We are extremely grateful to the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) Board of Education for passing an Arts ARE Education Proclamation at their meeting on September 21, 2021. This proclamation reaffirms the importance of creative instruction in our schools.  

At the meeting, Edward McFarland (WCPSS Chief Academic Advancement Officer) introduced Enloe High School’s String Quartet, which performed two selections. Freddie-Lee Heath (WCPSS Director of Arts Education) spoke about the positive impact of arts instruction on a student’s performance and well-being. And finally, Charles Phaneuf (United Arts President), shared updates about United Arts’ school programs including Artists in Schools, Wheels on the Bus, School Project Grants, and the Arts Integration Institute. 

Many thanks to Wake County Commissioners Maria Cervania and Vickie Adamson, who attended the meeting to show their support of the arts in Wake County schools. 

To learn more about the Arts ARE Education nationwide campaign proclamation, visit  https://www.artsareeducation.org/our-resolution and to learn more about this initiative in North Carolina, visit Arts North Carolina’s website at https://artsnc.org/nc-districts-adopt-arts-education-resolution-simple-steps-act-now/.  

(Photos clockwise l-r: 1)WCPSS Director of Arts Education, Freddie Lee Heath; 2) United Arts President, Charles Phaneuf; 3) Charles Phaneuf, Wake County Commissioner Maria Cervania, Freddie-Lee Heath, Wake County Commissioner Vickie Adamson, and WCPSS Chief Academic Advancement Officer Edward S. McFarland; 4) Enloe High School String Quartet)