Tarpon Springs, Florida---When students enter Laurie Mullins classroom it brightens their world.
Mullins teaches art at Brooker Creek Elementary in Tarpon Springs.
Today she's showing her students how to make a stained glass window by using tracing paper.
Mullins has a degree in interior design but her love of teaching drew her to the classroom.
She has taught different age levels in her 21 years in the classroom but says the little ones are her favorite.
And while school districts across the country are cutting art classes Mullins says the students are missing an important opportunity to express themselves.
These days the emphasis is on getting students up to speed on computers. She says there is nothing wrong with that, but not every child is cut out to be the next Bill Gates. She does believe art can be the gateway to discovering what makes them great.
Mullins says studies show taking art classes can improve test scores because a child is allowed to explore a creative side while still learning.
What about those colorful creations that end up decorating just about every parent’s refrigerator or office wall?
Mullins says those are pretty important because that’s a child’s way of telling adults who they are. She says if you look closely you can see their personality shining through. Mullins calls it their stamp of themselves.
And when parents proudly display that artwork, it gives their child that extra boost of confidence.
So the next time your pint sized Picasso brings home that special drawing, make sure you
give it a proper showroom. Don’t forget, it was a teacher like Laurie Mullins who gave them the tools to add some color to the world.
Ginger Gadsden/Tampa Bay's 10 News