By: Diana Aceves, Alexis Sanchez, & Kimberly Herrera

Art and Drama classes allow students to express themselves and allow their creativity to shine. These elective classes serve as a stress reliever to most students. Students are able interact with others in a way that is not possible in other courses.

Unfortunately, the arts department is the least acknowledged from all other courses here at Animo Pat Brown. The lack of funding does not allow the teachers to expand the student opportunities in their elective classes.

All the other courses challenge the students’ intellectual capability, however, Drama and Art class challenge the students’ imagination and creativity. It is true that other courses are rigorous and students need more supplies but the arts department should not be left behind. The students’ experiences in these classes are limited because teachers are unable to provide the necessary materials for a certain lesson.

The majority of the supplies necessary for the Art course are provided by the school. Animo Pat Brown’s art teacher, Paul Botello, states that he is happy with the amount of money he receives to provide supplies for his classes. However, he wishes to teach digital art design or advanced art, which includes painting all day.

The elective courses students take disencourage students to commit one-hundred percent in the courses, due to the lack of materials in order to create “art.” After all, these “elective” courses the students take are meant to be a stress reliever class and let the students express themselves after a long day of rigorous courses.

In the drama course, the necessary materials that Mr. Villagomez buys with his own money are the costumes for the students performances which greatly impacts the student’s final grade if dressed appropriately. Through the Drama course, students are able to overcome their shyness and increase their self-esteem. Without the sufficient funding, Animo Pat Brown is retaining students from gaining confidence and public speaking skills that can further benefit students.

Without the funding the elective courses receive, the teachers provide for students with the most that they can.
Nowadays, students have a lack of imagination and creativity because of all of the technology that surrounds them. The arts program fixes this issue. In these classes students are able to use their imagination and creativity. The financial support from the school will provide students with a better sense of relief from a long day at school. The funding for elective courses deeply affects the student’s performance in their academics. If students have high grades in art and drama class, this will motivate them to raise their grade in other classes.