Oscar Cheng (9) | STAFF REPORTER
Work, work, and art! In spite of the academic prowess our community demands of every individual, our school also harbours extraordinary artistry; we have many skilled musicians, actors, and visual artists sharing their skills through music ensembles, plays, and murals here at St. Robert. For the school community, expanding and investing in arts programs would benefit many. Just like any other discipline, the arts take time and practice but reward students with countless benefits.
The academic pathway guides us through communicating and expressing our opinions through facts, statistics, and analysis. We learn to validate our opinions by justifying them with proper evidence and analysis, adhering to a fixed, objective rubric. We focus on facing our responsibilities and mastering time management, keeping procrastination at bay. Yet, with strict deadlines and heavy weights in our academic courses, stress can harness a negative impact on our well-being.
An academic attitude leads toward a more scientific or humanitarian career pathway; these options are diverse, ranging from engineers, doctors, and managers, to lawyers. All these jobs are opportunities for acquiring hands-on experience and exercising the knowledge gained from secondary and post-secondary education.
Meanwhile, an artistic pathway teaches students to convey their emotions and discover themselves by freely expressing their soul desire. Though there are points at which art can be critiqued, there is no limitation as to freedom of expression; art shows the uniqueness and liveliness of one’s soul.
Furthermore, the arts have proven to help relieve stress, meaning they’re a great getaway from hard-pressing courses. Practicing art can strengthen our brain plasticity and focus, helping to build momentum and to control procrastination.
An artistic focus leads toward career choices with more flexibility and creativity. The many possibilities include entrepreneurship, management, designing, illustrating, photographing, and more. These careers are all about doing something of personal interest and putting one’s skills to the test.
In short, expanding our arts program to provide opportunities for students will permit more development and a more enjoyable high school experience. Our endeavours may seem more academically inclined, but pursuing art can do wonders for any field.
