Beginning in 2008, America faced a grueling period of economic hardship, the recession. This period of economic decline in which trade and industrial activity were reduced forced many changes in the American economy. Teachers Jobs at Risk, published by the White House, estimates that between 2008 and 2011, nearly 300,000 teachers lost their jobs. While schools were forced to cut jobs, many of the first to lose jobs were fine arts teachers. Furthermore, thousands of children have lost the opportunity to attend art, dance, music and drama courses. Although America's economic turmoil has caused major cuts to school budgets, there are three main reasons why schools should continue to support the arts: the arts contribute to state and national economies, the arts prepare students for good-paying jobs, and Arts have a positive impact on every child's life. Ohio Citizens for the Arts reported that in 2003 the arts in Cleveland and Cincinnati contributed more than $2 billion per year in annual economic activity, (Collins 2), while the American Arts Alliance ...