Hamden, CT — November 25, 2025 — Arts for Learning Connecticut (AFLCT) is pleased to announce it has received a $500 grant from the Barnum Foundation for Life to support its Higher Order Thinking (HOT) Schools programming at F.J. Kingsbury Elementary School in Waterbury, Connecticut.
This contribution helps ensure that students at Kingsbury Elementary have access to high-quality, arts-integrated learning that enhances academic engagement, strengthens social-emotional development, and builds essential creative and critical thinking skills.
“We’re grateful to the Barnum Foundation for Life for believing in the power of arts learning to transform students’ educational experiences,” said John-Michael Parker, Executive Director of Arts for Learning Connecticut. “Investments like this one make an outsized impact in classrooms, helping young people feel seen, supported, and inspired to explore their full creative potential.”
With this support, AFLCT continues its mission to inspire young people and broaden their learning through the arts, ensuring that Kingsbury students have meaningful opportunities to grow both academically and personally.
About Higher Order Thinking Schools:
The Higher Order Thinking Schools program is a comprehensive initiative integrating arts learning into the core curriculum to improve school and student outcomes. Its goals are to improve student engagement, enrich school culture, and expand teacher practice. It is built on the belief that arts learning promotes higher-order thinking and develops skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration. HOT Schools partner schools are characterized by their focus on Social and Emotional Learning, Culturally Responsive Teaching practice, and school culture, fostering an environment where every student is encouraged to engage actively in their learning. The program has been recognized nationally for its innovative approach to education and its success in enhancing student achievement.