(By TAYLOR MARESCA)

Art can be a gateway into the soul. Art can be a getaway for human beings. Art can be an escape for students feeling suffocated by the demands of schooling or a troublesome home life.

Matthew Peters, director of The Woodlands High School Theatre Department, believes it also serves as motivation.

“The most important thing about arts education is that for a lot of kids, it is the reason they come to school,” Peters said.

In the wake of these unprecedented times, many schools are deciding to make budget cuts that include the elimination of arts programs. Before the COVID-19 era, arts education was often overlooked in primary and secondary school settings. Educators around the globe argue this phenomenon.

“It makes people more well-rounded,” Peters said. “Through art you learn empathy. You learn to be empathetic to the plight of another human being. That’s something you don’t get out of a regular core class.”

The arts, and theatre specifically, teach students how to be team players. “It’s like a sport in a way,” said Peters, who added that everyone is working toward a common goal and everyone has their part to play.

While Peters was growing up, his mother was a manager at a school for children who had speech disabilities.

“My mom would never let me sleep in during the summer as a kid,” Peters said. “I got up and helped around the school. I was the big kid who played on the playground with the younger ones.” It was here where Peters found his passion for teaching, education, and mentoring.

“I originally went to college to be a history teacher,” Peters said. “But when a friend of mine saw an opening for a theatre teacher position, I knew I had to take it.”

Peters began his teaching career at Alief Taylor High School in inner-city Houston, Texas. He noted that for many students from low-income homes, the only reason they would come to school was for the arts programs. “They are proud of the work they are doing,” he said.

Theatre is a special art form. “It is such a beautiful moment when you are watching a performance and you realize you have stopped breathing,” Peters said. “There is truly nothing like it.”

Peters said his favorite memory from working at TWHS Theater was taking their musical, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” from the high school, to the Texas Thespians State Festival, all the way to the International Thespian Festival.

“It was amazing to watch the show and the students grow over the year that we performed the musical,” Peters said. “I think the coolest part was being able to watch the reception they got from their peers.” He said his students were akin to celebrities in the high school theatre world.

Peters understands that being a teacher, especially at the high school level, is a big responsibility.

“I always say that I hope to instill a love and passion for the arts in my students, but if I can’t do that, I want to help them become better people,” Peters said. “High school is an important four years of life that really sets you up for college and life after that.”

Peters said that a lot of students may not feel comfortable talking to their family or their friends about certain “high school topics” such as friendships and dating. He hopes to serve as a sounding board and an outlet for those students.

“Don’t sweat the small stuff” is Peters’ new mantra as he continues on in his career. He wants his students to find what makes them happy.

“I’ve learned to look at the big picture, and I try to remember that life is too short to try to please everyone.”