Every year in Texas schools, children are losing out because not enough people are taking action to support the arts. They may be getting great educations in “the basics” – the “3 R’s” (readin’, ‘ritin’ and ‘rithmatic). Actually, if you really know Texas, you know we don’t always talk like that. Texas school children are getting the basics: Language Arts, Science, Math, Social Studies…and in most places, physical education, but our school budgets have been cut.
Schools, particularly public schools are mandated to meet certain guidelines. Most schools accomplish this with standardized testing and, no matter where you come down on that theory of education, one thing is for sure, Art and Music were left out of the whole equation. Our mission at Texas by Texans is to remedy some of that situation. We can’t do it all, it’s a big job, but we can help through our Texas Work of Art Foundation.
We believe that every Texas schoolchild has the right to a good education – but we also believe strongly that a good education goes beyond those subjects they have determined are “basics.” In fact, we believe that art and music really are part of those basics and should be taught right alongside them.
Art is more than learning to use a paintbrush. Art helps encourage creativity and broadens the mind, helping students to understand part of those basics a little better. Even just the coloring done in kindergarten helps the math teacher teach about shapes and letters. When the child advances through the middle school years, art gives them time to relax and unwind but it also gives the “other side” of their brains a place to grow. Where would we be if art wasn’t a part of school? Imagine architecture without art.
Music is more than jingling bells in a first grade Christmas pageant. It is where many children can expand their learning of relationships between numbers and letters. It teaches manual dexterity and discipline, while providing for creativity and competition. Where would we be without art and music to color our world?
Texas by Texans has formed the Texas Work of Art Foundation just for this reason. As part of our mission, we support our passion. A portion of every purchase you make from us goes back to our foundation so that we can support more children in allowing them to experience art and music in schools.
….and as a bit of an “extra” – we don’t leave out science, technology, engineering and math, because our foundation supports STEM too!
Give a little when you get a little. Buying a gift or purchasing something from one of our Texas by Texan vendors helps to ensure that Texas school kids get what they really need to grow into another generation of Great Texans!
Texas by Texans sells only products Made in Texas by Texas artisans and craftsmen. We offer Texas treasures of all types from food and clothing to home and yard décor. A portion of every purchase goes to support the Texas Work of Art Foundation which promotes the advancement of art and music education in Texas schools. At Texas by Texans, we know that Texas is not just a place – it’s a state of mind!