As time marches towards the end of another school year, the calendar is being filled with not only various spring sports (such as baseball, softball, and tennis), but also plays, recitals, musicals, and concerts.  All over the country, teens are diligently rehearsing and preparing to perform their musical pieces, showcase their art, or present their dramatic monologues to audiences of proud parents and friends.

I would argue that even if you don’t have a son or daughter participating in these productions, you should still seek them out and support them.  If you are a lover of visual arts, music, dance, theater, or the spoken word, there are multiple opportunities in your community to take in quality productions being presented by enthusiastic and hard-working young people who have committed their time and energies into producing and presenting these artistic endeavors.

In today’s culture, so much emphasis is placed upon youth sports.  Parents enroll their kids in little league, soccer clubs, or softball camps.  They pay for private instruction and spend extra money and time for their children to be part of elite “travel teams”.  They do it to help their kids be better athletes, and hope that if their son or daughter is “good enough”, their talent may translate into a college scholarship or other post-high school opportunity.

That being said, there are just as many options (and scholarships) in the arts for this same kind of success, but for whatever reason, it is not nurtured and supported half as much as athletics.  School systems routinely cut artistic programs – deeming them “not necessary” – but will enthusiastically fund a new ball field, weight room, or team uniforms.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against sports.  I just wish that the arts were treated with the same respect and attitude.  I wish the Chorus was given the same opportunities as the track team.  Odds are that for every future Lebron James or Manny Machado out there, there may be even more future Robert DeNiros, Maya Angelous, or Steven Spielbergs hiding in the shadows, just waiting for their chance to shine.  A kid may have only a small window to be successful at sports in his/her lifetime (barring injury), but teach that same child how to play an instrument, sing, draw, or write and you’ve given them a skill that they can use for the rest of their lives.  There are numerous studies that show the benefits of the arts on brain development, self-confidence, decision making, and mental focus in kids (just to name a few).  These are also traits that will help children and young adults succeed in whatever undertaking they may pursue once they graduate and move on into the working world – even if it’s not directly through artistic expression.

I played soccer in high school and was also part of the school band.  While it’s been quite a while since I played defenseman on the soccer pitch, I can still pick up a horn and eek out a tune, strum a guitar chord, or read sheet music.  My youngest daughter takes part in the high school band and absolutely loves it.  My oldest daughter is pursuing her love of writing at the local performing arts high school (a unique opportunity that our county is blessed with).  I hope that they too will be able to draw upon these capabilities for the rest of their lives.

So watch your local paper and keep an eye out for concerts, plays, musicals, and art exhibitions presented by young people this spring.  Support them.  Nurture them.  Keep these opportunities alive and help these programs be successful.  The entertainment that you receive may be temporary, but the long-lasting impact you enable will be immeasurable.