As a member of the Oswego Band program for almost a complete four years, I’d like to think that I know a thing or two about balancing fine arts classes with all the other required courses that OHS has to offer.
I’ve managed to stay in French for four years as well, and had to take Driver’s Education outside of school. While this may have been a pain, filling my two elective spots with a fine arts course and a language was far more fulfilling for my education.
Fine Arts courses are a great stress reliever and a way to stimulate another part of your brain that you don’t utilize in Common Core courses. If everyone at OHS was required to take a semester long fine arts course, I firmly believe that our school would be more successful as a whole.
I know right away what many people are thinking: not everyone has the aptitude to make beautiful art or produce music. But, remember that all Illinois schools require four years of Physical Education. Some people, such as myself, aren’t that great at running or sports. We’re told that gym classes are supposed to be based off of improvement to accommodate for this fact.
If we required everyone to take at least one fine arts class, the class could be structured in the same way as gym classes: grading students based off of improvement. Gym teachers often tell students that they need to try harder to improve as a runner or athlete, but those who aren’t good artists are told that not everyone is artistically talented. Anyone is capable of improvement.
Yes, that means that not every OHS student will become the next Van Gogh, but nonetheless, they would have a chance to grow in a required art class, just as many do over the course of the year in gym.
In my opinion, there’s few things more important to take than a fine arts class. Everyone gets stressed out about their other classes, especially if they have an Honors or AP workload. Going into a fine arts class is like taking a weight off of your shoulders. You get to think outside of the box and truly express yourself in a way that other classes don’t allow.
Growing your creativity is just as important as becoming a logical person. In fact, many employers look for creativity in their employees, as it helps them stand out in the pool of applicants. Even for someone who doesn’t want to become an artist or musician, taking a fine arts class can help them become a more well-rounded person and meet success down the road.
Student Publication of Oswego High School, Oswego, IL
