At this day in age parents focus on having their children achieve the best math and science scores so they have a chance of attending prestigious colleges. Students spend late nights stressed out of their minds while they cram for their upcoming AP Exams. Our culture is absorbed in the concept of aiming for the best grades possible; a number on a sheet of paper acts like a death sentence. So, with all of this craziness, where do the arts fit into a student's schedule?

The answer is simple: they don't. Budgets for music departments in public schools are being slashed left and right because we as a society have shifted from enforcing the arts to enforcing the grades. This trend is harmful to future generations, but don't just take my word. Here are 20 reasons why keeping Music Education alive in our public schools will help future students throughout their lives.

1. Many teenagers find their best friends in music ensembles.
2. Practicing instruments sharpens your dexterity, reading abilities and processing of situations.
3. It is rare to find teachers that enforce a passion to learn over a number grade; with Music Education teachers push for students to express themselves through their work and worry less about whether or not they're going to get an A.
4. For being one of the most underfunded departments in public schools, many school ensembles earn dozens of awards each year due to hard work.
5. Allowing students a creative outlet during the school day can reduce their stress levels.
6. Teamwork is a huge part of working in an ensemble and helps students strive for one common goal.
7. Many ensembles have students wear a uniform while at performances which enforces the concept of dressing and acting professionally.
8. Having children learn an instrument at a young age promotes early mental growth and helps them focus.
9. Promoting music education helps promote local arts, a strong staple of many communities.
10. Music can act as a therapeutic process for children, especially if they have a mental illness or developmental disability.
11. Students often travel with their ensembles to competitions or performance destinations like New York City and Disney World.
12. Through the process of breaking down notes and patterns, children sharpen their natural abilities for language development.
13. There is a scientific link between students who played instruments and higher test scores and IQ levels compared to students who did not play an instrument.
14. There is also a link between practicing music and improved spatial intelligence (the ability to form a mental picture, such as creating a blueprint for an idea or solving a math problem).
15. Music can improve a person's mood dramatically, as well as lowering anxiety.
16. Unlike many other subjects in school, children are more free to interpret their assignments without feeling incorrect; there is always more than one answer when it comes to music.
17. In the event that something is wrong in a performance, such as an instrument being out of tune or a note being played at a wrong time, students gain an appreciation for hard work and effort to fix those mistakes in order to make the next performance even better.
18. Self-esteem grows dramatically.
19. Music lets you feel accomplished, whether you learned how to play a difficult piece or finished your first performance. Nothing is more joyful than that feeling.
20. Music makes up our society. You can't turn on the radio, flick on the TV or check your social media without being faced with music. Musicians don't appear out of nowhere, they worked hard from young ages to get where they are today.