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The QUEST program, a pioneering force in Connecticut's West Hartford Public Schools' Gifted and Talented initiative since 1976, stands out for its unique features. It began with the Challenge Program and evolved in 1994 to offer a comprehensive schoolwide gifted program for students in grades four through eight. This initiative, in collaboration with UCONN's National Research Center on Gifted and Talented, emphasizes the cultivation of students' unique gifts and talents.

The programs is dedicated to diversity and inclusion, providing three distinct pathways for gifted identification: QUEST, Math QUEST (accelerated), and Art QUEST. The QUEST pathway focuses on a broad range of subjects; the Math QUEST pathway is specifically designed for students with a strong aptitude for mathematics and an ability to work two grades beyond their current placement. Art QUEST pathway is intended to provoke students who show signs of advanced artistic thinking to self-select and submit their artistic portfolio. All programs are specially designed to support and extend students' social, emotional, and advanced academic development. Through gifted education, students can enhance their critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and leadership skills—essential competencies for success in the 21st century.

The QUEST program is a nurturing haven, fostering an environment conducive to researching and developing college-ready skills. It allows students to engage in meaningful, real-world investigations. The curriculum, influenced by Renzulli's Schoolwide Enrichment Model and Susan Baum's Talent Development principles, ensures personalized learning experiences. QUEST fosters a safe space for creative and analytical thinking, encouraging collaboration among like-minded peers. This nurturing environment is designed to support and enhance your child's growth and development.

The QUEST programs are not just programs; they are a commitment to making a significant difference in the educational journey of gifted and talented students. Their unique gifts and talents are recognized, nurtured, and celebrated here. 

We recognize that gifted and talented students exist in every demographic without exception to race, economic status, disability, linguistic, or cultural background. We are committed to ensuring equitable identification, access to quality programs, and equitable resources and support.

Our collective efforts and support can truly make a difference in the lives of students.

Dr. M. Thompson
Director, Gifted and Talented

The United Nations of QUEST
April 2026

Elementary Type III Celebration
May 11, 2026

Two young boys stand in front of a science fair project about an airport, with a clock and windows visible in the background.
Two young girls stand in front of a colorful %22Upcycling%22 science fair board, with a bright, sunlit outdoor scene visible through large windows in the background.
In the foreground, a science fair project board displays information about unusual materials in fashion, while the background shows a blurred view of a gymnasium with people.
A colorful tri-fold display board about upcycling, featuring various craft projects and information, is set up in front of a bright, sunlit window.
Two smiling boys stand in front of a science fair project about AI, with a hallway and a person in the background.
Two young girls stand next to a dress form in the foreground, while a blurred background shows people mingling at an event.
An audience watches a video of a boy holding a golden instrument on a large screen in a concert hall with a piano and music stands in the foreground.
Two young girls stand by a diorama of ocean life in front of a blue and green wall.
In the foreground, a group of young girls and an adult examine a science fair project about dance and theatre, while the background features a blue and green wall with some display boards.
A tri-fold board with the question %22How Does Ocean Life Interact with Each other?%22 written in blue marker is displayed, featuring images of marine life in the foreground and a blue wall in the background.
A group of children and adults stand in the foreground looking at display boards about ballet and Broadway, with a gymnasium in the background.
In the foreground, people are seated in an auditorium facing a large screen displaying a video, while the background features the stage and the auditorium's modern architecture.
A diorama of an ocean scene with clay sea creatures and a walrus on top sits on a table in front of a blue and green wall.
Two young girls stand by a fashion display board and a mannequin in the foreground, while other students and adults mill about in the background of a brightly lit room.
A diorama of a forest ecosystem features toy animals and informational signs in the foreground, with a backdrop of green paper leaves and brown cardboard trees.
A laptop displaying a video game advertisement sits on a table in front of a blue wall, with a handwritten %22Come visit Our Website!%22 sign in the foreground.
Three young girls examine a science project display about ocean zones, with a colorful diorama and informational posters in the foreground and a blurred background of a school gymnasium.
A young boy stands next to a science fair project with a blue gymnasium wall and stacked mats in the background.
A purple cardboard structure with %22DARE TO DREAM%22 written on a blue sign in the center, flanked by two informational cards, is set against a blurred background.
A smiling girl stands by her science project display in the foreground, with a boy and more displays in the background.
Five children stand in front of a %22Video Gaming%22 science fair display with blue gym walls and a green ceiling in the background.
A diorama with toy animals and informational cards on two shelves, with a blue background and white fabric draped around it.
A young girl in a purple dress and blue cape stands in the foreground holding a stuffed owl and a staff, while a science fair project about mythology is displayed behind her in a gymnasium.
A boy in a gray sweater looks at a science project in the foreground, while adults and children interact in the background of a gymnasium.
A young boy stands in front of a science fair project display with blue gymnasium bleachers in the background.
A young boy in a grey hoodie smiles in front of a science fair project display with a blue backdrop and various items on shelves, while other projects are visible in the background.
Children in costumes present a mythology project with a stuffed owl and tridents in the foreground, while adults observe in a gymnasium with blue mats in the background.
A Venn diagram comparing Einstein's childhood to modern children's childhoods is displayed on a blue and white board, featuring a portrait of Albert Einstein in the foreground and two young boys in the background.
A doll sits next to a jar labeled %221800s%22 in the foreground, while a basket of colorful objects and a blue storage bin are visible in the background.
Two children, one in a green striped shirt and the other in a lab coat and wild wig, stand in front of a science fair project board with a green wall and blue bleachers in the background.
Four children pose in front of a robotics project display board, with other students and adults milling about in the gymnasium background.
A man and two boys gather around a laptop on a table in the foreground, while a display board with information and images is visible behind them in the background.
A young person presents a %22Car Safety%22 project to two adults in front of a lime green wall.
Four children stand in front of a science fair project about wormholes, with a blue wall and green ceiling in the background.
A young boy presents a %22Car Safety%22 project to two adults in front of a light green wall.
Children and adults gather around a small robot on a track in the foreground, while a gymnasium with bleachers and windows forms the background.
People gather in a gymnasium with a wooden floor and green and white walls, while tables and displays are visible in the background.
In the foreground, two children are engrossed in coding on laptops, while in the background, a science fair display board about coding stands behind them.
In the foreground, a young girl and a woman examine artwork on a table, while in the background, people stand near serving counters in a brightly lit cafeteria.
In the foreground, a young boy in a white shirt and brown pants stands near a science fair project on a round table, while in the background, people mill about in a brightly lit gymnasium with large windows.
Two young girls with long hair are working on laptops at a table in front of a science fair display board, with adults visible in the blurred background.
Four girls wearing headphones work on laptops at a table in the foreground, with a colorful, modern classroom or common area in the background.
Children and adults gather around a science project display in the foreground, while a man stands near an open doorway in the background.
In the foreground, a young girl in a black t-shirt and denim shorts stands near a cardboard box, while in the background, a group of adults and a child are gathered in a brightly lit room with a commercial kitchen visible.
Two children in costumes perform on a stage with a piano in front of a lime green wall, while an audience watches from wooden seats in the foreground.
Two young girls in costumes stand on a stage with a piano in the foreground, while an audience watches in the background, with a presentation screen above them.
Three children stand in front of a project board, with adults milling about in the background.
People mingle in a gymnasium with displays set up, while a basketball hoop is visible in the background.
Two young boys observe a small robot in a cardboard arena, with other people and a gymnasium visible in the blurred background.
Three young girls in lab coats and a red kimono pose in front of a science fair display board in a gymnasium.
In the foreground, an audience watches a performance with a piano and a singer, while the background features a large screen displaying text about Hades.
Several colorful, handmade fabric pillows and small sewn items are arranged on a wooden table in front of display boards.
Two young boys stand in front of a science fair project with a laptop and display boards, while other students and adults mill about in the background.
A child in a lab coat and wild wig stands at a science fair project in front of a green wall, while other children and adults observe.
Seven children stand in a gymnasium with a science fair display in the background.
In the foreground, a woman and two boys are gathered around a table with a project, while in the background, other people are milling around a gymnasium with displays.
Three children stand in front of a display board with a window and outdoor scenery in the background.
A young person in tan pants and a patterned shirt stands at a science fair display, while a woman in a beige cardigan talks to them, with other attendees and a gymnasium in the background.
A tri-fold presentation board about plastic pollution stands in front of a window with bright sunlight, featuring text and images of sea turtles, oceans, and land.
In the foreground, a young boy with dreadlocks stands next to a science project, while in the background, adults and children mingle in a brightly lit room.
In the foreground, a woman and three children are gathered around a board game, while in the background, other people mill about in a gymnasium.
Children in the foreground gather around a laptop on a table displaying a science project, while adults and other children are visible in the background of a gymnasium.
A young girl in a blue dress explains her project to a woman in a green sweater, while other attendees and displays fill the background of a gymnasium.
A woman and two children play a board game at a table in the foreground, while other people mill about in the background of a gymnasium.
Three girls pose in front of a %22Hamilton%22 themed diorama with a backdrop of trees and a building visible through a window.
Two young boys and a woman stand around a science fair project with a laptop in the foreground, while other projects and windows with trees are visible in the background.
A diorama of an airport with model airplanes on the tarmac in the foreground and a project board in the background.
A young girl stands in front of a diorama of a historical scene, with a large window and trees visible in the background.
Two boys stand at a table with a diorama of a stage, while other students and displays are visible in the bright, open-plan background.
In the foreground, two people stand looking at a diorama of a stage with the word %22HAMILTON%22 at the top, while the background shows a school cafeteria with other students and tables.

Learn more

Program Overview

The Mission and Goals of the QUEST Program

Learn more

Program Themes

Linking and Learning

Learn more

Nomination & Identification Process

Unwrapping gifts and talents

Learn more

Math QUEST

A balanced approach

Learn more

Art QUEST

A program to extend artistic knowledge and skills

Learn more

Gifted and Talented Links

There's so much more to explore!

Quest Department

Dr. Mary Thompson

Director of Gifted and Talented

Ed Center: 860-561-6608

Anne Marie Andrews

Secretary - QUEST

Ed Center: 860-561-6608

David Barry

QUEST Teacher at Braeburn and King Philip

Braeburn: 860-561-2200 Ext 2743

King Philip: 860-233-8230 

Teresa Coursey

QUEST Teacher at Norfeldt and Wolcott

Norfeldt: 860-233-4421 Ext. 3257

Wolcott: 860-561-2300

Michele Hadlock

QUEST Teacher at Charter Oak International Academy & Morley

Charter Oak: 860-233-8506

Morley: 860-233-8535 Ext. 3131

Kathy Hardesty

QUEST Teacher at Smith STEM & Whiting Lane

Smith STEM: 860-236-3315 Ext. 3331

Whiting Lane: 860-233-8541

Carrie LaSpada

QUEST Teacher at Duffy and Webster Hill

Duffy: 860-521-0110

Webster Hill: 860-521-0320 Ext. 3444

David Lee

QUEST Teacher at Braeburn and Sedgwick

Braeburn: 860-561-2200 Ext. 2743

Sedgwick: 860-570-6501 Ext. 2508

Julie O'Reilly

QUEST Teacher at Sedgwick and King Philip

Sedgwick: 860-570-6501 ext. 2443

King Philip: 860-233-8236

Elyse Post-Perez

QUEST Teacher at Bugbee

Bugbee: 860-929-5500 Ext. 2836

Christy Rybczyk

QUEST Teacher at Bristow & Aiken

Bristow: 860-231-2100

Aiken: 860-233-6994

The QUEST Office
50 South Main Street, Room 327
West Hartford, CT 06107
Phone: 860-561-6608
Fax: 860-561-6913