The Troubadour: The Humanities and Arts are Necessary. Why STEM Shouldn't Take Precedence Over the Arts. Your Questions. My Creed. The Imaginarium

Grace Richards is a researcher for a site dedicated to helping students find the right majors for their career plans. She wrote an article titled Oh! the Humanities. Why STEM Shouldn't Take Precedence Over the Arts

I found her article interesting and well worth reading and would like to share a few of her findings below. I encourage you to click on the link and read the entire article for yourself. Please post your comments. Ms. Richards is interested in your feedback on her research.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), nearly 1.5 million elementary students are without music, nearly 4 million are without the visual arts, and almost 100% of them, more than 23 million, are educated without dance and theatre.

But the major push for STEM education in America may, in fact, not be that necessary after all. A Georgetown University, Rutgers University, and Urban Institute-collaborated study found that "U.S. colleges and universities are graduating as many scientists and engineers as ever before…[and the] findings indicate that STEM retention along the pipeline shows strong and even increasing rates of retention from the 1970s to the late 1990s. Over the past decade, U.S. colleges and universities graduated roughly three times more scientists and engineers than were employed in the growing science and engineering workforce."

Many have gravitated to the idea that STEM is the best source for innovation and job creation. But according to the Americans for the Arts organization, their studies show that children involved in the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and four times more likely to participate in a math and science fair.
These same students are also three times more likely to be elected to class office in their school, giving them early leadership skills and making them more apt to become leaders in the business world.

Eric Darr, president of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, said "it is a mistake to try to separate STEM and the social sciences. He said they are both stronger together."

according to the Americans for the Arts organization, their studies show that children involved in the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and four times more likely to participate in a math and science fair.
These same students are also three times more likely to be elected to class office in their school, giving them early leadership skills and making them more apt to become leaders in the business world.

Questions from The Troubadour's Readers

Anonymous wrote: What is the age limit for becoming a Farpoint Cadet? Right now our age limit is 5th grade. That will change once Farpoint is built.

Christian B wrote: So how does one join the animation and programmers guilds? These guilds require you take the programming courses listed in the course schedules found on Farpoint's website.

Mark S. wrote: Ok, I am a little confused with everything that is going on. What I think is going on is this: (correct me if I am wrong)

1. The original space center is still running, only doing school field trips. Yes. Only field trips.

2. The new running space center is open to volunteering and internship. Not quite sure what the difference is. You are referring to the Discovery Space Center in Pleasant Grove. Farpoint Cadets are the volunteers. You must be at least 5th grade to be a Farpoint Cadet. Our Cadet program ends on your 18th birthday. You may apply to be an intern at Discovery. Internships are offered by the Discovery Space Center. You may get high school credit for interning. You must be at least 15 years old to intern. Please contact Discovery Space Center if you wish to intern.

3. There is the newest, just announced space center being built in Lehi. Not going to be ready for a few years. Not sure how volunteering will be done. Farpoint will be built during next school year and will open (if all goes well) in the fall of 2014. It is being built at Renaissance Academy and will be part of their middle school. I will be the director. Volunteering will be through the Farpoint Cadet program.

David C wrote: Hello, I was just wondering what the difference was between the DSC and the Farpoint institute. They seem similar and yet different. I was also wondering about volunteering opportunities at both centers. The DSC is the Discovery Space Center. It is located at Stone Gate Center for the Arts in Pleasant Grove. Discovery is owned by the family that owns Stone Gate. You will find their program is almost identical to the one at the Space Center because most of Discovery's employees are former Space Center workers.

Farpoint is my newest creation. It will be a brand new space education center built in a soon to be built middle school located at Renaissance Academy (on the border between Highland and Lehi). It will open in the fall of 2014. Farpoint will focus on the blending of the humanites and arts with science, technology, engineering and math.

You may volunteer at the Discovery Center by joining becoming a Farpoint Cadet. Please visit the Farpoint website for an application.