Armed with recent data showing the long-term benefits on children of studying the arts in school, a star-studded panel of actor/activists made a plea in Washington for increased federal arts spending. A UCLA study “found that students who studied the arts in grades eight to 10 made higher grades, scored better on standardized tests, and were less likely to drop out of school.” The 200 attending representatives of arts advocacy groups pledged to pass on the message to lawmakers. – New Jersey Online (AP)