GCPS Superintendent: 'Our Young People Are Very Talented'

As the school year comes to a close, Gwinnett County Public Schools officials are taking the time to commend the district's arts programs and the students who bring them to life.

More than 147,000 Gwinnett County students were enrolled in fine arts classes this year, officials said in the latest issue of Communique, an online magazine for the district's school community. That's more than 88 percent of the district's student enrollment.

"At a time when shrinking budgets have squeezed out electives in some school districts, we feel both fortunate and resolute in ensuring that fine arts remain an important part of quality and effective education for Gwinnett County schoolchildren," Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks said in Communique.

"If you have attended a student performance or visited an art exhibit, you know our young people are very talented," Wilbanks said.

The number of awards the fine arts programs have garnered is long. Just this year, for example, GCPS was named a leader in music education by the National Association of Music Merchants.

Data shows that such programs increase attendance and academic achievement, district officials said. In addition, school leaders believe such programs -- from visual arts to performing arts and more -- will benefit students for many years to come.

"At the end of the day, our goal is to enrich students' lives through their arts experiences," said Robert Andrews, director of GCPS' fine arts program.

-- Have you or your child participated in the fine arts programs in Gwinnett County Public Schools? How beneficial was it? Let us know in the comment section, and share photos by clicking the camera icon. --