Our History
SMART For Cleveland was founded by concerned parents and community members in the wake of state and district-wide budget cuts. These drastic and on-going cuts to education have made front page headlines and adversely impacted every school in Oklahoma.
After several packed meetings that resulted in organized fundraising and legislative efforts by parents, the decision was made to form a new organization that could act in parallel with our PTA, focusing on fundraising work and practical efforts to support an Art Teacher position that had been cut, and to support all teachers and staff that wished to integrate the arts into their classrooms and lessons.
Arts Education Matters
"We don't just want our students to learn vocationally useful skills in math and reading. We also want them to be knowledgeable and frequent patrons of the arts. We want them to be tolerant and empathetic human beings. And we want them to be astute observers of their surroundings. Some of these qualities may help students earn a living, but their importance has more to do with students' development into cultured and humane people."
— Jay Green, Professor of Education Reform, University of Arkansas