Connecticut Schools Earn Red, White & Blue Distinction for Commitment to Civics Education

Photo Caption: Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas visited Cornwall Consolidated School in Cornwall, CT to present students, teachers and administrators the 2025-26 Red, White & Blue Schools “Outstanding School” award.

(Hartford, CT) – The Connecticut Democracy Center is pleased to announce that nine schools in Connecticut have been named as 2025-2026 Red, White & Blue Schools. The Red, White & Blue Schools initiative is a partnership between the Office of the Secretary of the State, the Connecticut State Department of Education, and The Connecticut Democracy Center in residence at Connecticut’s Old State House. The “Red, White & Blue” distinction recognizes schools that go above and beyond in their delivery of civic education. Each year the Red, White & Blue Schools partnership selects a theme to encourage participants to think creatively about civic education and engagement through an interdisciplinary approach. The theme for 2025-2026 was For the Common Good, which honors the contributions that schools make to the shared welfare of their local communities, and connects to the themes of Connecticut’s America 250 Commission.

Cornwall Consolidated School in Cornwall was named the 2025-2026 “Outstanding School”. Their seventh-grade classes connected the story of Robin Starr, an enslaved man in Connecticut who served in the Revolutionary War from 1777- 1783, to larger conversations about justice, remembrance, and civic responsibility. Through research, collaboration with local leaders and historians, and persistent advocacy, students helped secure long-overdue recognition for Robin Starr and his family while demonstrating how young people can create tangible change within their communities.

“The work you did may have started close to home — right in your own school — but the lessons it taught you will carry you throughout your lives,” said Sally Whipple, Executive Director of the Connecticut Democracy Center in residence at Connecticut’s Old State House. “With this year’s theme, For the Common Good, we challenged students to show how they could strengthen their communities through civic action. You didn’t simply study civics — you practiced it. You identified issues you cared about, researched them, engaged with community leaders and elected officials, advocated for change, and shared your work with others. Through these experiences, you learned that citizenship is about more than understanding government; it’s about taking responsibility, working together, and using your voice to build a stronger, more inclusive community.”

As part of their project, Cornwall Consolidated School’s “seventh graders recognized the injustice that Robin Starr had been enslaved, the irony that he paid for his freedom with his earnings from fighting for our country’s freedom, and the misfortune that he was buried without a gravestone and largely forgotten” Said Mr. Vincent of Cornwall Consolidated School. “They wanted to do something to honor him, and to spread the word about this patriot.”

Over the course of the school year, students engaged with local politicians, historians, and advocates. They reached out to our town’s selectmen, and they were invited to join Cornwall’s America 250 Committee.

“If seventh graders can spend months researching local history, meeting with elected officials, and speaking up for something they believe in, so can we! They’ve shown us exactly what civic engagement looks like,” said Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas. “Too often, people think civics begins and ends with voting. It doesn’t. These students saw something in their community that deserved attention, and they acted. They remind us that you don’t have to hold office to make a difference. You simply have to be willing to get involved.”

The Red, White & Blue Schools committee also named Moosup Elementary School in Plainfield as this year’s “School of Distinction” and Hill & Plain School in New Milford as this year’s “Committee’s Choice” for their civics projects. Moosup Elementary focused on a comprehensive, year-long “Daily Democracy” initiative designed to bridge the gap between abstract civic concepts and tangible daily actions. Hill & Plain’s project had students participating in multiple acts of service, including picking up trash on the playground, tending to and sharing vegetables from the school’s community garden, and creating thank-you cards for school helpers and leaders.

The Connecticut Democracy Center recognized an additional six schools as 2025-2026 Red, White & Blue Schools:

Mountain View Elementary School (Bristol)
Old Saybrook High School (Old Saybrook)
Plainfield Memorial School (Plainfield)
Plainfield Central Middle School (Plainfield)
Plainfield High School (Plainfield)
Shelton Intermediate School (Shelton)

“Congratulations to Cornwall Consolidated School on being named the 2025–2026 Outstanding Red, White & Blue School, as well as to Moosup Elementary School, this year’s School of Distinction, and Hill & Plain School, recipient of the Committee’s Choice Award,” said Connecticut Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker. “This year’s Red, White & Blue School theme, For the Common Good, reminds us that schools are essential contributors in bringing our shared values to life through meaningful action. I extend my sincere congratulations to every school recognized through this year’s Red, White & Blue Schools program for its commitment to advancing civic education across Connecticut.”
The Red, White & Blue Schools initiative emphasizes the importance of active and informed citizenship throughout students’ education in a collection of ways that spur lifelong engagement. For more information, visit rwbschools.org or email info@rwbschools.org.

2025-2026 Red, White & Blue Schools Program Honorees:

Outstanding School
Cornwall Consolidated School (Cornwall)

Schools of Distinction
Moosup Elementary School (Plainfield)

Committee’s Choice
Hill & Plain School (New Milford)
Red, White & Blue Schools
Mountain View Elementary School (Bristol)
Old Saybrook High School (Old Saybrook)
Plainfield Memorial School (Plainfield)
Plainfield Central Middle School (Plainfield)
Plainfield High School (Plainfield)
Shelton Intermediate School (Shelton)

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The Connecticut Democracy Center (CTDC) provides people of all ages with a lifetime pathway to active citizenship and the tools to take civic action in their communities. Through a partnership with the Connecticut General Assembly, the Connecticut Democracy Center manages The Connecticut Network (CT-N) and Connecticut’s Old State House, while overseeing civic education initiatives including Connecticut History Day, Connecticut’s Kid Governor®, We The People: The Citizen and The Constitution, and Project Citizen. The CTDC envisions a society where everyone is empowered to participate in our democracy. Learn more by visiting ctdemocracycenter.org and engaging on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.