HAMDEN, CT — July 25, 2025 — Arts for Learning Connecticut (AFLCT) is pleased to announce a $3,500 grant award from the George A. & Grace L. Long Foundation in support of its Higher Order Thinking Schools initiative at RJ Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts in Hartford. This funding will enable the delivery of dynamic, school-wide arts integration programming during the 2025-26 academic year.
Higher Order Thinking Schools is AFLCT’s flagship whole-school initiative, combining professional development, creative residencies, and cultural performances to transform school communities through the arts. At Kinsella, where over 75% of students qualify for Free or Reduced-Price Meals and 88% identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color, Higher Order Thinking Schools fosters student engagement, teacher growth, and an inclusive school culture.
With this investment, AFLCT will deliver over 1,300 hours of instruction and engagement at Kinsella, including in-class workshops, artist residencies, school-wide performances, and professional development for educators. The Higher Order Thinking Schools model is grounded in Culturally Responsive Teaching and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), aligning closely with Kinsella’s mission and the needs of its students. The 2025–26 program at Kinsella builds on a successful pilot year and represents the next step in the school’s journey toward becoming a model for creative, inclusive education in Hartford.
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.
About the George A. & Grace L. Long Foundation
Administered by Bank of America, the foundation was established in 1960 to support and promote quality educational, cultural, human services, and health care programming for underserved populations in Connecticut.