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The Foundation's mission is to provide financial support for educational projects, programs, and initiatives that will enhance and enliven the classroom experience and promote excellence in West Hartford Public Schools.
The Foundation raises funds from individuals, businesses, and civic groups in the community as well as alumni nationwide. Gifts of $1,000 or more entitle the donor to honor an individual, business or civic group by having the Foundation name a grant. Once a year, certified teachers throughout the school district are invited to apply for grants ranging from $200 to $3,000 for a project that will enhance student experience, complement the curriculum and demonstrate educational merit. A Foundation committee reviews the applications with the teacher's name and school removed. After approval by the Foundation board, awards are presented in late spring of each year.
For more information or to apply for a grant, visit The Foundation's webpage HERE.
The following list is this year's reciepients from Hall:
Carson Family Foundation Grant: Cultural Connections
Maria Genca, Lead Teacher (Hall High School) & Ryan Cronin (Whiting Lane) This grant will give English Language Learner (ELL) students’ access to and knowledge of ways to be involved in the West Hartford Community. The high school ELL students at Hall High School will mentor the elementary students at Whiting Lane Elementary School. Each high school student will be matched with an elementary student from a similar background and they will participate together in a combination of community service and cultural activities including working in the community garden, volunteering at a soup kitchen and visiting local museums and parks. These monthly meetings and activities will support the ELL curriculum by challenging and nurturing their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. Students will apply the knowledge they acquire from community activities to their personal lives and share this new information with their families. The program will conclude with student-run projects that emphasize leadership, creativity and literacy. These projects will be shared at the annual Hello! West Hartford event.
Cullina Family Grant: Out of the Landfills; from Scrap Metal to High Level Artistry
Silas Finch Nicole Maldonado, Lead Teacher (Sedgwick Middle School) & Rachael Martinelli (Hall High School) Pam Murphy This grant will introduce Sedgwick Middle School students to a new way of thinking about Visual Art through a residency with a significant, current Connecticut artist, Silas Finch. Silas is a sculptor who works with all metal fragments, pieces, parts, scraps, and found objects. These objects are given new identities and are reconnected to a new whole. That is, the objects transcend their strictly utilitarian purpose and become true works of art as sculpture. Silas Finch will speak to the classes and familiarize them with the history of the “STEAM PUNK” movement, his work and path to establishing himself as an artist through life experiences. Students will make connections to current day life and history and will also learn the importance of refinement and craft while being challenged to assemble metal objects together without the use of a welding tools or a blowtorch. They will have access to contemporary artist Silas Finch’s skills and decades of experience in creating these magical and thought provoking sculptures. Silas will also spend one day with a group of Hall High School students collaborating ways to design lessons based on Steam Punk Art as a way to enrich experiences for a group of special needs students. Students will to gain experience from an established sculptor and learn to make modifications to support the success and creativity of special needs students.
Liberty NeAd Grant: Enhancing Computer Science Hardware & Programming Education with Raspberry Pi
Michael Wilkosz, Lead Teacher (Hall High School) & Anthony Truss (Conard High School)
Hall High School students will have access to 26 Raspberry Starter Kits, which are a low-cost credit-card sized computer that plugs into a monitor or TV and uses a standard keyboard and mouse. These amazing little devices will enable students enrolled in three different courses to explore computing and learn how to program in cutting edge languages, such as Scratch and Python. The student kits, will be used in tandem with traditional PC hardware, and provide students with enhanced understanding and experimentation with operating systems aside from the traditional Window site. Use of these kits will directly enhance three current computer course offerings, including an advanced computer course being offered for the first time in partnership with Trinity College and another course provided in partnership with Capital Community College. These kits will also allow for expansion of the computer programming curriculum in future years.
Special Education Parent Teacher Organization (SEPTO) Grant: From School to Independence
Ellen Matos, Lead Teacher & Laura D'Ostilio, Anna Matthews Teaching and guiding students to be successful after high school both intellectually and practically includes providing special needs students with vocational skills for independence at home and in the workplace. Through this grant, equipment and small appliances will be purchased that will allow students in grades 9 through 12 at Hall High School to learn skills and have regular exposure to simulated activities that they may face during high school and beyond. The funds will support the purchase of items such as a blender, coffee maker or toaster oven for use in simulating both a home environment and a workplace. Using this equipment, faculty will customize vocational instruction based on each individual student’s skill level.
Teacher of the Year Finalist Grant: Jennifer Lanese Turning Dreams into Action Plans
This exciting program will engage students in meaningful discussions with a local inspirational community member regarding short and long term planning. Freshmen at Hall will be inspired to set goals for themselves as well as to develop steps to achieve those goals. In addition the program will assist in developing a stronger sense of community within the school through shared experience and collaboration. As a final project, this grant will align with many of the common core English standards such as: narrative writing, verbal expression, and use of digital media in presentations.
