ACTion Alexandria Blog

Written by Karen Baragona and originally published at http://dogdoggerel.blogspot.com/

I've been trying to begin this post with a sentence like, "I love to watch dogs play," but I keep thinking of exceptions. I'm an anxious wreck at a dog park. I'm a nervous nelly supervising play groups when I'm teaching puppy class. And I'm on pins and needles watching play between shelter dogs that we've paired up for the first time. Am I a neurotic, smothering, mother hen? Well, I prefer to think of all this as well-informed vigilance. I know just enough about the complex dynamics of dog play to know that a) dogs are exchanging subtle signals constantly, which we don't always catch and often don't understand, and b) dogs' enthusiasm can escalate to hyper-arousal, which can then tip into aggression, seemingly without warning. So here are some thoughts on safe play.

We all "know" that the arts benefits children - but just what are some of those benefits? According to a National Endowment of the Arts study done last year, it has a broad spectrum of benefits, especially for children in low-income families. 

From the study (SES means socioeconomic status): 

• High-arts, low-SES students were 15 percent more likely to enroll in a highly or moderately selective four-year college than low-arts, low-SES students (41 percent versus 26 percent).
• Students with access to the arts in high school were three times more likely than students who lacked those experiences to earn a bachelor's degree (17 percent versus five percent).
• High-arts, low-SES college students had the highest rates of choosing a major that aligns with a professional career, such as accounting, education, nursing, or social sciences (30 percent), compared to low-arts, low-SES students (14 percent) and the overall SES sample (22 percent)

And music to our ears: 

More civically engaged - Young adults who had intensive arts experiences in high school are more likely to show civic-minded behavior than young adults who did not, with comparatively high levels of volunteering, voting, and engagement with local or school politics. In many cases, this difference appears in both low-and high-SES groups.

Do you have a nonprofit or know of one that helps Alexandria’s at-risk kids with learning, health and well-being, and preparing for a better future? Then apply to our Caring for Kids Grant Challenge by July 1st! 

With that mind, please think about enrolling your children and/or supporting these organizations that enhance childrens' lives with the arts: 

Science Club, Math Honor Society, Football, Theater...there are a number of way students can learn outside of the textbook. In fact, colleges and even employers are looking more at the skills students in their after-school activities. 

Can you walk down to the grocery store and back? Are you less than a mile away from the closest grocery store that sells whole foods? If not, then you're living in a food desert.