Issue 17  September 8th 2025

A Time for Reflection, Creativity, and Community at NESA

As we settle into the new school year, September brings with it two significant opportunities for reflection, learning, and community building at NESA: Arts in Education Week and the remembrance of September 11th. While seemingly distinct, both occasions underscore the profound role of the arts in processing our shared experiences, fostering empathy, and strengthening our collective spirit.

Celebrating Arts in Education Week: NESA's Core Mission

From September 8-14, we proudly observe National Arts in Education Week, a time dedicated to advocating for and recognizing the transformative power of the arts. For NESA, a performing arts school, this week resonates at the very core of our mission. We see firsthand every day how engagement in music, dance, theater, and visual arts cultivates critical thinking, creativity, self-expression, and collaboration in our students.

The arts are not merely extracurricular activities; they are essential components of a well-rounded education. They provide unique avenues for understanding the world, developing discipline, and building confidence. This week, we encourage all families to engage with the arts, whether by attending a performance, visiting a museum, or simply exploring a new creative outlet together.

Remembering 9/11: The Arts as a Pathway to Healing and Understanding

This month also marks the solemn remembrance of September 11, 2001. It is a day etched into our nation's history, one that reminds us of the fragility of life, the resilience of the human spirit, and the importance of coming together in times of tragedy.

While the events of 9/11 were devastating, the response also saw an outpouring of artistic expression. Music, poetry, visual art, and theater became crucial tools for individuals and communities to grieve, to remember, and to begin the process of healing. Artists captured the pain, the heroism, and the enduring hope, helping us to collectively process the unfathomable.

Connecting Threads: Empathy, Expression, and Hope

How do these two observances connect? Both Arts in Education Week and the remembrance of 9/11 highlight the arts' unique ability to foster empathy and provide a platform for expression when words alone are insufficient. The arts allow us to step into different perspectives, to feel deeply, and to communicate complex emotions.

In the aftermath of 9/11, the arts helped us understand grief, honor heroes, and articulate our collective yearning for peace and unity. Similarly, the daily practice of arts education at NESA equips our students with the tools to explore challenging themes, connect with history, and express their own understanding of the world around them, building a foundation of empathy and resilience that serves them far beyond the stage or canvas.

As we move through September, let us embrace the power of the arts to educate, to heal, to inspire, and to unite us as a NESA community.