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Boston Student Advisory Council | |
School Committee Hears Student Voices | |
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Asiya Williams, ACC Freshman, BSAC President and School Committee Student Representative, opened the presentation by introducing her fellow BSAC members to the School Committee. Oscar Baez, Boston Latin graduating Senior, reviewed the roles of BSAC, particularly to advise the School Committee, represent the voice of students, offer their perspectives on high school renewal efforts and inform their respective schools about relevant citywide school issues.
Keith Love, BSAC Student Advisor then presented a BSAC Shirt to each School Committee Member, and Barbara Locurto, BSAC Coordinator, acknowledged the strong BSAC partnership with Jenny Sazama of Youth on Board. Every School Committee Member and the Superintendent commented on the presentation. They extended praise, appreciation, encouragement, and support for BSAC's efforts and accomplishments, but most important, gave a clear and enthusiastic message that they look forward to working with BSAC in a productive partnership to strengthen student voice in the Boston Public Schools. For more details click to read: BSAC Update [PDF]. For more information, contact: | |
Boston Arts Academy | |
Boston Arts Academy Summer Institute for Education and the Arts
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Brighton High | |
 | Brighton High First!! Historically Black College and University/ Civil Rights TourBrighton High School's GEAR-UP Program, which supports numerous Higher Ed Awareness initiatives, helped Brighton High students to spend their April vacation visiting historically Black colleges and other sites of interest in the South. Students toured the campuses of six colleges: Morehouse, Spelman, Tuskegee, Johnson C. Smith, Shaw, and Howard Universities. In addition, they visited numerous sites of historical significance. Students and accompanying staff particularly enjoyed the King Center in Atlanta and the home of Frederick Douglas. Student reaction was overwhelmingly positive. One Junior, Jeffery Akukwe commented, "This trip was very motivational. I met kids that dressed, talked, and acted like me." Blondine Narcisse commented, "This trip really opened my eyes to Black Colleges and the Civil Rights Movement."
Students are presently doing follow-up activities, investigating other colleges and getting an early start on the entire college application process. Many thanks to Gretchen Lahey, Gear-Up Coordinator; Kwami Green, School to Career Coordinator; Mariana Troncoso, School-Parent Coordinator and teachers Jamilla Wade, Adair Johnson, and First Sargeant Taylor for chaperoning this trip. Hopefully, it's the first of many! |
Burke High School | |
Students Explore Technology Careers
Math, Science and Engineering
RSA Securities
Portfolio Presentations
Musical Revue
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Fenway High School and Boston Arts Academy | |||||||||||||||||||
  
| 2004 National School Library Media Program of the YearThe Boston Arts Academy/Fenway High School Library and Boston Symphony Orchestra Education Resource Center has been named the 2004 National School Library Media Program of the Year by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). This is the most prestigious and longest-standing award presented by AASL. This is the first time a school in Massachusetts has won the award. AASL established the award in 1963 to honor school library media programs that are practicing their commitment to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. The prize of $10,000, donated by Follett Library Resources, recognizes a single school library for an exemplary program that is fully integrated into the school's curriculum. It emphasizes the importance of the school library media program as an integral part of the instructional process, vital to the curriculum for quality education, and encourages the development of library media programs that are the result of the collaborative efforts of all those responsible for student learning. AASL President Frances Roscello announced that the award will be presented at the ALA's annual conference in Orlando, Florida at the AASL Awards Luncheon on June 28th. Also, at a date to be determined, Follett Library Resources, the funder of the award, will present the award again in Boston. The Boston Arts Academy/Fenway High School Library and Boston Symphony Orchestra Education Resource Center was established in 1998 as a cooperative venture between Boston Arts Academy, Fenway High School and the Boston Symphony Orchestra to serve two of Boston Public Schools' premier pilot high schools and teachers of the arts throughout Massachusetts. Founding director Katherine Lowe and assistants Robert Roth and Mary Ann Kearns staff the library/resource center at 174 Ipswich Street in Boston's Back Bay Fens area, right next to Fenway Park. To learn more about the library program, visit the web page at http://fenway.boston.k12.ma.us/library/index.htm | ||||||||||||||||||
Charlestown High School | |||||||||||||||||||
Entrepreneurial Spirit Rewarded at Charlestown HighFinance & Economic pathway students at Charlestown High School participated in the NFTE City-Wide Youth Business Plan competition at the World Trade Center in Boston on May 27, 2004. A few strong plans impressed the judges. Four were selected to present in the business fair, or Expo. C-Town Gear is an apparel line of popular shirts and hats created by the seniors at Charlestown. El BluMabi is a partnership catering business that specializes in Hispanic and ethnic cuisine. Beautifully Scented Candles is a business that produces unique and custom-made candles. Finally, IGD, a graphic design business, specializes in designing logos and ads. IGD won Expo awards for Best Use of Technology and Best Product Positioning.
Earlier this year, Diana Colon of Beautifully Scented Candles won the nationwide Entrepreneur of the Year competition in New York City. She won $500 as well as an all-expense paid luxury trip to New York City. Diana was singled out in a crowd of 14,000 by the Secretary of Labor who recognized her talents. Ms. Jarudi won the Entrepreneurship Teacher of the Year award in recognition of improving students' academic, business, technology, and life skills. New York City VisitSeniors in the Finance and Economics pathway took a bus trip to New York Stock Exchange on May 28th to tour and be part of the NYSE as a culmination of their class project of investing and watching a stock for the past few months. They also visited Fordham College for a workshop on college survival, and the Wall Street offices of NFTE for a workshop on how to use their hard-earned entrepreneurial skills as they move on in their careers. These activities all addressed one of NFTE's guiding principles that states, "The NFTE experience involves hands-on, interactive learning that is relevant to the real world."
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Family Literacy / Adult Learning Center | |||||||||||||||||||
The Family Literacy Program School Song at the Adult Learning CenterThe Family Literacy Program at the Adult Learning Center provides parents and children the opportunity to learn together through monthly on-site activities. Here is a student's account of a recent Together, Now! program session. My children and I were invited to attend a Together, Now! program at school and I am so excited to tell you what you missed out on. When we arrived, people were placed in different groups. Each group was given assorted assignments to be completed in a given time. My group had to make two things: a cut out paper design and play dough. First, we were instructed on how to fold and cut. But to my surprise, everyone's design came out differently. Second, we had to make play dough. I didn't have the slightest idea that it was made of flour, oil and food coloring. We were so caught up into beating and rolling the dough, then a loud voice sounded across the room, "Stop, it's snack time." The children all dashed out of the room while the parents had to clean up their mess. Together, Now! is the only program I have ever attended which I didn't have to pay a dime. The children were so happy and pleased. That makes me even happier. When the program was coming to an end, we sang two songs. The first one was our school song, "Read, Read," and the second was "God Bless America." I enjoyed the program very much; that's why I sang out loudly with the group, "God Bless America." Dawn Castro Click to read the READ READ theme song | |||||||||||||||||||
Health Education and Careers Network | |||||||||||||||||||
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HECN's Health Careers EXPO - a Spirited Success!More than four hundred students, representing Boston Public high schools and special programs across the city, participated in the 4th Annual Health Careers EXPO sponsored by the Health Education and Careers Network (HECN) on March 24th. The event was held at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center and it featured exhibitors from the four major areas of health careers: Primary Care, Allied Health, Complementary Health and Public Health. Upon arrival, every student was issued a Passport to Your Future booklet that was then used to collect "passport stamps" from a variety of presenters. A group of current HECN participants enrolled in the Nursing Assistant, EMT and Patient Care Internship components volunteered as guides, directing students through the exhibits and answering questions about next year's programs from their first-hand experiences. Those students with at least one stamp in all four areas of health care were then eligible to participate in a raffle. The raffle prizes ranged from t-shirts and gift certificates to the grand prize - a red mountain bike with matching helmet! There was also a teacher's raffle this year and the winner was awarded a handy first aide kit from American Red Cross. The theme of the day was "Lifelong Learning" and it was fitting that the key note address was delivered by an accomplished lifelong learner, Jabbar R. Bennett, PhD, Science Curriculum and Program Specialist, Office for Diversity and Community Partnership, Minority Faculty Development Program, Harvard Medical School. Another favorite of the day was the Pet Therapist and her dog. However, one of the most popular presenters was the Massage Therapist whose free "seated massages" left standing room only! There were health care professionals from a number of Departments within the Boston Public Health Commission as well as representatives from several local two and four-year colleges. The energy level was high among students and presenters as questions and answers were buzzing about the typical workday in a specific field, and what coursework and prerequisites would be required. Feedback from students, teachers and HECN Advisory Board Members was positive and excitement about health care careers and possibilities was high. "If you can dream it, you can achieve it!" | ||||||||||||||||||
Madison Park | |||||||||||||||||||
Boston Area Health Education Center Offers After School SAT Prep at Madison Park Realizing that getting from point A to point be is a challenge to most teens after a long day of classes, Boston Public Health Commission's BAHEC made students at Madison Park an offer they could not refuse: free SAT Prep classes after school at their school. Allen Smith, BAHEC Education Coordinator, working in conjunction with: Judith Baker, Carol Reid, Carol Shea, and Joao Gomes (College Club Advisors) brought BAHEC's SAT Prep Instructor David Shaevitz to Madison Park for a six week, twice weekly tutoring program to help students boost their SAT scores and position them for top tier colleges. Thanks to Jim O'Brien, students were able to work in a comfortable environment in the Madison Park Library every Tuesday and Thursday. Students were coached through 'real' SATs and urged to complete even more work during the week by David. The Madison Park students truly made the grade! Using attendance data, scores from the SATs and other variables, Ms. Baker and the volunteer advisors will have even more information to continue to guide their students towards the colleges of their choice. | |||||||||||||||||||
Boston TeachNet | |||||||||||||||||||
Boston TeachNet Leaders Share Civic Engagement StrategiesMay 6 was a glorious day for the 6th annual Community Service-Learning (CSL) Conference sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Education at the Worcester Holiday Inn. CSL advocates attending the two Boston TeachNet workshops enjoyed hearing about Artists Against Homelessness and Celebrating Women's History ~ Boston Women's Memorial. Barbara Locurto, Director of Service Learning/IMPACT II, convened both presentations. Her first order of business was to describe Boston's recently formed CHESP (Community, Higher Education, School Partnerships) Advisory Council. Now it's official. Boston TeachNet is expanding its collaboration with several area organizations including Boston Women's Heritage Trail (BWHT) and Tufts University. Barbara also introduced Mindy Nierenberg, formerly Director of Community Service Learning at MassArt and now Student Program Manager of Tufts University College of Citizenship & Public Service. For Yvonne Troxell, Art teacher at Odyssey and Excel High, and Robert LaMothe, Media teacher now at Young Achievers, it was a Standing Room Only crowd. Telling how their students and Joan Syms's BCLA Art students used classroom skills to educate and lobby against homelessness, they showed images of murals created for Boston's annual Christmas in the City party. Their computer slide show also portrayed scenes from a student organized Conference on Homelessness held at UMass Boston and photos from their web site. The audience enjoyed a video featuring interviews with homeless shelter personnel and Mindy Nierenberg. Hit of the day was the handout Resource Guide for Students and Teachers on Homelessness, created by Massachusetts College of Art students. Next up was Maggie Hoyt. The West Roxbury High Media teacher also used a computer slide show to tell how her students educate others about Abigail Adams, Phillis Wheatley, and Lucy Stone. Inspired by the Boston Women's Memorial sculpture on Commonwealth Avenue, her students created Public Service Announcements for the school's radio station and organized a letter writing campaign about the sculpture. Excerpts from the student-produced Boston Neighborhood News (BNN) video documented a lively interview between the high school anchors and BWHT Board Members Sylvia McDowell and Marie Turley. Maggie also shared scenes from Legacies of the Ladies, the student organized Service Learning Festival for visiting first graders. Sara Masucci, author of The Boston Women's Memorial Curriculum, followed Maggie with a glimpse into Boston Women's Heritage Trail background. Focusing on Writing For Change: The Power of Women's Words, she explained how its primary sources allow students to interpret the exact words of Adams, Wheatley, and Stone. Great News! Following her workshop at the CSL conference, Maggie Hoyt was among 5 teachers honored as a Massachusetts Service-Learning Teacher Leader. Presenting Maggie with a plaque from the Mass Board of Ed CSL Council, Barbara Locurto quoted a student description of the energetic teacher: "Ms Hoyt makes public service and good citizenship the hallmark of her teaching style. Motivating every student to push harder, and discover ways to help struggling classmates or younger children, she helps even the quietest of us find and raise our voices." Maggie also has been named one of the 2004 Boston Teachers of the Year and will receive this prestigious award at Boston's Ritz Carlton on June 14. HSR congratulates this dedicated teacher for these well-deserved honors. For more on these two Learn and Serve Signature Projects go to Boston TeachNet http://bostonteachnet.org/main.htm
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East Boston High School / TEACHBoston | |||||||||||||||||||
Waterfront Learning ProjectThe TEACHBoston Waterfront Learning Project is the result of a partnership with East Boston High School, the Samuel Adams Elementary School and the Children's Museum. The TBWLP presents an opportunity for TEACHBoston students to develop their interest, knowledge and experience in the following:
Last summer, (June 23rd- June 27th) eight East Boston High School juniors participated in a week-long summer institute from 9am to 3pm at the Children's Museum. This was a paid experience for the students; they received a stipend as well as money for lunch and transportation. Each day, the students visited a different waterfront site to conduct water samples and plan lessons around science and water. Some of the places they visited were Piers Park, Constitution Beach, and the Aquarium. They took daily field trips with representatives from the Children's Museum and a teacher from the Samuel Adams School. Students worked in pairs to develop a project that they would present at the Samuel Adams School during SY 03-04. This week proved to be an excellent experience in team building and that sense of belonging remained throughout the school year. The first Wednesday of each month, starting in October, and ending in May, TEACHBoston students presented lessons planned during the previous summer to students at the Samuel Adams School. This experience a good example of practicing the fifth School to Career Competency, Completing Entire Activities, which requires skill in initiating and completing projects and time management. As the culminating event, these high school students were chaperones for the elementary school children at two field trips to waterfront sites. A lesson learned from the project is that this type of partnership needs students who are responsible, independent and able to keep a year-long commitment. The school community also learned the value of outside partnerships and the benefits that result when teens connect with adults. East Boston High School would like to extend special thanks to Virginia Zanger, Dorothy Merill and Ewa Goodman of the Children's Museum and Lisa MacGeorge of the Samuel Adams School. | |||||||||||||||||||
West Roxbury High School | |||||||||||||||||||
SLC Teacher Mini- Grant ShowcaseThe SLC Teacher Mini-Grant Showcase, funded by KEYSPAN and an SLC grant, took place in the library on May 12th. The purpose of the project was to increase student and teacher identification with an SLC and share SLC interdisciplinary projects with the entire "Westie" staff. Both teachers and students exhibited work. Eighteen teachers displayed student products and presented written reflections on how working with staff within the SLC can result in improved student performance. Teachers noticed that the students made connections to many subjects while working on a particular part of a project. One student commented that she really liked doing such a comprehensive project in more than one class and could see how viewing a topic from many angles was good experience for college level work. This gave her a strong sense of accomplishment. The students also observed their teachers working together as members of a team/ small learning community just the way they do in project-based learning and the way they see business people operate when they visit a workplace.
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Tarah Galloway, West Roxbury graduating Senior and BSAC Vice President, covered highlights of meeting topics and activities, including School Committee member Susan Naimark's overview on how the School Committee works and Boston Student Residency Requirements; School Committee Vice Chair Marchelle Raynor's presentation encouraging BSAC members to become involved in Community Forums on the Student Assignment Plan; Secretary to the School Committee, Laurie Ciardi's training in the School Committee Chambers on the structure and function of School Committee meetings; Superintendent Payzant's dialogue reaffirming his high expectations for BSAC's work and respect for students' opinions. Tarah also explained how BSAC members changed their by-laws, and revised the timetable and selection process so that all BSAC members and officers would be ready to serve in September. Natalie Cucchiara, Boston Latin Freshman, reported on BSAC members participation in both rounds of Community Forums on the Student Assignment Plan and how students felt welcome sometimes, but not always. Celia Arias, Economics & Business Academy (at DEC) Freshman, explained how she and her classmates were not happy when Dorchester High School was first divided into small schools, but how they have realized the advantages, especially of teachers and students knowing each other better. Lisa Jing, Boston Latin Sophomore, looked to the future, describing a 2 day retreat on June 22-23 for all members to plan their work for School Year 04-05 and an upcoming BSAC column in Teens in Print, a new Globe Quarterly publication. Apo Rosario, Fenway Freshman, thanked the School Committee for this opportunity and completed the presentation by welcoming them to comment on their views of BSAC and student voice.
On April 2, Burke juniors and seniors attended the BATEC College Fair held at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center. The BATEC fair was designed for students who are interested in pursing careers in the area of technology. Students attending the fair met with representatives from colleges and universities; obtained information about admission, financial aid and scholarships; learned about the community college and UMASS connection; and got help in deciding which high tech college degree is right for them. Sponsors of the event were Tech Boston, BATEC and BPS.
Burke girls in grades 9-11 participated in workshop training at Bunker Hill Community College designed to interest girls in the fields of math, science, engineering and technology. Women ran the workshop for young women interested in these areas. The students listened to women speak about their careers, education and challenges, participated in a hands-on workshop, engaged in a question and answer session and gathered literature on financial aid, scholarships, websites and other local resources that would help them make informed career choices. Sponsors for the workshop were Charlestown High School, Project Gear Up and the Metro Boston Tech Prep Consortium.
Students in the A+ computer repair and Web Design classes attended a field trip to RSA Securities in Bedford MA on May 24th. The students participated in demos and breakout sessions where they created security devices using USB connections and fingerprints to log on to the computer or website. They also examined RSA's website and discussed programs and language used to create it. The students took a tour of the building and watched a demonstration on how robots were used to create security devices. Art Coviello, President of RSA, extended an invitation for one student from the Burke and one from Lynn Technical School to participate in a summer internship at the firm. He also stated that he would like to make this an annual event for the school.
Seniors at the Burke have worked very hard compiling their senior portfolios. The students dressed for success on Friday May 28 and presented their portfolios to members of the industry, school committee, and Burke faculty. One Burke student was offered a position to work at the school committee this summer as a result of her portfolio presentation. The student had a lovely product from her MOS class and did a wonderful job explaining the MOS curriculum to the interviewer.
The Jeremiah E. Burke High School Vocal and Dance Ensembles and the Technology Department presented their annual musical revue on April 30. The theme for the musical was "Disco Inferno". Students performed before an audience of their parents, peers, Burke staff, family and friends. Special guests were Mr. Earl Grant Lawrence, Instrument/Band Instructor, and Ms. Diane King-Sall, Dance and Theater Instructor from the New Pilot Middle School. Students from the middle school performed several acts. The students were so talented thus making the show a great success.
On the same evening, Angela Greene and Yenelis Jimenez took home the top prize by presenting an oral business plan in the NFTE City-wide Youth Business Plan Competition. They won for their catering business, El BluMabi. Their business was awarded $2,000 plus a laptop computer. Angela and Yenelis plan to attend college next year and specialize in business and entrepreneurship.
