Capping off their careers as elementary school artists, Bugbee fifth graders headed to the New Britain Museum of American Art this May to get up close to significant pieces of American artwork – and create their own. 

The entire grade, their classroom teachers, and Bugbee art teacher Elizabeth Bianco who wrote the request for this grant, were given small, engaging group tours covering some of the museum’s most iconic works, including Albert Bierstadt’s beloved “Seal Rock” and Georgia O’Keefe’s out of character-seeming painting of New York City, “East River from the 30th Story of the Shelton Hotel.” Students asked questions and analyzed the works through the “elements of art” they had been taught in class. 

They then headed to the museum’s studio space to create their own pieces inspired by these works, through collage, paint sticks, and other materials.

“The museum's collection offered strong connections to classroom learning, allowing students to make meaningful links between visual art, history, storytelling, and other content areas,” Bianco wrote of the trip. “The hands-on workshop reinforced concepts discussed during the tour and encouraged students to apply their learning through creative expression. Throughout the experience, students asked insightful questions, engaged in rich discussions, and showed a heightened appreciation for the artistic process.” Though these students are moving on to middle school next year, Bianco said that she would like to do this for incoming fifth graders in the future. 

West Hartford Post Secondary students added some fabulous fitness activities to their scheduled community outings this year, thanks to this Foundation grant. They swam at Cornerstone, played pickleball, did yoga and hiked at the reservoir, to name a few of their healthy adventures!

Students gained daily living skills by planning their schedules and routes, and packing their gear to prepare for an outing, according to organizers. They also learned about health and wellness, like setting their own fitness goals and using exercise to manage stress. 

“Experiencing these new settings allowed students to step outside their comfort zones, build physical confidence, and celebrate personal successes,” grantees wrote in their final report. 

Seeing what fitness resources are available in the community and the success of these excursions has shifted how teachers plan their weekly outings, staff said. “The funding gave our staff the confidence and blueprint they needed to see these community fitness sites as valuable, achievable options for our students long into the future.”

The grants we award fund opportunities above and beyond what the school budget allows. This is why your support is so important to the work we do. Your donation to the Foundation directly supports innovative, memorable opportunities for West Hartford Public School students.

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