Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley Staff

"A vibrant community is alive with the arts.  Creativity, beauty, and passion are essential features of a thriving society, and the arts ensure those elements are alive.  The arts are EVERYWHERE around you from the sounds you hear, the colors you see, the food you eat, and the energy you feel.  We MUST continue to provide our children with the opportunity to find their creative artist identity so that our future home is even more vibrant than ours is today.  The arts change me, drive me, empower me, and challenge me and I am so thankful I found my identity as a young artist and that I live in a community that believes, supports, and creates art for the youngest members of our community!!" -J.R. Snow, Director
"I'm grateful for the opportunities I had in the arts as a child -  they instilled a confidence and curiosity that has been woven into the fabric of my life. The arts enrich, excite, and enable people of all walks of life to exchange ideas, imagine, and connect in a creative process; in short, the arts transform lives and help build a more vibrant community. I'm proud to support the important work of Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley, encouraging all children to find their voice through the arts." - Sarah Orem, Outreach and Advocacy Manager

Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley Board of Directors

-Jerri Alexiou
"I cannot imagine my life without Art.  Art is what brings us together and helps us see the world through a multi-faceted and beautiful lens.  Live performance and visual art allow us to experience different stories and viewpoints, and to collaboratively share in the human experience.  Art moves us to explore a vast array of emotions, learn from others, embrace difference and diversity, and view our past, our present and our future in illuminating ways.  Art is what survives from generation to generation allowing us to hope and dream for the future." 
-Regan Byrne
"I was exposed to creative movement in 1st grade and have been captivated with the arts ever since. The idea of taking risks, trusting my intuition, being vulnerable, and doing all this with a group of people who are experiencing the same thing really is a gift. Art does this and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of giving this opportunity, that so impacted my life, to thousands of other students."- Ryan Corriston
“” - Jill Martorana
“There is nothing that compares to watching a student figure things out and push through the difficult parts of their education, whether it be technical on an instrument or understanding key concepts of education and applying them.  I love walking through another musician’s journey as a support, a cheerleader, and an educator. No matter how well you do in life, stay humble and invest in the next generation the way you hope someone would invest in you." - Kimberly Souther
"The arts matter because people matter! All individuals have a story to tell. It is through the arts that we can best express and explore both our joyous moments of celebration and our deepest moments of sorrow. The arts become a connecting thread that tie these shared experiences together."
​- Jo Enke
"When I was a student, I found community within music and theater programs. As a parent, I see how the arts are building creativity and curiosity in my children. As a counselor and educator, I have witnessed the arts play a strong role in self-discovery, emotional well-being and career development. I strongly believe that all children and adults benefit from exposure and involvement in the arts." - Rachel Linden
"I have been involved in some artistic adventure whether it be dance, ice skating or visual art class my whole childhood and college career. I believe it provides a power of expression that has helped shape me into who I am as an adult. I believe every young person should be given the opportunity to experience, play with or be a part of the arts in some capacity to allow for their own individual expression. " - Meghan Schenker Fulcher
​I was captivated by the arts at an early age and managed to touch every facet as a student.  I later understood how those transferable skills made me a better person, community member, and professional.  Every child deserves those foundational experiences and Any Given Child is an amazing way to invest in the education of today's students."-  Chris Meyers
"I am a Virginia native and graduate of James Madison University ('15) who returned to Harrisonburg in 2018 after spending two years in the Washington, D.C. area. I have played the saxophone and guitar since my middle school band days and served as drum major during my time with the James Madison Marching Royal Dukes. Playing music throughout my schooling was formative for me — it gave me an incredible set of friends, helped me to develop leadership skills, and taught me that hard work achieves results. Working with the remarkable AGC team is just one small way I can help support the arts and provide the students of today with the same experiences that I was afforded."- Nathan Saxman

Why Are the Arts Important?

“The arts are an essential element of education, just like reading, writing, and arithmetic…music, dance, painting, and theater are all keys that unlock profound human understanding and accomplishment.”
   –William Bennett, Former US Secretary of Education

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