I know there may be a small amount of theatre kids reading this, and it is statistically proven, by me, that there will definitely be a few people that skip over this article. I still believe that no matter how insignificant this might be to some, it is extremely important.

The month of March is Theatre in Our Schools Month (TIOS). The Educational Theatre Association and the International Thespian Society have teamed up with the Alliance for Theatre & Education (AATE) to support Theatre in Our Schools. The goal of TIOS is to raise awareness about the importance of theatre education and how the programs are needed in all schools. TIOS goes around to many schools to show presentations and spread advocacy.

TIOS is a great organization that is not only trying to save the theatre programs, but at the same time promoting the reach for STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art and Math). You probably have only ever heard of STEM, but recently the goal of many educators and school districts is to add art permanently into the mix. Most people do not realize how impactful the arts are to a good education, but you learn so many useful things that you can use throughout your life. I have been taking theatre classes since 9th grade, and I feel like each year I learn so many new things that I can take with me as I grow and enter “the real world”.

I know students my age mention repeatedly that we don’t learn how to do taxes in school or things that we will need to know very soon, but in theatre and theatre classes, we do things that prepare you and make you more comfortable, while also improving life skills. Whether it is performing a monologue in front of people which prepare you for business presentations or just talking to other people, or discussing your thoughts on a design for a costume which helps prepare you for things like job interviews, the arts really make a difference in education.

I have been so grateful to receive such a good education with amazing theatre and art programs, but many schools do not have the same luxuries we do. Schools are losing their arts programs because of funding issues or lack of educators that care about the arts. With TIOS, their job is to raise money and awareness for the arts programs, and we can help.

Theatre in Our Schools Month is a great opportunity to raise awareness in your very own school. On the TIOS website, https://www.schooltheatre.org/programs/tios, there are fun things for fellow Thespian troupes to participate in for their part in March. There are also facts/statistics for each day of the month about arts in the schools. For example, did you know in 2015, students who took four years of art classes scored an average of 92 points higher on their SATs than students who took them for half a year or less? I am glad that I have been taking theatre classes for so long because my SAT was this past Saturday. But the TIOS website is a great place to find out what you or your troupe can do to help the cause and see what it is all about. Even if you are not in our North Penn Thespian Troupe #5464 (which there are General Membership Meetings that you can check on the calendar and come out!), you can still support TIOS by checking out the website!

The Theatre in Our Schools organization is an extraordinary leap to support the arts in education, and I hope that it continues to grow and gain more support as it does. Show your support for Theatre in Our Schools all this month and help spread the importance of the arts in education.