Art QUEST

Fifth grade students who demonstrate a passion and are interested in being considered for Art QUEST are required to complete a Student Self-Nomination Form and submit a portfolio for review in the fall.

Art QUEST teachers use the National Core Art Standards to create lessons which include advanced problem solving skills, more technical difficulty, greater independence and deeper analytical and evaluative discussions (critiques) about art than normally experienced in the fifth grade art curriculum. The groups are smaller, approximately 15-17 students with two teachers, which allows for more individualized attention. In addition, students have at least one to two field experiences per year, visiting either a museum or an artist studio, giving students a real life connection to the artist and the arts. The overall objective of Art QUEST is to facilitate and broaden student’s perspective, focused on the whole child, as per CT standard to promote artistically literate citizens well equipped with the creativity, communication, and critical thinking skills needed to live rich and meaningful lives.

A Portfolio Review Committee of certified teachers and practicing artists will convene in September to make the selection of 30-35 students to participate in Art QUEST. The committee is comprised of art teachers from West Hartford elementary and middle schools. 

Students will attend Art QUEST on Monday afternoons, from approximately 3:50-5:30 P.M., for ten weeks from October-December and ten weeks January-March. Art QUEST is held in two locations. Students will be transported to their appropriate school on buses already assigned to their school.  

Student Portfolios will contain:

#1: A self-portrait completed independently outside of school. Student’s choice of media.

#2: A student created product completed in school in 4^th grade (i.e. recent Art Show submission)

#3: An art piece created independently outside of school, free choice of subject matter and media to be completed at home.

#4: Sculpture Challenge (3D) to be created in art class in the fall.

#5: Artistic Writing Statement: a writing response to be completed in school in the fall to analyze the Sculpture Challenge piece.

Each student submitting a portfolio will complete an additional activity at his/her elementary school.  The QUEST teacher will schedule and oversee this component of the qualifying activities. Art teachers are asked to rate the nominated student’s demonstration of specific learning and behavior characteristics (e.g., ability to be exceptionally focused in area of interest).