Shauna Warnick // Republican // Nebo School Board District 3

  • How have the arts, culture, and/or humanities impacted your life?
    • The arts and humanities have shaped my life with richness and perspective. I grew up in a low-income family, where my access to the arts and humanities was limited to school, the library and church. At school, we sang a wide genre, which I enjoyed so much. From our local library, our family checked out records, tapes and movies of musicals that we listened to over and over again, singing our hearts out. In church, I sang in the children and youth programs, and it was a major contributor to my faith. My mother loved to paint, and the smell of oils is a treasured fragrance of my childhood. In my university days, through general education classes, I was introduced to a wider variety of the humanities. It opened my mind, heart and soul to a world of thought and understanding. Those classes, along with my childhood music experiences, have shaped how I have raised my children and interact with the world. While none of my children have chosen the arts for their profession, music, art, and the humanities are an important part of their adult lives. There is so much joy and world brotherhood to be had when we understand the expression of each other’s souls through the arts, culture and humanities.
  • Utah's humanities and arts employ 123,000 Utahns, provide $4.4 billion in earnings, and $13.2 billion in sales. This is a larger economic impact than agriculture, mining, and real estate. Do you consider the arts and cultural sector an economic driver in Utah?
    • Yes
  • Fiscally responsible government investment in the arts and humanities (including humanities and arts education) means to me:
    • As a child that came from a low-income family, my involvement in the arts and humanities would have been very limited if I had not taken the classes in school. I am endlessly grateful for the arts and humanities classes I was able to take in school. I support education funding that includes the arts and humanities. Arts education enriches our culture and economy.
  • Items of Business I support:
    • Credit requirements for participation in the arts and humanities should be increased
    • K-6 Students should have increased exposure to arts and humanities education
    • 7-12 Students should have increased exposure to arts and humanities education
    • I support the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program which puts one arts specialist in most elementary schools
    • I support the POPS (Professional Outreach Program in the Schools) which sends 13 professional arts organizations to all UT school districts
    • I support the iSEE (Informal Science Educational Enhancement) which sends 10 professional science, zoological, and natural history organizations to all UT school districts
    • I support working to increase funding for arts and humanities education.
  • How would you expand participation in the arts and humanities amongst all students?
    • I believe Nebo School District is already stellar in their involvement in student participation in the arts and humanities, especially in elementary schools. Some students choose not to participate in secondary school, because of many other elective classes they are drawn to and, in many cases, what their friends are doing. What seems to work best is wonderful teachers that build a reputation and program that students are attracted to. Providing the educators with support and opportunities for growth would be a good investment.
  • Anything else we should know about you?
    • I dearly love and support arts education from a young age