Welcome to QUEST. West Hartford Public Schools program for Gifted and Talented is one of the oldest established programs in the state of Connecticut, dating as far back as 1976 with clustering through the Challenge Program. In 1994 a schoolwide gifted program was implemented to meet the needs of gifted and talented students in grades four through eight. The program began as a collaborative effort with UCONN's National Research Center on Gifted and Talented and the Teaching the Talent Program.

Our program’s mission is committed to diversity and inclusion to ensure all students have an opportunity to develop their unique gifts and talents. Students in grades 4-8 are offered three programmatic pathways for identification under comprehensive gifted and talented programs. QUEST, Math QUEST (accelerated) and Art QUEST provide student-centered, individualized pathways to honor the identified student's social, emotional, and unusually advanced academic development. Students explore and participate in talent development, creativity, and problem-solving skills in gifted education classes. Students advance skills required to succeed in the 21st century. 

These essential skills include:

• Critical Thinking
• Creative Thinking
• Collaborating
• Communicating
• Social Skills
• Flexibility
• Initiative
• Leadership
• Information, Media and Technology Literacy
• Productivity and Task Commitment

The learning environment is deliberately designed to facilitate the research and development of college ready skills, critical thinking, and self-selected investigations into real-world practical and authentic problems. QUEST is a safe space for the creative, analytical, and divergent thinker to work and engage in collaboration and or independently of like-minded peers. Additionally, QUEST offers opportunities for participation in field experiences co-aligned with grade level themes based on the principles and practices of Renzulli's Schoolwide Enrichment, The Enrichment Triad Model, and Susan Baum's Talent Development. Professional practices are purposed and designed for personalization of student learning.

Again, welcome to QUEST and thank you for visiting our webpage!

Together we make a difference!
Dr. M. Thompson
Director, Gifted and Talented