Craft Center creates partnership with Henry Abbott Regional Technical School   BROOKFIELD, CT - Students at the Henry Abbott Regional Technical High School in Danbury will have the opportunity to enhance their creative and design skills at the Brookfield Craft Center, thanks to a new partnership funded through a grant of $8,750 from the Connecticut Commission on the Arts, plus a grant from Duracell and financial support from Taunton Press of Newtown and Fairfield Processing of Danbury. The role that the arts can play in preparing students for the challenges of the 21st Century workplace was addressed by Governor Rowland in a recent forum. His key message was that "the basic problem gripping American workers is a crisis in creativity". Learning to see with a critical eye, and to apply new ideas and relationships to problem solving are crucial to succeeding in today's highly competitive market. These are the abilities and sensibilities fostered by traditional fine craftsmanship. With this concept in mind, the Brookfield Craft Center and the Henry Abbott Vocational Technical School have pledged to work together to design a year long program in which vocational students at Henry Abbott can expand their creative and design skills and further develop their level of craftsmanship by studying with the master craftsmen The program will provide selected Henry Abbott students with tuition-free study opportunities to enroll in Brookfield Craft Center classes during the 1996/97 year. "This a three way partnership; Brookfield Craft Center working with the state and major area corporations to address the lack of creativity in education today," said Jack Russell, executive director of the Brookfield Craft Center. "Henry Abbott Technical School is a well respected public secondary school providing vocational training in the applied arts. By combining our collective resources we will provide an expanded curriculum which will assist motivated students to expand their career horizons and strengthen their marketable job skills. "At the technical level, combining Abbott Tech's resources in such areas as printing, woodworking, metalsmithing and drafting with disciplines such as ceramics, jewelrymaking, furniture making, boat building, photography and paper and book arts will create a full spectrum in applied arts," stated Mr. Russell. Mario DiLorenzo, director of the Henry Abbott Regional Technical High School, said, "We have young men and women who are talented. This gives them an opportunity to go beyond what we have here. Especially in the areas of graphic communications, drafting, auto-body detailing, culinary arts, hairdressing and cosmotology, this partnership can enhance what they learn here. I think every youngster with an interest in the arts should have the opportunity to pursue it." A total of $366,018 was awarded to 38 partnerships between arts organizations and other community institutions and organizations, said Kathleen DeMeo, Communications Officer for the Connecticut Commission on the Arts. Chuck Waymon, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Fairfield Processing of Danbury, said his company strongly believes in providing educational opportunities to foster creative thinking in the business world. "Influencing and stimulating creativity, and making people (the employees) feel part of the problem solving process is what business is all about. We believe that genius is resident not just at the management level, but is embedded throughout the entire company." Established in 1954, the Brookfield Craft Center is nationally recognized school dedicated to preserving and promoting the skills and values of the American craftsman. It is located on Route 25 near the intersection of Route 7, just a few miles north of Danbury.