Drawing helps foster early writing skills, especially among children who ordinarily struggle with literacy, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"An arts education makes a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and has proven to help level the 'learning field' across socio-economic boundaries," says James Catterall, UCLA Imagination Project. 

In Loudoun County, Head Start prepares children from economically disadvantaged families to successfully enter Kindergarten by working on language skills, early literacy, socialization, colors, and numbers. KidzArt® is a visual arts education program that teaches children how to draw using the language of shapes. "We take a 'no mistakes' approach to learning, building confidence in children by giving them the tools they need to develop real artwork in a non-competitive environment," says Wendy Green, executive director for KidzArt in Loudoun and Prince William counties. 

NOVEC will sponsor six weeks of pre-school art classes to Head Start students at Emerick Elementary in Purcellville, Va., beginning in February 2010. The classes will be taught by KidzArt. An show of the students' artwork will be on March 23, 2010, at Emerick Elementary. 

"KidzArt and Head Start are grateful for the support of NOVEC for this six-week session," Green said.