Fine arts give students the opportunity to pour their whole hearts into something beautiful; a chance to be part of something bigger than themselves. Some schools are facing financial difficulties due to the current economy, and one of the first programs they are considering cutting is fine arts. Cutting fine arts programs would be absolutely devastating to countless members of the community. Many students would lose their favorite class, in some cases the only class that helps them get through the day, and many teachers who truly care about students would lose their dream jobs. Fine arts should not be excluded from schools; they build confidence, aid in the application of other academic concepts, and even help prepare students for their future work in the business world. Performing on stage or speaking in public is difficult, but this difficulty can help build confidence. Fine arts gives students the opportunity to perform and gain confidence with their own support team of people who do and love the same thing. Not having to perform alone and knowing that everything has been done to ensure a good performance helps artists feel confident in themselves and their abilities. “Puneet Jacob, former chorus singer and current assistant conductor, says children are often afraid to perform on stage for fear of failure.” (Lefebvre) The more a person faces their fear, especially when they are successful and the fear is refuted, the less afraid they will be. When students work on music or a play for months, they gain much more confidence in themselves and what they can do than when they started. One thing that many people don't appreciate is how beneficial fine art can be for academics. success. All fine arts...... middle of paper ...... tes would be greatly affected in a negative way. Works Cited Baker, Ann. Grunwald. Chorus America, nd Web. November 23, 2013. Deasy, Richard, James S. Catterall, Lois Hetland, and Ellen Winner. Critical connections: Artistic learning and students' academic and social development. Washington, DC: Partnership for Arts Education, 2002. ERIC. Internet. November 20, 2013. “Educate for work through the arts. » 1996-October 28." Editorial. Business Week October 28, 1996: 9-10. ÉRIC. Getty Education Inst. For the arts, October 28, 1996. Web. Nov. 20, 2013. Lefebvre, Eliza. "The choir gives a voice to children's trust." Buffalo News March 14, 2013, n. pag.Web. November 23, 2013. Major, Marci L. "How They Decide: A Case Study Examining the Decision-Making Process for Keeping or Cutting Music in a District Public Schools K-12.” Journal of Music Education Research 61.1 (2013): November 23.. 2013.