The fine arts offer students the chance to pour their hearts into something beautiful; the chance to be part of something that is bigger than themselves. Some schools are facing financial problems with the current economy, and one of the first programs they consider cutting is fine arts. Removing fine arts programs would be absolutely devastating to countless community members. Many students would lose their favorite class, in some cases the only class that helps them get through the day, and many teachers who truly care about students would lose their dream jobs. The fine arts should not be eliminated from schools; they build confidence, aid in the application of other academic concepts, and even help prepare students for their future jobs in business. Performing or public speaking of any kind is difficult, but this difficulty can help build confidence. Fine arts gives students the ability to perform and gain confidence in their support team of people who do and love the same thing. Not having to perform alone and knowing that everything possible has been done to ensure a good performance helps artists to have confidence in themselves and their abilities. “Puneet Jacob, a former chorister and current assistant conductor, says children are often afraid to perform because of the fear of failure.” (Lefebvre) The more a person faces their fear, especially when they behave well and the fear is disproved, the less fear they will have. When students work on music or a play for months, they gain much more confidence in themselves and what they can do than when they started. One thing many people don't appreciate is how useful fine arts can be for academia. success. All fine arts…half of the paper…would be greatly affected in a negative way. Works Cited Baker, Ann. Grunwald. Chorus America and Web. November 23, 2013. Deasy, Richard, James S. Catterall, Lois Hetland, and Ellen Winner. Critical connections: Learning in the arts and students' academic and social development. Washington, DC: ArtsEducation Partnership, 2002. ERIC. Network. 20 November 2013."Educating for work through the arts." October 28, 1996." Editorial. Workweek October 28, 1996: 9-10. ERIC. Getty Education Inst. For the Arts, October 28, 1996. Web. November 20, 2013. Lefebvre, Eliza. "The Choir Gives Voice to Children's Confidence ." Buffalo News March 14, 2013, Web Page No. November 23, 2013. Major, Marci L. "How They Decide: A Case Study Examining the Decision-Making Process to Keep or Cut Music in a K-12 Public School District ". Journal of Research in Music Education. 61.1 (2013): 5-25. Network. November 23. 2013.