Press Releases
06/08/2023
Secretary Thomas Recognizes Bristol's Chippens Hill Middle School as the 2022-2023 "Outstanding Red, White & Blue School"; Berlin High School and Oxford High School Also Honored as Red, White & Blue Schools
(Hartford, CT) – In a brief ceremony earlier today, Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas recognized Bristol’s Chippens Hill Middle School as a 2022-2023 “Outstanding Red, White & Blue School” for its comprehensive civics program. Secretary Thomas presented Chippens Hill staff and students with a citation and congratulated them for their efforts.
“Chippens Hill Middle School’s thoughtful curriculum engages students across a variety of touchpoints inside and outside of the classroom through historical document analysis and leadership programs that encourage volunteerism and community participation,” said Secretary Thomas. “Engaging youth in the civic process is crucial for strengthening overall public civic awareness, and I believe Chippens Hill’s program will help lead its students toward a life of active civic participation.”
Also, this year, Berlin High School and Oxford High School earned distinctions as Red, White & Blue schools for their civics program offerings. The theme for 2022-2023 submissions was “Founding Documents of Government.”
The Red, White & Blue Schools Program, administered in partnership with the Connecticut State Department of Education and the Connecticut’s Old State House, recognizes K-12 public and private schools that go above and beyond in their delivery of civic education. The goal of the program is to increase the innovative teaching of civics and government in Connecticut and emphasize the importance of active and informed citizenship throughout students’ education in a collection of ways to spur whole-life community engagement.
"Through student-led initiatives, volunteerism, and a curriculum that focuses on historical literacy, Chippins Hill Middle School in Bristol exemplifies civic engagement, said Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker. “Congratulations to the students and faculty for achieving the esteemed 2023 Red, White and Blue Schools 'Program of Excellence' recognition."
“Learning civics through active, hands-on experiences provides students with the tools they’ll need for lifelong community engagement,” said Sally Whipple, Executive Director, Connecticut’s Old State House. “Teachers set this in motion with creative lessons, students follow through with meaningful projects, and the Red White and Blue Schools Program stands ready every year to celebrate and recognize their accomplishments.”
Red, White & Blue Schools first launched in 2016 under former Secretary of the State Denise Merrill and then-Education Commissioner Dianna R. Wentzell, a former teacher in the South Windsor Public School system, is available to all K-12 schools in the state. Additional information about Red, White & Blue Schools is available at: https://wp.cga.ct.gov/osh/home/rwb-schools-frequently-asked-questions/
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