Perpich Impact Statement

In response to a request for how the Perpich Center for Arts Education has impacted me:

Lots of folks say “Perpich saved my life.” It is possibly true for me as well. But I wish to approach this from a different angle.

Perpich gave me the skills that make me a valued asset in the workplace.

I work in an environment that has embraced a culture of Continuous Improvement. This often requires creative thinking. As a skilled trades person, people will come to me with a problem know that I will use my creative skills, going well outside the realm of what gets taught in trade schools, to figure out a solution. An arts education that encouraged me to push boundaries taught me how to really think outside the box. I may seem eccentric at times, but work knows I am the one who can come up with truly creative solutions.

Manufacturing and business require collaboration. The culture at Perpich taught us to thrive in collaboration in the interdisciplinary education model and the arts areas. Teamwork is second nature to an Arts High School alum.

As a staff member I saw the work being done with the Research and Curriculum, especially with the Arts Best Practices Network. I have been hounding my employers on this concept for years and it is finally paying off. Managers from manufacturing facilities in four countries are finally sharing what works, what doesn’t, and developing a Best Practices Network. I learned that at Perpich.

I attended the Arts High School in the theater program. I chose not to pursue a career in theater or film. That said, an education in theater has directly impacted how I approach every job I’ve ever had and every hobby I have pursued. By studying Stanislavsky and understanding how an actor prepares, I know how to prepare for any role I need to play in life. Weather I’m working as a welder, a machinist, a Kaizen coordinator, a runner, a surfer, a snowboarder, an officiant, whatever. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.”

Arts is CORE curriculum. Arts and interdisciplinary education need to be preserved and EXPANDED.