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To address a nationwide need of arts education on a state level, Utah State University and the Caine College of the Arts (CCA) are implementing a new outreach program called the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Access Initiative.

USU's Arts Access Initiative program specifically focuses on providing arts education to children in elementary schools throughout the state, including those with disabilities.Raymond Veon, who served as the director of fine and performing arts in the Atlanta Public Schools, in Atlanta, is the founding director of the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Access, a program specifically funded and designed to serve the statewide need for arts access in schools.

"Professor Veon brings to Utah State University 17 years of experience in teaching the visual arts and an impressive list of accomplishments as a school and district administrator with Atlanta public schools," said Craig Jessop, dean of the CCA.The initiative focuses on implementing arts education in schools by working with teachers and undergraduate students majoring in education. Veon will work with USU's Center for Persons with Disabilities, the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program (BTSALP) university partners, the Utah State Office of Education and others to implement new programs at the elementary school level.This year, the initiative will focus on helping specific public elementary schools from Kamas to Ogden by providing suggestions and financial assistance to encourage and support arts education in the classrooms,