Inside the Creative Shift Happening in Tuscaloosa Classrooms

Children growing up in Alabama deserve to be exposed to as many things as possible when it comes to career possibilities, hobbies, and education. Many people don't understand how critical these things are in a child's development.

Although the arts are supported in Alabama by initiatives like the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the state still sees major challenges when it comes to the arts, such as underfunding and access issues.

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According to the Alabama State Council on the Arts, 76% of students living in rural areas of Alabama have minimal to no access to arts education, and  63% of students living in urban areas of Alabama have minimal to no access to arts education.. They also reported that 48% of students living in suburban areas of Alabama have minimal to no access to arts education.

It's refreshing to see that locally in Tuscaloosa, there are some schools going the extra mile to ensure their students have access to the arts.

Woodland Forrest Elementary School recently opened its new broadcast studio for its students. The studio makes it "possible to expand upon the curriculum and provide students with an engaging and interactive learning environment," said  school principal Teresa Croom Bivens

Paul W. Bryant High School is getting into the action as well. They've recently launched a podcast.

"We’re excited to announce the very first episode of our new podcast: Roundtable With Studio B," the caption read on a post from Paul W. Bryant High School on social media.