We had a good time at the auction last night. We had donated several items to be auctioned off to benefit the arts programs at our local public schools. As someone who has spent a lifetime in the arts, both as an artist and a teacher, we have seen first hand the value of arts in the lives of children and adults. Recent research in how our brains work has supported what those of us actively engaged in the arts have always know intuitively--that the arts are basic to human development rather than only "nice to have if we can afford them." We all know how challenging our times are these days with limited resources and rising need but because the arts are so important, we need to find ways to increase their availability to all rather than limit their availability to those few who can afford them. Beside assisting to improve achievement in other disciplines, the arts allow us a safe and productive means of expressing our emotions and thoughts in a myriad of ways including sound, light, language, and kinetics. Please actively support the arts in your community. We cannot afford to leave them out!