Pitt County Schools Arts Education

Congratulations Jayden & Xavian!! This is an incredible accomplishment. We look forward to having you represent Pitt County Schools at the All State Middle School Jazz Band clinic.

Huge congratulations to Jayden Barnes (Tenor Sax, 1st chair in the B Band) and Xavian Holmes (Trombone, 3rd chair in the B Band) for earning spots in the All-State Jazz Band! 🎷🎶

This is an incredible achievement that reflects their hard work, dedication, and musicianship. We are so proud of the countless hours they’ve put into practicing and preparing for this honor.

The event will be held April 17–18 at NC State!

Way to represent C.M Eppes!

One of the many reasons to make sure your student is involved in the Arts throughout their K-12 years…

Research from MIT and other cognitive science institutions has examined how music training influences brain development in children. Studies show that learning music engages multiple brain systems at the same time, including networks involved in memory, attention, auditory processing, motor coordination, and language.

Musical training requires the brain to coordinate rhythm, pitch, movement, and listening simultaneously. This process activates both hemispheres of the brain and strengthens communication between them through neural pathways such as the corpus callosum. Neuroimaging research has shown structural and functional changes in areas related to working memory, executive function, and auditory processing among children who receive consistent music training.

Coding education, by comparison, primarily emphasizes logical reasoning, sequencing, and computational thinking. While these skills are important for problem-solving, they tend to engage a narrower set of cognitive systems compared with the multi-sensory demands involved in musical performance and practice.

Because music integrates cognitive, sensory, emotional, and motor processes, researchers often study it as a complex form of brain training during childhood development. Some findings suggest that early musical training is associated with improvements in language processing, attention control, and academic performance.

These observations are part of a broader field of research exploring how structured learning activities influence neural plasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize and strengthen connections during development.

Source

Hyde, K. L., et al. (2009). Musical training shapes structural brain development. Journal of Neuroscience. PMID: 19726641

Moreno, S., et al. (2011). Short-term music training enhances verbal intelligence and executive function. Psychological Science. PMID: 21775683

Kraus, N., & Chandrasekaran, B. (2010). Music training for the development of auditory skills. Nature Reviews Neuroscience. PMID: 20871481

MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research – Music and brain development studies

Disclaimer
Disclaimer: Educational information only. Not medical or professional advice.

Thank you to the ECU School of Theatre and Dance for their amazing hospitality and for all of the staff members who took time out of their Spring Break to work with our Pitt County Schools students.

Tonight’s Ms.Harvey Wooten High School Visual Art Exhibit and Competition has been postponed due to the inclement weather conditions.

The event has been rescheduled for next Monday (December 15). The Exhibit will be open from 5:30-7:00pm at the Kathy Taft Center on Allen Road.

Pitt County Schools

The Pitt County Cultural Arts & Recreation department has started a new performance opportunity for our community Arts programs. Last night, Hope Middle School Orchestra and Wintergreen Intermediate Orchestra put on the first ever concert outdoors at the Alice Keene Park. Thanks for allowing our Pitt County Schools students to utilize this amazing outdoor space for community programs!!

The 2025 Community Youth Arts Festival was amazing!! Thank you to all who partnered to provide this opportunity for our kids.

Only 11 more sleeps until…

🎺🎭🎸🩰🎻🎨🎤🎷

Congratulations to Tiffany Zarinana (Art Teacher at Creekside Elementary School) for being named NCAEA’s Rookie Art Educator of the Year! Well-deserved honor!!

Let the countdown begin for this year's Youth Arts Festival! Make sure that your calendar is marked for Saturday, November 1 for this awesome event!
We will be at South Central High School this year with loads of arts activities for all!

Pitt County Schools
Pitt Community College
ECU College of Fine Arts and Communication
Jaycee Park Center for Arts & Crafts
Emerge Gallery and Art Center