The following opinion piece is written by Governor Andy Beshear
In Kentucky, we put education first. We understand how important it is that every Kentucky resident has access to a quality education. Every day, we invest in education, support our teachers, and fight to ensure all students are positioned for success. It is one of the most important investments we can make in the future of our young people.
From day one, we’ve been committed to building a better Kentucky, and that starts with making sure our kids have a strong educational foundation. My administration continues to find creative ways to connect Kentucky’s next generation of leaders with educational programs and training that prepare Kentuckians to thrive in our workforce. Kentucky’s economy is on fire, and the key to ensuring that we can continue to attract businesses to our commonwealth is to invest in our children’s education.
As a parent, I understand how important it is that every child has the opportunity to grow and succeed, and we are committed to ensuring that every student has that opportunity. Through programs like the Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA), more than 7,000 students have gained skills that have prepared them to be Kentucky’s future leaders.
Kentucky is cultivating a well-established legacy of art investment. GSA represents a 35-year investment in the arts, education, and professional development of students. Arts education is not just for those pursuing careers in the arts; teaches problem-solving and critical thinking skills that are crucial to success in any profession or line of work.
Kentucky is one of the only states to offer a tuition-free state arts program for high school students, and as a result, our workforce is being groomed with highly trained and skilled future workers. When looking for inspiring stories from young people who represent the best of Kentucky, there is no shortage of success stories.
Reinforcing our commitment to education, we are investing additional funds to expand access to more students. For the first time, GSA doubled its class size, allowing more than 500 students to access this unique arts education immersion program. Investing this supplemental funding in GSA is another positive step in ensuring that educational and cultural opportunities reach students in every community in the state.
With more opportunities than ever available to Kentucky residents, I encourage more students to take advantage of this incredible opportunity to develop diverse, lifelong friendships and explore their artistic talents through education and the arts.
