts Intranet

Here’s what I know for sure: if it hadn’t been for my access to excellent arts educational opportunities through Seattle Public Schools & TeenTix, my interest in business might have led me down a very different path. Instead, I chose to pursue an arts administration degree that allowed me to study at the intersection of business, public administration, and artistic practice.

"American Dance Corner" consisted of two lectures about American dance history with a focus on cultural diversity. The lectures were followed by choreography activities where the students expressed themselves in English and developed dance moves. The movement created was then assembled into a dance throughout series of four technique and choreography workshops in the rehearsal room at The School of Arts.

Who would have thought that a kid from the south side of Chicago, who taught himself to sing listening to the soundtrack of “West Side Story”, (and Frank Sinatra records), would someday become known internationally as “the Shoemaker to the Stars”?

If I can pinpoint one thing #BecauseOfArtsEd—it’s that the arts is a connector, it’s the social tissue that binds us together, it makes us human. When I think about my life and my education, I can’t separate the arts from it.

There is artistry in everything from performing with the Kansas City Youth Symphony to rebuilding a competition robot. Our school district believes the creative process will serve students well as they work to make their mark on the world, and to make a positive difference in the lives of others. 

Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined arts education would have resulted in a professional career enabling me to work with with renowned artists including Kennedy Center Honorees Arthur Mitchell and Yo-Yo Ma to plan and deliver arts education programs.