Arts programs facing cuts

At my school, there's a lot of changes happening. Some teachers are leaving. The school year will be shorter.

And, arts classes--choir, band, orchestra, photography, drama, and fine arts--are facing major curs. We might not have photography next year. Our choirs have gone from 5 to 3.

So, me and some friends have started a fund-raising as a group, called Arts in our Hearts. We'll be at Wilsonville Festival of Arts on June 5 & 6, with live auctions selling everything from artwork to birthday parties, as well as having a booth selling books and concessions. This is all going directly to our school, so the various classes being hit can still receive sheet music and acrylics, which are usually paid for out of pocket.

The arts classes are often the only reason a teen comes stays in school. And sometimes, art is what changes a kid's life.