Opening Minds through the Arts

OMA Arts Integration Specialists and Teaching Artists teach by "leading with their art form." 

Documented benefits of the OMA arts integration model are: 

• Language Development 
  Original operas and plays strengthen student vocabulary and grammar, enhance reading and writing skills, articulate ideas, and sharpen observational powers. 
• Math Concepts 
  Dance and music teach students to identify and visualize mathematical structures and concepts. 
• Effective Decision Making 
  The arts teach children to develop their technical skills and challenge their creative problem solving. 
• Motor Skills 
  Playing an instrument, manipulating a paint brush, and whole body expression develop gross and fine motor dexterity. 
• Abstract Reasoning 
  The arts teach children to utilize critical thinking, identify patterns, and work with logical systems. 
• Confidence Building Through Creation 
  The artistic experience nurtures the development of self-esteem, self-discipline, cooperation, and self-motivation. 

Arts integration is one of the most effective ways to reach lower performing students. 

Initial research proves OMA's efficacy for academic achievement, social growth, and individual creativity. This research is not generic or general, but was specifically designed and implemented for the OMA model of arts integration by the nationally recognized independent research firm WestEd, Inc. 

Why OMA Works (Article)

OMA Celebrates Decades of Inspiring Children

In 1999, H. Eugene Jones, a business entrepreneur; Dr. Carroll Rinehart, a music educator; and Dr. Joan Ashcraft, the Fine and Performing Arts Director of Tucson Unified School District, all shared a concern regarding the effectiveness of arts education in the public schools. They formed a team of educators, artists, and arts organizations to study the latest brain-based research and successful arts programs across the nation. With a generous donation of start-up funds from H. Eugene Jones, and three significant grants from the United States Department of Education, Opening Minds through the Arts was launched. Over the years, it has grown into one of the premier models for arts integration, garnering not only national attention but international interest from educators as far away as China.