June 20, 2025 • 5 mins
Sarah Asmar, Advancement Director of Hartford Performs, joins us live at the Travelers Championship. Hartford Performs is a unique initiative created in partnership with Hartford Public Schools that brings teaching artists into Pre-K through 8th-grade classrooms to teach academic subjects through the arts.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thank you for listening to Community Access. I'm Alison Demurs
and the Travelers Championship in Cromwell today and my guest
is Sarah Asmar. She is Advancement director for Hartford Performs.
Good morning, good morning, it's so nice to be here.
Thank you so much for being here. So, for people
who don't know about Hartford Performs, how did it all
(00:21):
begin and what's it all about?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Our performs was sounded in conjunction with the Heart for
Public Schools And what we do is we bring teaching
artists into the Heart for Public Schools pre K through
Grade eight to teach curriculum through the art. So a
student might learn how molecules and planets move by dancing
like them, or they might learn about your theater person
(00:43):
I mean just mentioned so they might learn about vocabulary
by acting out the words. So our teaching artists going.
We see over ten thousand students every single year in
thirty one the thirty one who takes for grade eight
cover books.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Wow, this is new to me. I don't think I've
ever heard of this before. I mean, I've heard of
this kind of aspect, But how does one become a
teacher who can do these things.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Well, our teaching artists have programs that they've created and
that align with not only the National Court Art standards,
but also align with court curriculum standards, the State of
Connecticut courtk Curriclium standards. And truthfully, I have to be
honest with you, this was not something I knew about.
And I was an artist myself. I started my life
as an opper singer, so and I didn't know about
(01:29):
this aspect of art like being a teaching artist either
before I started with harper performs or found harder performs.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Myself, you know, because you know there's music therapy, all
kinds of things that we could do. But to go
in and teach for children vocabulary with the art, it's
just brilliant.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
It gives students a chance, a different way right of
engaging with their academics. For students who don't learn best
by writing something on paper, for students who work best
by moving or best by acting or laying some music
to help them learn right. So it gives them just
a different outlet, a different I always say, it gives
(02:08):
them a different avenue into their academic subjects.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Because everybody learns differently. Yes, yep, So what kind of
success stories. Have you seen our positive impact on the children?
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Oh gosh, we get so many, so many positive stories
every year. We we do submit evaluations to our teachers,
to the teachers in the classrooms for them to fill out,
and we get quotes all the time about the impact
that we have. We had just had one the other day.
A teacher told us she took her students to play
(02:39):
House and Park for to see a show, and she
said her students didn't think that acting was something that
they could do. They weren't comfortable doing it because they
needed to see somebody else do it to show them
that it was okay to play in that way right,
because theater, acting, singing on stage, it's all. It's all
about playing right. And so just giving the students that
(03:01):
permission whose play was really big for them, and then
therefore to help them learn through that as.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Well, that is absolutely amazing. You have events coming.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Up, Yes, in October, we have our annual cornhole tournament
October eighteenth, and currently on our website, the splash page
is to donate to Bertie's but that will change too.
There is some information about the cornhole tournament on that
splash page, but It's October eighteenth at West Hartford Brain
and Roasting, and we hope this is you there. You
(03:35):
can find more information soon on our website.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Is anyone eligible to participate with Hartford Performs or did
the schools need to contact you and have them come in.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Oh, that's a really good question. So we do work
with the Hartford Public schools, but we will also provide
services to schools outside of Harvard. We currently actually have
a contract on in East Harford.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
So you're here for Bertie's for Charity. For every dollar raised,
Webster Bank is going to give fifteen sense. So I
people go to Hartford Performs dot org they can make
a donation or Travelers Championship dot com. We want you
to do that right now. You couldn't do all of
this without donations, I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
No, no, no no. We rely heavily on my foundations,
foundation support and individual support. And this is amazing. Bertie's
for Charity is amazing. You know. We are really really
lucky to have support from Travelers, and we are grateful
to Webster Banks for their support as well. This is
a really big deal for a lot of a lot
(04:32):
of nonprofits.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Bertie for Charity and how has it affected your life
being involved?
Speaker 2 (04:39):
So this sort of wraps everything in my life together.
As I said, I started as an opera sunity. I
have also taught in different ways, not in an ethicicic studying,
but I have taught, and so to me, to combine
the arts with education for me, it's just like the
place that is home for me.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
What a blessing, Isn't it awesome? It is. It's the
best job in the world when you can teach children,
especially with the arts. I'm speaking with Sarah Asmar. She's
from Hartford Performs. The website again is Hartfordperforms dot org.
You can find out about who they are, what they do,
the donations events. Please donate right now, don't wait because
(05:18):
we want to get that money for charity. Thank you
so much for being here today and for serving the community.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Thank you for having me
Thank you for listening to Community Access. I'm Alison Demurs
and the Travelers Championship in Cromwell today and my guest
is Sarah Asmar. She is Advancement director for Hartford Performs.
Good morning, good morning, it's so nice to be here.
Thank you so much for being here. So, for people
who don't know about Hartford Performs, how did it all
(00:21):
begin and what's it all about?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Our performs was sounded in conjunction with the Heart for
Public Schools And what we do is we bring teaching
artists into the Heart for Public Schools pre K through
Grade eight to teach curriculum through the art. So a
student might learn how molecules and planets move by dancing
like them, or they might learn about your theater person
(00:43):
I mean just mentioned so they might learn about vocabulary
by acting out the words. So our teaching artists going.
We see over ten thousand students every single year in
thirty one the thirty one who takes for grade eight
cover books.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Wow, this is new to me. I don't think I've
ever heard of this before. I mean, I've heard of
this kind of aspect, But how does one become a
teacher who can do these things.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Well, our teaching artists have programs that they've created and
that align with not only the National Court Art standards,
but also align with court curriculum standards, the State of
Connecticut courtk Curriclium standards. And truthfully, I have to be
honest with you, this was not something I knew about.
And I was an artist myself. I started my life
as an opper singer, so and I didn't know about
(01:29):
this aspect of art like being a teaching artist either
before I started with harper performs or found harder performs.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Myself, you know, because you know there's music therapy, all
kinds of things that we could do. But to go
in and teach for children vocabulary with the art, it's
just brilliant.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
It gives students a chance, a different way right of
engaging with their academics. For students who don't learn best
by writing something on paper, for students who work best
by moving or best by acting or laying some music
to help them learn right. So it gives them just
a different outlet, a different I always say, it gives
(02:08):
them a different avenue into their academic subjects.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Because everybody learns differently. Yes, yep, So what kind of
success stories. Have you seen our positive impact on the children?
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Oh gosh, we get so many, so many positive stories
every year. We we do submit evaluations to our teachers,
to the teachers in the classrooms for them to fill out,
and we get quotes all the time about the impact
that we have. We had just had one the other day.
A teacher told us she took her students to play
(02:39):
House and Park for to see a show, and she
said her students didn't think that acting was something that
they could do. They weren't comfortable doing it because they
needed to see somebody else do it to show them
that it was okay to play in that way right,
because theater, acting, singing on stage, it's all. It's all
about playing right. And so just giving the students that
(03:01):
permission whose play was really big for them, and then
therefore to help them learn through that as.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Well, that is absolutely amazing. You have events coming.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Up, Yes, in October, we have our annual cornhole tournament
October eighteenth, and currently on our website, the splash page
is to donate to Bertie's but that will change too.
There is some information about the cornhole tournament on that
splash page, but It's October eighteenth at West Hartford Brain
and Roasting, and we hope this is you there. You
(03:35):
can find more information soon on our website.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Is anyone eligible to participate with Hartford Performs or did
the schools need to contact you and have them come in.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Oh, that's a really good question. So we do work
with the Hartford Public schools, but we will also provide
services to schools outside of Harvard. We currently actually have
a contract on in East Harford.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
So you're here for Bertie's for Charity. For every dollar raised,
Webster Bank is going to give fifteen sense. So I
people go to Hartford Performs dot org they can make
a donation or Travelers Championship dot com. We want you
to do that right now. You couldn't do all of
this without donations, I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
No, no, no no. We rely heavily on my foundations,
foundation support and individual support. And this is amazing. Bertie's
for Charity is amazing. You know. We are really really
lucky to have support from Travelers, and we are grateful
to Webster Banks for their support as well. This is
a really big deal for a lot of a lot
(04:32):
of nonprofits.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Bertie for Charity and how has it affected your life
being involved?
Speaker 2 (04:39):
So this sort of wraps everything in my life together.
As I said, I started as an opera sunity. I
have also taught in different ways, not in an ethicicic studying,
but I have taught, and so to me, to combine
the arts with education for me, it's just like the
place that is home for me.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
What a blessing, Isn't it awesome? It is. It's the
best job in the world when you can teach children,
especially with the arts. I'm speaking with Sarah Asmar. She's
from Hartford Performs. The website again is Hartfordperforms dot org.
You can find out about who they are, what they do,
the donations events. Please donate right now, don't wait because
(05:18):
we want to get that money for charity. Thank you
so much for being here today and for serving the community.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Thank you for having me
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.