"What I do as an art educator is not really any different than what other teachers do, which is to help my students to make sense of their experiences and themselves, to facilitate critical inquiry and creative problem solving, and to support the creation of meaningful interactions and interconnections between and within the world around them."
David Darts - Art Teacher
Students were given the prompt "Art Is" for the following quotes.
Art Is ...
"Art takes from reality and puts me in another world. It makes me feel all of my feelings together. It lets me be me!" - Amanda R. - 7th Grade 
Amanda M. - 7th Grade
Scratchboard
" It is important because it lets you express things you don't know how to say" - Kat A. 6th
"Art is a form of many things. It is a form of emotion and complexeity. It is not something that has to be RIGHT!" -Hannah S. - 7th Grade
"Art is the reason I am alive, I need to create and to impact the world around me; it is just what I do." - Kathryn A. - H.S.
"Art is a way to show your soul; to put your heart into something and watch it take bloom, until you are the one growing and learning." - Darbie W. - 7th Grade 
Lee M. - 7th Grade
Coil Pot
"Art is the world's most international connecting force, surpassing language and the like.What other form of expression can last hundred of thousands of years? What other form of expression changes and yet never changes and remains uninhibited by language, clear as the day of creation?"
-Sarah E. - 8th Grade
Casey T.C. - 7th Grade
Acrylic
"Art is important because it helps us deliver our emotionsto the public eye without explaination. You can say things in art you might be afraid to say or let out. A person's art can make them easier to relate to because it tells you alot about that individual. Art can tell stories.
- Stephanie H. - 8th Grade
Ava R. - 7th Grade
Oil Pastel Drawing
"It helps us with archeological studies so we can learn about ancient people." - Clint - 6th grade
"Art teaches you alot about who made an art piece, it tells you how theywere feeling at that moment. Everyday people should be creative!"
-Allie B. - 7th Grade
"Art helps me relax. I have a BIG imagination, art helps me show it"
- Ryan - 7th Grade
Dante T. - 7th Grade
Ceramic Gargoyle
"Art is a way to express and imagine yourself doing the impossible."
- Nic L. - 7th Grade
"It helps the creative side of my brain grow."
- Blake N. - 6th Grade
Kate A. - 7th Grade
Balsa Foam Carving
"Art is a piece of me. It is part of my mind and being, it is a physical part of my state of mind and it is a combination of all my emotions."
-Hannah C. - 7th Grade
Art is very important to me because I am very proud of my work when I'm done!" - Eric - 7th Grade
"I think art is like a door opening up to anyone who will take the opportunity to walk in."
- Collin C. - 7th Grade
"Art is important because it describes different points of view." -
Corey B - 6th Grade
"You can open up what you want/need to saywith art. At home I use clay to express how I am feeling, without art there would be so many things left unsaid." - Charlie B. - 6th Grade
"It is everywhere and used everyday for things like: cloth, buildings, images and lots of other stuff." - Joey - 7th Grade
"Great art is a simple idea with elegant, brillant and sophisticated details." -Ally K. - 6th Grade
"Art is important because it is fun and because you can learn a lot about different cultures" - Courtney H. - 6th Grade
"Art is what makes us human!" - Alina K. - 6th Grade
"Art is important in my life because I love to sit in my room and draw sketches of plants, flowers, buildings ......" - Nathan - 7th Grade
"Art is the freedom of true expression without the fear of being wrong." -
Kayla C. - 8th Grade
" It can inspire someone to follow their dreams." - Zephen - 6th Grade
"Art helps you become creative and think outside the box!" -Kendra S. - 8th Grade
"It opens your mind!" - Gabe - 6th Grade
Eric L. - 6th Grade
Ink / Colored Pencil
"Art shows us who we are, who we will be and who we can be. Art is what makes us, us."- Kali H. - 8th Grade
"Art is important because without it, it would be a very dull planet!" -
Jeffrey W. - 6th Grade
"I disliked art until I gave it a chance. Art is now a great way for me to express myself." -Shelby F. - 8th Grade
"The world wouldn't be colorful if it were not for ART!" -
Danielle O. - 6th Grade
"Art is important because it is a good way to be creative and express yourself." - Mikaela - 6th Grade
"Art is a personal documentary of expression, inspiration and achiement." - Logan M. - 6th Grade
"It is a different language, it helps us understand each other." -
Kevin - 6th Grade
"Art is escaping from the cliques and pressures of life... it is a way to feel sophisticated or as crazy as you want...it is taking the everyday world and changing it to resemble our soul." - Ava R. - 6th Grade
" Art expresses feelings or emotion, creates memories and expresses thoughts and opinions" - Margot - 6th Grade
"Art is important to remember the past and its findings" - Matt E. - 6th Grade
"It helps human growth and can portray important things." - Brian T. - 6th Grade
"Art teaches about history: who were these people, why did they make this object, and what was important to them." - Chris W. - 7th Grade
Haley W. - 7th Grade
Marker / Acrylic Paint on Plastic