Imagine. A school system with students who are passionate about what they do and who care about others around them. A school system where everyone can be themselves and not worry about what others will think. Now go back to some of your high school memories. I can almost guarantee that almost none of our experiences were what I just described. However, this on a smaller scale can be found in clubs such as band, choir and theatre. In today's society, schools focus too much on sports and academics to see the arts suffer, crippled by a lack of funding from the school districts that control them. There are many reasons why schools should fund the arts more equitably than they currently do. Many students today face the problem of not being physically able to participate in sports, due to injuries, disabilities or physical problems. The arts provide an outlet for these students to be a part of school just as people who play sports can. The arts also promote good academic habits such as time management. Many studies have shown that academics thrive with the addition of the arts into a student's daily life. Students are also able to better express themselves through the arts, boosting their social confidence and teaching them valuable lessons along the way. Many people underestimate the values ​​of the arts, and for this reason they are often overlooked and underfunded. I believe that every child deserves an equal right and opportunity to participate within their school. To do this, schools need to start funding schooling in a more balanced way. I have taken part in more than 8 theater/musical productions, including choir concerts and theater performances. I have personally witnessed and experienced the good...... middle of paper...... Undeniable value." Burlington Post March 1, 2013, Final Ed.: Page No. Print.Baker, Beth. "Arts Education ." CQ Researcher Online. CQ Press, March 16, 2012. Web. November 11, 2013. Cain, John. "EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Arts education improves student minds, academic performance." Nwitimes.com. Np, 24 June 2012. Web. November 15, 2013. Edmundson, Courtney. Personal interview November 7, 2013. Edutopia Staff. Personal interview. November 7, 2013. Johnson, Marina, Altoona Area High School, Altoona, Pennsylvania, April 15, 2013. Kolenich, Eric “For High School Football Teams, Uniform Costs Are Not Equal” Richmond Times-Dispatch, December 2, 2012 . Web. November 11, 2013. Ruppert, Sandra S. “Critical Evidence".. 2013.