Project Overview

The Art of Discovery is an arts-in-education program that was created in 2004 by Litchfield Bancorp for area middle schools.  Through the program, renowned teaching artists are invited into the schools to use their unique talents to work with the children on arts projects that support the school’s curriculum. The children are inspired to discover their hidden talents, interests and skills, and pursue “the art of discovery” well past the program.

Throughout the fall, the sixth grade classes worked with master puppeteer Derron Wood to produce six shadow puppet plays based on their curriculum in social studies and science.  The students performed their plays for their peers and parents.

 The fifth grade classes had the opportunity to work with Giovanni Ciarlo and Kathleen Sartor to make their own instruments and use them to perform music from the South American culture.  The students also had the opportunity to perform with the musical group Sirius Coyote at the conclusion of their studies.

Portraying the spirit of westward expansion, the fourth grade students worked with Connecticut’s state troubadour Thomasina to write and perform songs pertinent to that era.  The students also dressed in period costumes that they made which added to their overall experience.

The project concluded with an ice cream social hosted by Litchfield Bancorp for the students and staff as a reward for their hard-work and outstanding performances throughout the program.

In the fall of 2005, The Art of Discovery was incorporated into the fourth grade curriculum at two elementary schools in Torrington, CT.  The second year of the program kicked off with a concert by national children’s recording artist Nancy Tucker and a new t-shirt design contest was held. 

Torringford Elementary hosted the first Torrington session of Art of Discovery in the fall of 2005.  The fourth grade teaching team worked with choreographer-dancer-performer Adam Battlestein to explore dramatic movement. Mr. Battlestein worked with the students to interpret tall tales through movement and dance. 

 During the residency, students collaborated in small groups to choreograph and perform traditional tales into new and imaginative art forms.   The project encouraged the students to explore how movement and motions work together to make a seamless dramatic presentation that is appealing to the audience.

The Art of Discovery continued at East Elementary in the spring of 2006 when singer-songwriter Brian Gillie collaborated with the fourth grade classes to write songs relating to their studies of American culture.  Each class learned the basics of songwriting and then wrote songs that reflected on life in fourth grade, dining around Torrington and their love of East School.  They then choreographed dance moves to their songs and performed them for the school and their parents.  

This project encouraged the students to work as a team to develop a program that would be educational and entertaining.

In the spring of 2007, the program launched at Polk Elementary School in Oakville, CT.  During the course of the project, the fourth grade students worked with artist Michael Langlois from Flock Theatre to incorporate their social studies curriculum with shadow puppetry.  The classes developed shadow puppet plays that illustrated Connecticut history and folklore.   The students demonstrated their new theatrical skills for parents and friends at their performance night in April 2007.

For the second tour through the Litchfield school system in 2008, Litchfield Bancorp sponsored a four-week residency that combined the fourth grade science curriculum with artistic expression. Artist-Educator, Judith Mortensen, worked with each student to choose a favorite animal, learn about its habitat and the ecosystem around it, and craft a plaster likeness of the animal including horns, beaks and ears.  Then they added feathers, fake fur and fun. The enthusiastic students presented their masks and sang “The Circle of Life” for their parents and the rest of the student body.

The 2009 school year brings Litchfield Bancorp back to Torrington’s East and Torringford school districts and more great programming! This year’s Art of Discovery program will kick off on March 19th with an assembly featuring singer-songwriter Les Julian and a t-shirt design contest will be announced. Mr. Julian’s performance will showcase his award-winning original songs and illuminate universal themes while celebrating the diversity of the world through a variety of exciting musical styles.  In the days following the kick off, students will also have the opportunity to submit a design for the t-shirt contest.

The grand prizewinner will have their design featured on t-shirts distributed to the students at the end of the program.

The program will continue with artist Larry Engler.  Mr. Engler, of Poko Puppets, has presented workshops in puppetry for over thirty years for schools all over the country.  Through a series of workshops he will guide students to discover their creative talents while incorporating story telling, world culture and puppetry skills.

Litchfield Bancorp is proud to sponsor this unique program and to support the arts in local schools.

~AOD~