Schools should do more to showcase student talent.
I had the pleasure of attending the St. Dominic Christmas Concert on Dec. 8.
Each of the four Humboldt area schools have had or will have concerts and it is nice to see.
I can never remember a time in elementary or high school when the whole school teamed up to put on a performance of any kind.
Now maybe it was because I went to an elementary school that had 300 students and a high school that had 900 when I was in grade nine and 750 by the time I graduated five years later and it was too difficult to organize that many students or maybe it was because it was not very important that the schools do something of that nature.
I can remember times when my class would do something but we never had the whole school come together to put on a show.
It is a shame too because family and friends miss out on an opportunity to see their kids and friends showcase their talent.
The kids also miss out because they lose the opportunity to bond.
Sure they can bond at recess but there is something to be said about the bonding experience kids gain when they achieve a common goal, like performing during a concert.
I can remember times during school when we would perform a play.
The bond and connection you make with your classmates during and after is powerful, now imagine combining that feeling that you get from performing with 30 students to the feeling you would get performing with 100 students.
It is not just about the feeling that the students get from doing it either.
Performing allows students to showcase skills they may not otherwise be able to showcase.
A lot of times sports are given a great focus in schools, which is understandable, they teach teamwork, discipline and time management among others, but let us not forget about the power of the arts.
Public speaking and learning to overcome fear is an important skill to learn, especially at a young age and that is something that the arts can teach kids.
It is time we start allowing kids to showcase different skills with concerts like the ones held at each of the schools.
It is a great start and I commend them for it but we need to continue to keep pushing the envelope and giving kids more opportunities to do those things.
