LIFE

Unassuming in its pursuit, The Roberts Foundation for the Arts is one of the strongest supporters of the arts community in the Greater Hartford area. “We fund everything—symphony, theater, dance, choral groups, museums, heritage homes,” said Executive Director Lisa Curran. “We’re driven by excellence in the arts; always looking for the upper tier performance.”

Looking for that perfect gift for a friend or family member? A piece of art that moves you? You don’t have to go far to find something you’ll love. There are so many talented people right here in West Hartford that may have just what you’re looking for. Here, we bring you one of those folks.

Forget sports—this competition may be harder than anything requiring physical aptitude. King Philip Middle School’s Team 1 will represent West Hartford and the U.S. when they go to New Zealand in July to compete in the Kids’ Lit Quiz, an annual literature contest for students aged 10-13. They’ll be competing against teams from around the world in an intense and brainy battle of the books.

A labor of love and gift from God—that’s what Priscilla Pedrosa’s new shop, ChoccoDiva Confections, came to be. After 14 months of her husband Jean Sapiain’s renovations, the West Hartford shop opened its doors to the public last May.

Once again, the extraordinary talent of Hall High School’s Pops ‘n Jazz players went unmatched last month, as the more than 100 student performers from the school's Concert Jazz Band, Jazz Band II, Jazz Dancers, Choraliers (singers), and Giovani Solisti (string players) showcased what they do best.

These are just a few of the subjects touched on in “The Nutmeg Anthology: Contemporary Poems of Connecticut,” out in time to celebrate National Poetry Month. The collection, published by Grayson Books, contains 70 poems by students, teachers, state poet laureates and others who love to write poetry. Publisher Ginny Connor had been thinking about putting the anthology for quite some time. “I love Connecticut,” she said. “I wanted contemporary poems, but some are historical, so

Daniel Bailey is currently working on a baby cradle for an expecting family. This one-of-a-kind piece, made entirely by hand using Port Orford wood, will likely be passed down through future generations born into the family that commissioned it.

At the bi-monthly Anime Club at the Noah Webster Library, the stakes are high during a game of Jeopardy. Like the popular television show, the categories—Character Themes, Things That Start with “D”, Backgrounds, Whose Weapon Is This?, and Guess the Logo—get progressively harder as the value of the money goes up.