Postponed – KAI 4th Annual Beer & Wine Tasting Fundraiser

Friends of Kinsella Arts Inc.,

On March 10, 2020, the Board of Directors of KAI held a meeting and decided to postpone the Beer & Wine Tasting Fundraiser. We know this is a disappointment, but given the current circumstances in our nation regarding the COVID-19 virus and the immediacy of the situation, in the interest of the public we have decided to delay our event until more information is published. We would like to reschedule the event before the end of the current school year so that those students that worked so hard to prepare for their performances can still participate, but the next date will depend entirely on the state of our community at that time.

Our vendors are still on board. Our venue (Hal Holbrook Hall at the Mark Twain House) has agreed to work with us for a new time slot when we are ready. Our students are still eager to perform! Please let us know if you have any questions. And again, we are truly sorry for any inconvenience.

The Board of Directors of Kinsella Arts Inc.
65 Van Block Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106

Email: KinsellaArtsInc@gmail.com

Best,
Kel Thomas, Chairman

KAI $10,000 Matching Pledge Drive Now Until December 6, 2019

KAI is thrilled to announce a donation drive from now until December 6, 2019. An anonymous donor is generously pledging to match every dollar raised by KAI up to $5,000! Please donate in whatever way and amount you can. You can also donate directly through our website!

KAI’s Board Chair Kel Thomas announces this wonderful event in the letter below:

You can download this letter here. Please donate today and help spread this good news!

Pratt & Whitney’s Hispanic Leadership Forum Renews its Resume Workshop with Kinsella

We want to bring to your attention an opportunity that Kinsella Arts, Inc (KAI) in partnership with Pratt Whitney has offered to our high school students for the past several years.

This year Pratt & Whitney’s Hispanic Leadership Forum (HLF) has expanded its partnership with Kinsella Arts, Inc to include Pratt’s Asian American Leadership Forum (AALF).  Volunteer mentors from Pratt will focus on aiding high school students in Resume Preparation and Developing Interviewing Skills, with the first day focusing on Resume Prep and the second day focusing on Developing Interviewing Skills. We are expecting 32 students so in addition to Pratt employees we are looking for as many volunteers as possible to try to get to one-on-one or two-on-one interactions with the students for optimal mentoring.

Come out to provide some great career development for these high schoolers! Or, if you’d rather, just come out to watch this program in action!  Kinsella Arts takes great pride in how our community partnerships have directly benefited the students at the Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts!

Please RSVP me if you’d like to come out for one or both of the days. If you also want to volunteer to mentor a student, please let me know that as well in your RSVP.  For those of you that want to mentor, a prep document will be sent out with some hints and reminders for resumes and interviewing that you can use if you are looking for something to reference.

When: 3/29 & 4/26: Resume Prep and Interviewing Skills at Kinsella

Where: The R.J. Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts at 245 Locust Street, Hartford, CT

Time: 1-2pm

Thank you and hope to see you there!

Dinner and a Show – “Once on This Island”

On Tuesday, January 22nd Kinsella teachers are hosting a pasta dinner fundraiser prior to the middle school performance “Once on This Island.”

This is certain to be a fun night out while supporting the school field trips!

You don’t have to cook and you will be pampered and served by the students.

Pasta dinner includes :

  • spaghetti and meatballs
  • salad
  • bread
  • water
  • dessert

…and special memories that can’t be undone!

Dinner will be served beginning at 4:30. Guests can arrive anytime between 4:30 and 5:15 for dinner. The show starts at 5:30 and is in the black box theatre at the school at 65 Van Block Ave.

The cost is $10.00 per adult and $5.00 for children ten and under.

Please email Chrissy Tocionis at TOCIC001@hartfordschools.org if you would like her to make a reservation for you.

2019 Board of Directors Meeting Dates

2019 Board of Directors Meeting Dates

All meetings are held on the first Saturday of every month from 8:15 to 9:30 AM. at

New England Asset Management, 74 Batterson Park Road, Farmington, CT

Meetings are open to anyone wanting to learn more about KAI, unless the Board needs to meet in Executive Session, which will be posted on our website if this is the case: https://www.kinsellaartsinc.org/

  • January 5
  • February 2
  • March 2
  • April 6
  • May 4
  • June 1
  • July 6
  • August 3
  • September 7
  • October 5
  • November 2

 

In the Spirit of Giving

Kinsella Arts, Inc. and the United Way

It’s fall…And the season for giving, whether through your company’s Employee Giving Campaign or the United Way Community Campaign. Please contribute in whatever way works for you, in the interest of strengthening our school community.

Kinsella Arts, Inc. (“KAI”) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that exists to support the Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts. The mission of Kinsella Arts Incorporated is to provide arts-integrated educational initiatives through financial support and community partnerships. We enrich learning experiences that benefit students, families and the community.

KAI is controlled by an independently-elected Board of Directors, consisting of parents, local business leaders and school administrators, all of whom serve on the board as volunteers. KAI raises money through corporate and community foundations, grants, donations, sponsorships, individual gifts and fundraising events.

Another way KAI raises money is through United Way donations, which many employers encourage participation in. If you donate to United Way, please consider directing the donation to Kinsella Arts, Inc., 65 Van Block Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106 by using the designation code – DS1412.

Kinsella Arts, Inc. and AmazonSmile

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way to support KAI every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to KAI. On your first visit to AmazonSmile, just select “Kinsella Arts, Inc.” as your charity of choice, so that we can begin to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. Every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.

#Giving Tuesday

Please also give to KAI on #Giving Tuesday. #Giving Tuesday refers to the Tuesday after U.S. Thanksgiving in the United States. #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving at the beginning of the holiday season. #GivingTuesday has become a significant giving moment for causes to raise money and create impact.

Go to https://kinsellaartsinc.org/ways-to-contribute and click the “Donate Today” button.

PayPal Giving Fund

KAI is now enrolled in PayPal Giving Fund, affording KAI even more from holiday shopping and fundraising. PayPal is adding 1% to all donations made through PayPal’s donate page and the PayPal app from November 27 through December 31. Go to https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2133388 to donate directly through PayPal.

Welcome to the New KinsellaArtsInc.org

Welcome to the new Kinsella Arts Incorporated website.  KAI’S mission is to provide arts-integrated educational initiatives through financial support and community partnerships. We enrich learning experiences that benefit students, families and the community.

KAI supports the RJ Kinsella Magnet School for the Performing Arts in Hartford, CT.  Through your monetary support as well as volunteer efforts we are able to enrich the lives of an ever increasing community of students, parents, teachers and community members from over 45 Connecticut cities and towns.

Please take a few minutes and review our site then consider making a donation or contacting us to volunteer.

An article in the Hartford Courant about the graduating class of seniors from R.J. Kinsella

The graduating class of seniors are moving on to new adventures but not before they Put on a Final Show at R.J. Kinsella Magnet School.  Written by Ruth Bruno of the Hartford Courant.

 

Students Wow at KAI Partner Breakfast!!

At our recent KAI Partner Breakfast a quick performance from various age groups gave a glimpse into not only the enjoyment that can be seen on each and every child’s face during the performance but in the dedication of the instruction as well.  A great start to the day!!