This research investigates the potential impacts of arts education on the academic engagement, sense of agency, and originality of rural middle schoolers in the eighth grade. This research aims to find out what eighth graders have to say and provide their voices a platform. What students think of the arts-based electives at their schools may be gleaned through hearing their stories, viewpoints, and opinions. Some of the main ideas that came out of this research are: The futures and careers of students in the arts; the relationship between creativity and arts education; the importance of arts education in fostering students' sense of self-efficacy. Students' responses to open-ended questionnaires and interviews suggested that students' motivation, self-efficacy, and creativity were influenced by their exposure to the arts in the classroom. The data and statements in this research come from both questionnaires and focus groups. In addition to discussing the limitations of the study and making suggestions for future research, the conclusion of this study also includes some recommendations.
Key words: Art Education, Intrinsic Motivation, Student Autonomy, Self-Determination Theory.
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