High School Renewal Newsletter | |||||
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 Urban Science Academy: USA Helps Rebuild New Orleans Urban Science Academy: Math Super Bowl Night at USA Madison Park Technical Vocational High School: Madison Park High School Raises $2,800 for Fire Victims Madison Park Technical Vocational High School: Lending a Helping Hand at Madison Park High School
Health Careers Academy: Change for Congo's Children: Our Rights, Their Rights, Human Rights
Boston Adult Technical Academy: "Super Tuesday" Massachusetts Primary Story Idea Madison Park Technical Vocational High School: A Flash from the Past! Boston Day and Evening Academy: Popular Author Visits Boston Day and Evening Academy Brook Farm Academy: National Academy Foundation Visit Boston Student Advisory Committee: BSAC BUZZ From the New York Times: Studying "The Great Gatsby" Greater Egleston High School: Greater Egleston High School Partnerships" Health Careers: Health Disparities Symposium 2008, Careers in Urban Nursing, STAND Josiah Quincy Upper School: Learning is a Life Long Process Josiah Quincy Upper School: Running Club Media Communications Technology High School : Media Expo 2008 National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship:NFTE and Proskauer Rose, LLP Partner to bring Business Law Education to BPS Christine Hall named NFTE Teacher of the Year Young Entrepreneurs Conference Brings Together Students from East Boston to Nashua Adult Learning Center: Adult Learning Center Trip to GoKids Boston Adult Learning Center: Read To Succeed Brighton High School: Exploring Biotechnology at Brighton High School Brighton High School: Brighton High School Science Fair
The Engineering School: TES Science Expo Academy of Public Service: APS Celebrates Black History Month
Brook Farm Academy: Black History Month Celebration Citywide News:Remembering Dr. King Boston Named one of the "100 Best Communities for Young People" Boston Explores Wind Turbines on School Grounds Boston Debate League Featured on CityLine "Next Stop, College" Campaign Highlights Transformation of Boston's Public High Schools Twenty-two Boston Public Schools Students Win Boston Globe Scholastic Art Awards Congratulations to Earthwatch Fellowship Awardees College Exploration: Community College Fair Article: The New York Times Highlights Boston's College Access Work Urban Science Academy: Student Writing Resource Shelf: Scholarships, Registration Materials, Health Career Resources
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Urban Science Academy | |||
USA Helps Rebuild New OrleansThe Urban Science Academy strives to provide numerous extra-curricular opportunities through electives and after school programs. One such opportunity, began in January with a group of 15 USA 11th and 12th grade students, led by Mr. Cook and Ms. Sutton-Jordan. They are preparing to embark on a six day community service trip in April to New Orleans where they will be helping to rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Joining the USA students on this trip will be a group of students from Newton North High School. The USA student community service group has been meeting since early January to plan for the trip, engage in team building activities, organize fundraisers, and learn more about issues impacting New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina. Upon returning from the trip, the group will meet to plan a presentation to share with the USA community. | |||
Urban Science Academy | |||
Math Super Bowl Night at USAIn January the Urban Science Academy's Mathematics Department hosted its first Math Super Bowl Night at the Boys and Girls Club in Roxbury for Algebra 1 students and their families. The evening began with a social hour of football toss and party appetizers. The math team, along with students, led families through an interactive activity using actual football scores from the New England Patriots and New York Giants. Using graphing calculators each team calculated the mean, median, and mode of their team's scores. In the end the New England Patriots came out on top! What a great way to connect what students are learning in the classroom to the real world. Families were given helpful tips on how to help their students at home and also previewed sample MCAS type questions students should expect to see next year. This event was one of USA's many efforts to link family involvement to student learning. We recognize that involving families in meaningful ways has a positive impact on student achievement. The USA math department cites the book "Beyond the Bake Sale," stating that "Reading workshops and family math nights, home learning packets and Saturday academics, parent-run study centers and career portfolio nights can all help students do better in school." | |||
Madison Park Technical Vocational High School | |||
Madison Park High School Raises $2,800 for Fire VictimsWhen students and staff at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School in Roxbury learned about the late December fire in Dorchester that took the lives of two young members of the Zizi family and left the family homeless, they decided they had to do something to help. Two surviving members of the Zizi family attend Madison Park, and their fellow students and staff wanted to support the family in their time of need. Students organized a fundraiser and collected $2,800 in just one week. | |||
Madison Park Technical Vocational High School | |||
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Lending a Helping Hand at Madison Park High SchoolRev. Gloria White-Hammond, a nationally recognized pediatrician and co-pastor of Bethel AME Church in Boston, recently met with the Skills USA students at Madison Park to gain their support for the work she is doing in Darfur. Dr. White-Hammond, along with noted television personality, and ordained minister, Liz Walker have worked tirelessly on behalf of the women and families of Dafur. Students in the Skills USA program will raise funds for this cause. They will contribute one home for a family as part of the Tent Project. The Tent Project is dedicated to replacing housing for families who find themselves homeless as a result of the horrible crimes in their homeland. Pictured, is Dr. White-Hammond addressing students at an assembly in Cardinal Hall at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School. | ||
Health Careers Academy | |||
Changes for Congo's Children
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 Christian Mukosa, Reebok Human Rights Leader |
A group of students at Health Careers Academy is working very hard to promote awareness of the human rights violations of children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa. Children in the DRC are being forced into the army, raped, killed, or have their families killed. As human rights leaders, students at HCa are joining forces with Christian Mukosa, a Human Rights Leader from the DRC. Together they are helping the child soldiers in the DRC to be reintegrated into their communities. These child soldiers need to change their lives; they need a place to live, a place that they can call home. They need an opportunity to live without being afraid for their lives. As one of the students said, "I never imagined there was so much suffering in the world. Here in the United States, we take everything for granted." "Yes, we talked about changes; changes that affect how we look at the world. We organized our Human Rights Rally and we called it Changes for Congo's Children - "Our Rights, Their Rights, Human Rights" because we believe that every human being deserves the right to live. We believe that forcing children into the army is inhumane and we believe that what happens on the other side of the world should matter to us."
In January, Mr. Christian Mukosa flew all the way from Africa to meet the students at Health Careers Academy. As he talked about the cruelty that is going on in the DRC, his voice trembled. We could feel the pain and the anger that the war has caused him. Mr. Mukosa stated that children as young as the age of eight years old were forced into the military; young girls are raped and used as wives for the soldiers. In an Amnesty International report on the issue of child soldiers, a girl shared her experiences as a child soldier, she said that "When the Mayi-Mayi attacked my village, we all ran away. In our flight, the soldiers captured all the girls, even the very young. Once with the soldiers, you were forced to "marry" one of the soldiers. Whether he was as old as your father or young, bad or nice, you had to accept. If you refused, they would kill you. This happened to one of my friends. They would slaughter people like chickens. They would not even bury the bodies they slaughtered... I even saw a girl who refused to be "married" being tortured…"
Once these young children leave the armed forces; they feel rejected by their own community because they are considered criminals. The girls are ostracized by their families because they have been raped and many of these young girls have one or two children to care for.
Fabienne was 13 when she was abducted in Burundi by combatants she believes were members of an armed opposition group.
"I don't know how many men had sex with me. A man would come, then another and another" she said. "You couldn't refuse... they said they'd kill you if you ran away."
Mr. Mukosa's work has inspired our students to be advocates for those children. They want the children in the DRC to have a chance to improve their lives. They need an education to be trained in a skill so they can survive on their own. Mr. Mukosa pointed out many times that child soldiers rejoin armed forces because they cannot reintegrate into their communities. These children are an easy pray to be recruited again as child soldiers.
"They demanded to see my army release paper and tore it up. They accused my father of sheltering a deserter and beat him to the floor. Then they turned on me and started to beat me. They tied me up and led me off to their military position. I was so frightened that I pleaded with them; I said I would work for them."
Mr. Mukosa was very impressed by the hard work of the students and their desire to help children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He said that, "Sometimes one spends a day doing something and it's not worthwhile, today is a special day for me. Today, I realized that miles away from Africa, people care for our children."
At Boston Adult Technical Academy (BATA) in Roxbury, students in Eileen Maguire's Advanced Algebra II class geared up for the Massachusetts Presidential Primary on "Super Tuesday" by tracking each candidate's popularity among voters over time. Each student selected a candidate and measured his or her progress through polls, primary results and other data - and graphing the trajectory of each campaign using computer technology and classroom learning about linear equations.
The students presented their analyses of each campaign to their teacher and peers, noting shifts in popularity as a result of particular speeches, policy announcements, endorsements and other milestones, and made predictions about the outcome of the primary elections using mathematical formulas. BATA is an evening alternative high school in the Boston Public Schools for overage students (18-22 years old) and students who are new to the country. Some of Ms. Maguire's students voted for the first time as a result of a voter registration drive at the school.
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Recently, Dr. Muriel Leonard, Deputy Superintendent for Clusters and School Leaders for Triad B reconnected with a former student during a walk through at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School. Pictured with Dr. Leonard is Shamika Green, a Senior Carpentry student at Madison Park who is currently preparing to apply to Youth Build. Youth Build provides job training and pre-apprenticeship program, in which qualified students get close supervision and training in construction skills. In addition, Youth Build helps students to gain acceptance into the trades unions' apprentice programs.
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By Mark Williams, Class of 2008
"If I had known that this book was going to be so popular, I never would have written All Souls", said Michael Patrick MacDonald the former resident of South Boston's Old Colony Projects while speaking at Boston Day and Evening Academy. The author was extremely exciting to listen to and the students learned not only about the book but about Michael himself. The students were able to relate to a lot of the problems Michael experienced growing up.
I was asked to introduce the author at his presentation and it was the most nerve-racking ten seconds of my life. As I sat in my chair, listening to Michael read a passage from his book; I had so many thoughts and questions going through my mind. I knew I needed to ask him questions and I just wanted them to be appropriate. Although Michael and I previously spoke through messages on "MySpace.com", his presence felt surreal. I must have said to myself over 100 times, "That can't be him".
Many students then began to ask questions regarding his upbringing in "Southie" and many about his family. I do believe everyone had a strong fear of asking the wrong questions, for the author has gone through a series of traumatic experiences throughout his life and one wrong question could destroy the moment. On a positive note, the author recently finished the screenplay for a movie on All Souls, for which he is hoping to receive funding. "The last thing I would want is for the movie to end up on the Lifetime channel." The soft-spoken, elaborate, yet humorous author then put an end to his visit with long goodbyes and photo-ops.
Brook Farm Academy is a part of the National Academy Foundation, and was chosen to host a delegation of teachers and administrators from around the country. BFA is one of the few schools around the country to have a successful advisory board, maintaining partnerships with colleges, universities and business partners in the Greater Boston area. Our advisory board includes representatives from the following entities: Fisher College, Benjamin Franklin Institute, Bank of America, the Mellon Corporation, Citibank, Smith Barney, the Office of High School Renewal, and the Private Industry Council. The delegation came from all over the United States, including Hawaii, San Francisco, Miami, Jacksonville, and New York City.
Submitted by Damien Leach, T.i.P. Writer
Wow, we're already coming to the midpoint mark of the school year and the Boston Student Advisory Council would like to inform you on the new and improved things we've been working on. One is the Friendly Feedback Form which gives students an opportunity to evaluate their teachers. Students will explain how their teachers are helping them succeed academically. Some of the main goals of the evaluation form are to improve student, teacher, and headmaster relationships, improve the classroom environment for an overall enhanced school culture, and to help students realize how their thoughts and opinions influence their learning environment. BSAC worked on the Friendly Feedback Form last year but because of the negotiations between the Boston Teachers Union and the Boston Public Schools it was put on hold. This year we will be working to identify a couple of schools that will be willing to pilot this project. Students, stay on the lookout for them!
Another important issue that BSAC is trying to work on involves school metal detectors. Almost everyone involved in the BPS district can admit that some days their school metal detectors won't work properly, aren't equipped with enough people, and the searches are not efficient. Because of this, some students have considered bringing weapons to school as protection from others. This is a major issue that BSAC is concerned with because of the danger and harm it brings to the learning environment. Currently, we are in the process of ensuring that metal detectors in all schools are working. We are also aware of the other problems that come along with the metal detectors; including long lines, where waiting to be searched can cause tardiness and student disrespect because of clothing attire. This is when the student is searched because they only look suspicious to the searcher, while teachers walk right around the metal detectors. We feel there should be equality and respect when it comes to the learning community not just for safety purposes.
Last but certainly not least, I would like to remind you all on how important it is to have a well functioning, developed student government empowering your school. Many students feel that there are problems in their school that they're incapable of changing. But this is not true! With a student government or student leadership, where all thoughts are appropriately communicated to the peers and headmaster, anything can be improved. If students take the necessary actions to change the issue that is affecting them so negatively a fair solution can be reached. BSAC and the district encourage students to get involved because in the end, you should feel proud that you attended a school as great as the one you envisioned.
If you are into making a serious change to your school and feel that the problem is continually spreading throughout the BPS district then we encourage you to join BSAC. If you're interested please contact us at BSAC@boston.k12.ma.us or the BSAC Coordinator, Maria I. Ortiz at 617-594-5721.
BOSTON - Jinzhao Wang, 14, who immigrated two years ago from China, has never seen anything like the huge mansions that loomed over Long Island Sound in glamorous 1920s New York. But F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel, "The Great Gatsby," with its themes of possibility and aspiration, speaks to her.
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"My green light?" said Jinzhao, who has been studying "Gatsby" in her sophomore English class at the Boston Latin School. "My green light is Harvard."
Some educators say the best way to engage racially and ethnically diverse students in reading is with books that mirror their lives and culture. But others say that while a variety of literary voices is important, "Gatsby" - still required reading at half the high schools in the country - resonates powerfully among urban adolescents, many of them first- and second-generation immigrants, who are striving to ascend in 21st-century America.
"They all understand what it is to strive for something," said Susan Moran, who is the director of the English program at Boston Latin and who has been teaching "Gatsby" for 32 years, starting at South Boston High School, "to want to be someone you're not, to want to achieve something that's just beyond reach, whether it's professional success or wealth or idealized love - or a 4.0 or admission to Harvard."
The novel had fallen into near obscurity by the time Fitzgerald died in 1940, said Charles Scribner III, whose great-grandfather signed the author with the family publishing company in 1919. It was revived in the 1950s and '60s when Mr. Scribner's father, Charles Scribner Jr., started publishing a paperback version and a student edition for colleges and high schools. Its popularity soared after Robert Redford played Gatsby in the movie in 1974. In more recent years, a musical version made its debut at the New York Metropolitan Opera and the novel has been turned into a hip hop movie, "G," set in the Hamptons. The book now sells more than half a million copies a year, with high schools and colleges making up the biggest share of the market, Mr. Scribner said.
Jinzhao's teacher, Meredith Elliott, and other teachers at Boston Latin and other urban schools, say their students see in "Gatsby" glimmers of their own evolving identities and dreams. The students talk about the youthful characters - Gatsby; Daisy Buchanan, the married woman he loves; Tom, Daisy's husband and a onetime Yale football star; and the narrator, Nick Carraway - as if they were classmates or celebrities.
"I see Tom as this really mean jock," said Vimin To, a 15-year-old Boston Latin sophomore who is in Kay Moon's American literature class. "When he was in high school, he was king of the hill. He had it all. He was higher than everyone, even the teachers."
As for Daisy, in Vimin's view: "She's turned into an empty person. Like Paris Hilton."
Vimin's father works in a restaurant - "not very glamorous," Vimin said - and came to the United States as a refugee from Vietnam. Vimin relates to the story of Gatsby's rise from the backwoods of North Dakota to New York. "It's a very inspirational tale, especially when you're from a background such as Mr. Gatsby," he said.
His version of Gatsby's dream: "My goal is to make my parents proud of me. I've always been told to succeed, to take advantage of the opportunities they've given me - just to be financially stable, to be able to support your family."
At the nearby Fenway School, some of Fran Farrell's seniors, who read "Gatsby" this year as part of their study of the American dream, found different lessons in Gatsby's life and violent death.
"I think this American dream is an interpretation of a white poor man's dream," Nicole Doñe, 17, whose family is from the Dominican Republic, said during a lively class discussion. "For me the American dream is working hard for something you want. It's not about having money. My dream is to get an education that I can't get in the Dominican Republic, to live comfortably." Several of her classmates disagreed. "The American dream has a lot to do with money," said Harkeem Steed, 17, who compared Gatsby to his hero, Jay-Z.
"Everything in this life is about money," said Melanie Nunez, whose family is from the Dominican Republic. "How are you going to get to college?"
These teachers take pains to present the book with a great deal of social and historical context, and they say it crystallizes for many students questions about both the materialism of Gatsby's dream and the possibility of attaining their own versions of the dream, especially in today's highly stratified economy.
"Here's Gatsby out of nowhere in this mansion, having these lavish parties and really and truly fulfilling the American dream, and that's very compelling for them," Ms. Moran said. "But it's a cautionary tale, too.
"The culture sells the American dream so hard and so relentlessly, but they're wary, and they should be," she continued. "One reason students appreciate the book is that there is a level of honesty that they value. They need these honest stories to perhaps balance what is otherwise presented as this shining possibility for everyone."
During a recent discussion with several other students in Ms. Moon's class, Will Murphy, 16, whose father works two jobs as a firefighter and an E.M.T., was relating Gatsby's accumulation of enormous wealth to his own chances of hitting it big in today's economy. "Getting rich seems so far out of the picture," said Will, who has a part-time job scooping ice cream. "Everybody thinks about it, but the older you get, the less possible it seems."
"In other countries, people say, 'Oh, if you go to America, everything is going to be better,' " Will went on. "It's better, but it's not as good as you think it will be. You won't instantly become rich."
One of Will's classmates, Ashley Waters, 16, who helps her father with his antique consignment business, agreed. "The American dream is possible, but it's just really hard," she said. "Everything is so expensive - the price of college, housing. Look at the price of gas. The economy is going down."
Shauna Deleon, 16, whose family is from Jamaica, nodded. "The American dream is not open to everyone," she said. "There are certain pathways, certain gateways."
For Shauna's parents, as for the parents of her classmates, one of those gateways is the four-century-old Boston Latin, with its rigorous entrance exams and alumni who include five signers of the Declaration of Independence.
As a sophomore working to meet the school's demands, Shauna sometimes feels as if her mother's green light is her. "She puts all her hopes in me," said Shauna, who talks about becoming a thoracic surgeon. "I have all this weight and responsibility. Sometimes I can't live up to it."
A couple weeks later, Ms. Moon and Ms. Elliott wrapped up "Gatsby" and, with "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," "The Joy Luck Club" and "Ethan Frome" also behind them, moved on to the next novel on the sophomore list: "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston.
Jinzhao Wang, meanwhile, has been reflecting more deeply about the meaning of the green light. "I'm not an American citizen, so when I apply to college I will be competing with all the top students in Asia," said Jinzhao, whose parents are teachers and who lives in the Allston neighborhood, across the river from Cambridge and the red brick buildings of Harvard. "I have to set an even higher standard."
Here, too, she had found inspiration in "Gatsby." "The Dutch settlers went all the way across the ocean to this new land - America," Jinzhao said, referring to Nick's bittersweet reflections that end the book. "America appears to the Dutch settlers as Daisy appears to Gatsby. Gatsby's hopes and dreams are American ideals. His effort is the real ideal of the American dream."
"I really want to go to Harvard," she said. "But if I don't get into Harvard, I will not die, right?"
"The journey toward the dream is the most important thing," she said. And, she added, "There is a green light beyond the green light." For her that green light is China, where she hopes to use a Harvard education to help the country develop even faster.
Greater Egleston High School is successfully building partnerships with colleges, middle schools and community-based organizations to expand positive educational experiences in and beyond the school. These initiatives motivate students to invest in their education and increase engagement in learning. The resources throughout the city of Boston enable Greater Egleston to extend our small school campus into other diverse and educationally rich venues.
NEA Big Read – Working with UMASS Boston, WUMB Radio, and the National Endowment for the Arts, The Big Read of Eastern Massachusetts is a school-wide expedition challenging students to examine literature in depth. This year’s book is Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture.
Middle School Mission – Several students are traveling to different middle schools to deliver power-point presentations and explain the importance of earning and maintaining high grade point average throughout high school. The program’s goal is to educate 8th Graders about the links between GPAs and long-term success before entering high school.
Elements I – A coordinated effort with Roxbury Community College, the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, the Environmental Leadership Program, the Dillaway Thomas House, and Daniel DeLuca (MassArt ’08), Elements seeks to solidify the link between art and the environment, applying artistic design towards green technology and innovation. Students will install and showcase science-art projects at RCC in May.
Digital History Project – In partnership with the Digital Arts Alliance and Facing History and Ourselves, students will produce short films examining their migration histories, relating their experiences to those of key historical eras.
Great Debate – Students researched, prepared and formally debated each other on topics such as camera surveillance in public places, the obesity epidemic, and the conflict between violence and free expression.
Since the April 2005 report from the Mayor's office and the Boston Public Health Commission, identifying racial and ethnic health disparities in the city of Boston, two nursing initiatives have begun the work in helping to change the face of nursing in Boston.
"Careers in Urban Nursing" which is a joint project sponsored by the American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay and the Office of High School Renewal, supports students with skilled, entry-level trainings as they pursue a successful transition to post-secondary nursing.
Another early nursing initiative is the STAND GRANT (Students Taking Action for Nursing Diversity.) This project is sponsored by Bunker Hill Community College and supports students having early nursing experiences and successfully transitioning to the college's nursing program.
Both of these early nursing initiatives are sending a strong message to Boston's young people who are currently enrolled BPS's health-themed high schools. They have the power to change the face of health professionals in this city and many other cities across our country.
The students enrolled in these two programs attend Boston Adult Technical Academy, Brighton High School, Jeremiah E. Burke High School, Community Academy of Science and Health, Health Careers Academy, Madison Park High School and Parkway Academy of Technology.
For the second year, all of these students came together in January at Boston University's School of Medicine to learn more about health disparities and how they can empower themselves. The students listened to an impassioned and informative presentation on Health Disparities from Elmer Freeman, Executive Director of the Center for Community Health Education, Research and Services. He is widely known in the Health and Education communities of Boston and the entire country.
The students listened intently to Elmer's strong message and also had an opportunity to view "Community Voices - a photo essay of health disparities in Roxbury" which was developed over the summer by high school students. They then worked in small groups to create public service announcements, which would inform others about health disparities in Boston.
It was fortunate to have professionals attend this event and work with the students to create some very powerful messages and images. Our thanks go out to Children's Hospital, BAHEC, the Boston Public Health Commission, PS Healthcare and ABCD.
The students performed interesting skits and created posters. One group came up with a product, similar to the LiveStrong bracelets for Cancer. The idea was "Walk a mile in our shoes". They truly believe that they could make an impact on people by bringing the message of racial and ethnic health disparities to the public through this type of campaign.
The day was inspiring for all. Now the hard work will begin as these young people start their journeys to becoming health care professionals. Some have started training classes to earn certification as Homemakers, Home Health Aides and certified Nursing Assistants. Others will be taking a college course this semester. The students will be coming together again in April for another Health Disparities Symposium.
For more information: Elizabeth Buckley, Health Industry Cluster Coordinator, Office of High School Renewal, Telephone: 617-201-6333.
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JQUS teachers are demonstrating this axiom this year by participating in a course entitled Teaching for Understanding. Now you would expect this to be self-evident. After all, how can one have teaching if no understanding follows? Teaching and learning go hand in hand. But what is meant by understanding and how can students demonstrate that they have indeed acquired an understanding of the material? Must they all do this in the same way?
It was for this reason that JQUS teachers decided to take advantage of the graduate level course, Teaching for Understanding, which came out of a five year research program conducted by Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. All JQUS teachers committed themselves to enrolling in this course that is being conducted onsite by the Center for Collaborative Education (CCE).
The staff is now about one third of the way through the course. The course requires that teachers become active learners. They are being asked to complete different readings outside the classroom and then implement what they have learned in their teaching. By doing this they can demonstrate to Amy Sullivan, their instructor from CCE, that they are truly teaching for Understanding.
Where Are They Running To?
On the Arlington Street campus of the Josiah Quincy Upper School you will see students running away from the school each Monday afternoon. You might get the idea that they are in a hurry to get home but that would be the wrong impression. What you are observing is the after school "Run Like the Wind" program. Faculty members Mark Knapp, Steven Watson, and Elizabeth Carroll came up with this activity in December. They posed the following questions to students: Want to be on the ground floor of something good? Want to compete? Want to get in shape? Want to get off the couch? All the questions were answered by students in the affirmative and so the program began!
This activity does not reflect the saying, "Do as I say, not as I do: because the faculty advisors run alongside the students for an hour. Runners leave the school at 2:59 PM, don’t ask why it isn’t 3:00, and return at 4.
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Students at Media Communications Technology High School worked alongside media professionals, attended interactive workshops, and exhibited their creative work at the school's Media Expo in February.
Former State Representative and longtime civil rights activist Mel King keynoted the event, and on behalf of the school welcomed guests from local media outlets, colleges, universities, and community organizations. For the entire school day, guest presenters shared their expertise and knowledge, and offered encouragement and constructive critique. Some of the sessions were led by the students themselves, including a radio production workshop hosted by Greater Media Boston.
"We conducted two radio seminars," said Greater Media's Amy Hull. "The real highlight of our involvement was to have a MCTHS student-who is now a Greater Media Boston employee-conduct a major part of our presentation in front of his peers."
Other highlights included interactive digital media workshops, photo exhibitions, and a student-run demonstration of equipment donated to the school by Turner Broadcasting. One well-attended workshop, "Media Idol," gave television production students the opportunity to have their news casting skills judged by personalities from Fox TV, WBUR, NECN, National Public Radio, and WCNC-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina. Boston Globe education reporter Tracy Jan worked with a select group of students who covered the event live.
During a networking lunch, students spoke one-on-one with over 50 invited guests from places as diverse as Harvard, MIT, WBGH, and The Barr Foundation. To close out the day, guests and students gathered in the auditorium for a showcase of youth-produced films, and a closing slideshow of the day's events put together by young students from Press Pass TV.
This was Media Communications Technology High School's third annual Expo, and was the biggest and most successful. As a direct result, shortly after the Expo the successful digital ad agency Digitas returned to the school to explore involving the students in a production for the 2010 Olympics web site. Upcoming events include turning the tables and going out to visit some of the presenters in their workplaces.
 (From L to R) Dorothy Wu, Pablo Coste and Chris Everett at Brighton High School |
The three person team comprised of Chris Everett, Dorothy Wu, and Pablo Coste talk to students about the different legal aspects of choosing a business name. Mr. Everett teaches students to search the US Patent and Trademark Office, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, and other online sources to check that their proposed business name is not already in use. Ms. Wu then goes over the basics of trademarks and copyrights - what they protect, how to get them, and why they are useful. Mr. Coste then follows up with a lesson on how to register domain names on the web.
Proskauer Rose, LLP has already lent their talents to Brighton High School and Excel High School, as well as NFTE New England's Youth Entrepreneurship Conference. At the Youth Entrepreneurship Conference, students had the option to hear about business law basics from Howard Beber and Gus Resendiz or the basics of web based business from Pablo Coste. In the coming months Proskauer Rose associates will be entering the classroom to coach students through the process of writing their final business plans.
Christine Hall, a National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) Certified Entrepreneurship Teacher (CET) at Excel High School, has been named one of the NFTE's CETs of the Year. Ms. Hall has been teaching NFTE for three years and recently spoke at the New England Annual Fall Gala. She is a passionate and committed teacher, always creating innovative and experiential lessons.
Each year NFTE honors its top teachers both nationally and internationally for the work they have done to advance youth entrepreneurship education. Ms. Hall will receive a monetary award and be honored at NFTE's 15th Annual Salute to the Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards Dinner in New York City on April 2nd. In addition, she will receive a scholarship to attend NFTE's Advanced Teacher Forum this summer.
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After breakfast students had the chance to learn more about becoming entrepreneurs. One of the most popular sessions was the Young Entrepreneurs Panel. Three entrepreneurs spoke to the students about the benefits and challenges of running your own business. Kathleen Jeanty, who comes from Haiti, remembered being just like the students in the audience when she was first enrolled in NFTE 14 years ago. Today she runs her own marketing firm with offices in Philadelphia, Boston, and Miami. Darryl Wallace wore a blue polo shirt embroidered with the logo of his high-end mobile auto detailing business. He told the audience that when you run your own business: "You don't mind getting up at 4 a.m. because you love it. But in a job, there's no way you pay me enough to get up at 4 a.m." The youngest panelist, Iptihaj Amatul-Wadud, age 19, said she was "dragged into NFTE" by her sister. After a while she became more interested in it when she realized that the women's clothing she made for her Islamic relatives and friends could be the basis of her own business. Today she sells clothes in several states, relying on word-of-mouth for publicity.
In other sessions students learned about getting ahead by making a good first impression ("Learning the Ropes of the Workplace Without Hanging Yourself"), and played a Jeopardy-style game with an expert from the Federal Reserve Bank which required them to answer questions like: "In which state is the cotton that makes dollar bills made?" (Answer: Massachusetts.)
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The Boston Public Schools Adult Learning Center sponsored a trip for families to GoKids Boston at UMass Boston on Saturday, January 26, 2008. Twenty-one adult students of the Family Literacy Program and their children traveled to the fitness center to enjoy this unique opportunity to exercise and play together.
GoKids is a state-of-the-art fitness facility that aims to improve the health and well-being of Boston-area children and their families. By combining interactive video technology, movement, education, and fun, the staff helps children and families take action to live healthier lives. The center targets 5th - 12th graders, but they accommodated some younger children for the Family Literacy group.
The Family Literacy students and families completed old-fashioned relay races, competed on Dance Revolution, raced virtually on treadmills, and enjoyed a range of "exergaming" programs that combine interactive multi-media with fitness training. Everyone that participated wants to come back again.
Please contact GoKids Boston to learn more about joining their efforts to empower kids to become healthy adults. Visit http://www.gokids-boston.org for more information.
Please contact The Adult Learning Center at 617-635-9300 for more information about the Adult Education classes and Family Literacy activities.
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The winners of the Read To Succeed contest at the Adult Learning Center were announced at the student Holiday party on December 21st. The Adult Learning Center provides free Adult Basic Education, GED preparation and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes to parents of Boston Public Schools children. These parents attend daytime classes in Fields Corner.
Each student was challenged to read at least 20 minutes a day for a six week period. A total of 107 readers in nine classes logged their out-of-school reading time from November 11th to December 17th. The combined total was over 2,700 hours of reading.
The top three readers in each class went home with a book and the top eight participants received a gift card to Borders Bookstore. The two classes with the most readers and reading time were rewarded with a pizza party in January. Sheila Treanor's Pre-GED Language Arts class and Lisa Baroletti's ESOL Level 3A class were the outstanding readers this year.
Congratulations to the hungry readers! By dedicating yourself to reading, you have earned short-term rewards from the school, but the more important rewards are the skills and knowledge you and your children have gained.
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Brighton High School has sought to improve its Health Science Pathway through a grant provided by the Massachusetts Biotechnology Educational Foundation. The goal of the grant is to institutionalize a school based, collaborative leadership model that supports the development of skills for the students in the fields of life sciences and biotechnology. One of the major benefits of this program at Brighton High School has been in the formulation of a Health Advisory with assistance from the Private Industry Council (PIC). PIC representatives, in conjunction with the Brighton School Counseling Department, brought in the corporate partner of St. Elizabeth's Hospital and Bunker Hill Community College as a post-secondary educational partner.
This coalition of partners has benefited the students through several actions taken to date. They have exposed the students to careers in the biotechnology field through coordinating such fields trips to Biogen, Inc., a visit to the Museum of Science for the CSI exhibit, and a power lunch where four guest lecturers (Dr. Goldsmith-Caritas Christi Health Care, Dr. Spiegelberg- Cambridge Polymer Group, Kerry Keller-Wyeth Research Lab, and Sahira Badran of Bunker Hill Community College) provided career guidance by describing their work in the biotech field and the educational requirements for students to work in their unique fields. Meanwhile, St. Elizabeth Hospital's Human Resource representatives, through the PIC, are working with the science teachers at Brighton High School to nominate the most qualified students for summer employment positions at the hospital as well as by augmenting classroom instruction by providing guest speakers. These speakers, discussing such fields of epidemiology and infection control and sports medicine, will relate classroom instruction to their real-world practical application.
Bunker Hill Community College is working to have an impact on both the students and teachers at Brighton High School. Bunker Hill is offering to invite students interested in biotech/biomedical engineering to visit the biotech lab at BHCC and carry out hands on activities, have Brighton High School science teachers attend a biotech workshop at BHCC as part of their professional development, and generate an official articulation agreement between BHCC and the high school to help students with the transition and give them credit for relevant courses. Meanwhile, the School Counseling Department visits their classroom weekly to discuss such topics as college readiness and post-secondary educational opportunities. The Health Science Advisory at Brighton High School, through its team of partners, is not only exposing our students to potential careers in the life science and biotechnology fields, but also in assisting them in the procurement of summer jobs to further expose them to appropriate career fields, as well as in providing professional development to Brighton science teachers on life science and biotechnology educational opportunities.
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The physics teachers of Brighton High have resurrected the age old tradition of holding a science fair to engage their students and ignite their enthusiasm for all of the sciences. In February, one hundred and fifty student projects were reviewed and judged in the school's auditorium. After weeks and weeks of book and computer research, the students' hard work was evident and every teacher, no matter what grade and subject matter, was impressed.
Some of the results from the science fair are below.
Best in Show: Charles Dowell- Fluids and Boat Speed
Blue Ribbon:
-Felix Nepomuceno, Andy Tejeda, & Dwight Allen Washington,
Color and Heat Absorption
-Emanuel Letriz & James Venezia,
Elastic Collisions and Sports
-Jacquelina Dacosta & Kevon Young,
The Physics of Basketball
-Jenna Wells & Malika Bone,
Thin Films Custom Made
-Shaquille White,
Craters
-Karen Ferreira & Jasmine Trant,
Bread Mold Growth
-Xiomara Smith,
Mass vs. Speed of Falling Objects
-Maricruz Ayala,
Battery Life
-Jenny Mak, Kevin Noriega, & Scarlett Sotobrea,
Color and Melting Ice Cubes
-Anthony Harris & Jabari Wilson,
Rocket Size and Flight Time
Red Ribbon:
-Karol Mateo & Gloremi Nova,
Hair Gel Effectiveness
-Kassylyna Depina, Vickie Dolean, & Beryl Nyamunda,
Predicting Height by Using Arm Span
-Patrick Jean,
Do AA Batteries Shine More Light Than LR44 Batteries In A Laser?
-Rashawn Smith,
Laser Color
-Lan Anh Ha & Alissandra Dowdy ,
Lightning
-Danny Louis,
Effects of Liquids on Baking Powder
-Ronald Hernandez,
Lemon Power
-Carlos Renderos,
Super Egg
-Raymond Arroyo,
Friction and Tire Safety
-Andrew Lew,
Optical Illusions
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Recently, The Engineering School (TES) in Hyde Park hosted their 2nd Annual Engineering and Science Expo. Alongside school representatives, partners such as Ben Franklin Institute of Technology, MIT, and Harvard University were present to judge student submissions.
Crowding into the TES gymnasium, kids and parents alike buzzed around their science projects, each of which were eligible to go to the BPS City Finals and then onward to the State Science Fair.
Isabel Depina, Assistant Headmaster at TES, said she was expecting over 200 engineering and science projects to be presented and judged. "We're in our third year as a school, and this is the second year we've done this expo, said Mweusi Willingham, TES Headmaster. "It's one of our goals to make this event a part of the culture at the school."
"In addition to the science expo, we're trying to bring the same event to the other subjects," Willingham added. "Later this year, we'll have a similar event for the humanities and writing."
Walking through the expo, row by row, the creativity and earnestness of the projects was apparent.
Students Emmy Mendez and Richard Ortiz took two burger patties from competing fast food chains McDonald's and Burger King to see which one grew mold faster, therefore indicating which has more preservatives. "We found that the Burger King patty formed mold at a faster rate," Mendez said. "So out of the two the Burger King one is the more healthy choice. I mean, both are pretty unhealthy. But if you have to eat one, I guess it would be this one."
Nah Jah Prescott, working alongside Kayla Thomas decided to study the rate of service at various clothing stores in the city, comparing whether Spanish Americans or African Americans got served first.
"Across the board, almost, we found that the times were slower for African Americans," Prescott said. "In Karma Loop, the time was about a minute and a half longer for African Americans."
Prescott did say that she found exceptions with such stores as H&M, where there was no difference in service, and in Bloomingdale's, which served African Americans 30 seconds faster than Hispanics.
Student John Lara decided to turn a disposable camera into a light taser. "Although it's less powerful, it will still give you a bit of a shock," he said. Lara said he became interested after seeing that the flash of one of those cameras discharged a large amount of energy. "I didn't really understand how it worked, so I looked into it," he added.
Lara explained that if the flash and camera were disassembled, and he added a few connecting wires, the device holding the charge would be exposed and able to deliver a powerful charge.
"Do you have a little brother, or something?" asked one judge of Lara, grinning.
Smiling back, he replied, "Yeah, but I didn't really try it out on him."
Nicole Glasgow took a look at everyday appliances like a toaster, a radio and a microwave and studied their use of energy and the corresponding affect they had on global warming.
Jessica N. Pena, worked on two projects, one dealing with the weight of specific chemicals to make a 'chemical rainbow.' The other, she said, was inspired by the loss of two of her friends over the last year to gun violence. "I studied the trends in inner-city violence," Pena said. "I wanted to find out why the numbers spiked in certain points. As you can see here, in 2000 it was relatively low, but just a month or two later it spiked to one of its highest points."
"I lost two friends, one in September and one just two weeks ago," she said.
One of the lighter projects was done by Josh Simmons, who studied the correspondence between playing video games and hand/eye coordination. As Simmons stood with his back to the TV, he played along almost flawlessly to various songs on the Rock Band video game.
Alexandra Lee, a guest judge from the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy said she was thrilled to be a part of the expo.
One of the projects that most impressed her was by a student who looked at the personal and community effects of the Iraq War.
"She interviewed her aunt and her cousin who is over there, and from her hypothesis, she saw that the community around her suffered," Lee said. "Looking at examples, like IED effects and such, she really thought to look at the war in a detailed way. She told me she wanted to be a doctor. I was profoundly touched at the depth of her curiosity, her approach and her ability to articulate."
"I think I was very pleased to see that young people are thinking about what they need to be thinking about, whether it be the war, global warming or the effects they can have in the world," Lee added.
"I had so many favorites," Willingham said. "But I really appreciated the effort by all the students. I hope each year we can grow this out."
Winners of the TES Science Expo were as follows. Twelth grade: first, Joanie Decopain and Rochelle Willis, second, Marleni Tolentino; third, Carleny Jimenez. Eleventh Grade: first place, Juan Esteves and Isaac Rodriguez; second, Damien Leach; third, Keshelle Dolly. Tenth grade: first, Pablo Silva and Chanel Smitherman, second, Jessica Rodriguez; third, Natasha Lajara and Styvalis Sosa. Ninth grade: first, Deborah Oyadiji; second, Nelson Bueso and Fabian Cepero, third, Nicole Glasgow.
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Students from fourteen Boston Public Schools paid tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the district's annual MLK celebration at John Hancock Hall. The theme of this year's celebration was One Voice: Igniting Change, Transforming Humanity, with students from kindergarten through high school displaying their talents in poetry, singing, instrumental music, dance and other performing arts to commemorate Dr. King's legacy.
The America's Promise Alliance has named Boston one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People. The annual competition highlights cities and towns nationwide that have made the well-being of children and youth a top priority -- including ensuring that young people receive the resources necessary to stay in school and succeed. The City of Boston was recognized for innovative projects to keep children motivated and in positive environments such as Camp Harbor View, which provides four weeks of transportation, meals and programming to 600 campers during the summer.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino recently announced plans to advance wind power development in the City of Boston, including installation of wind turbines at Boston Public Schools sites and a small-scale wind turbine on the roof of Boston City Hall. The City and school district will embark on an extensive community process to select the best sites to advance these wind power projects, beginning with a preliminary list of six schools well situated for wind power generation. Officials hope the turbines also will serve as valuable learning tools, with teachers able to incorporate them into the curriculum to bring science lessons about energy and the environment to life.
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In a Boston Herald report on the debate program in the Boston public schools, JQUS debate team members Alex Chan and Jeffrey Nunn offer quotes that speak to what they are getting from their participation on the team. "Debate," says Alex, who is a senior and captain of the team, "is about taking risk. It is about finding a voice." Alex appreciates the diversity of the voices on urban debate teams. He finds that debating "gives us a taste of what we can accomplish." Jeffrey, a junior who is on the team for the first time this year, has found that debating "is a lot harder than a math test." He points out that "When I tell my friends that I do debate, they say, 'Isn't that a lot of reading?' Jeffrey's reply to this question is "Yeah, it is, but it makes you feel important."
Richard Chang, JQUS history teacher and debate coach, adds, "(Debating) does distinguish these students. It is intellectual combat." He also emphasizes the point that debate team members "have a better chance of getting a scholarship in debate than in sports." As anecdotal evidence, he notes that three students from last year's debate team earned scholarships for college, two of them from Hamilton College in upper New York State.
Boston Public Schools has launched a new campaign to generate public awareness and support for the renewal of the city's public high schools. The "Next Stop, College" campaign features recent graduates and current high school students describing how their high schools have helped prepare them to achieve their college and career goals.
Advertisements begin in February in buses and subways and in MBTA stations throughout the city. Over the next several months, the campaign will be expanded to include print advertising, bus shelters, and movie theater preview screens, among other media placements. The campaign is funded through grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation to support Boston's high school renewal work.
The campaign was developed by the BPS Communications Office in collaboration with the Boston-based agency ARGUS (www.thinkargus.com), with support from the BPS Office of High School Renewal and its partner organizations, the Boston Private Industry Council, Jobs for the Future, the Boston Plan for Excellence, the Center for Collaborative Education, and Freedom House.
No public funds were used to develop or place the advertisements.
Over the past decade, Boston has undertaken an ambitious agenda to transform all of the city's public high schools into rigorous programs that provide personalized, challenging opportunities for all students. The portfolio of schools now includes comprehensive high schools organized into small learning communities, small high schools, pilot schools, exam schools, a technical-vocational school, and alternative programs.
Educators who participate in Earthwatch expeditions return from the field inspired to engage their students, colleagues and communities in the action necessary for a sustainable environment. The Educator Fellowship program is designed to provide meaningful support for critical field research, while revitalizing and empowering students and educators across the country. We sincerely appreciate the Boston Public Schools in promoting this powerful experience within your community. If you're curious about Earthwatch's activities for the future, click here to sign up for "The Expeditioner", our e-newsletter. Educators who have been awarded Earthwatch's Boston Public Schools 2008 Fellowship:
Bautista, Joy - Boston Arts Academy
Del Solar, Eduardo - John D. O'Bryant School of Math and Science
Brown, Heather - Young Achievers School
Alvarez, Amy - Boston Day and Evening Academy
Fenner, Cara - Excel High School
Gauthier, Aimee - Boston Latin School
Hahn, Sarah - Community Academy of Science and Health
Clunis, Kathy - Mission Hill School
Percival, Kari - Boston Day and Evening Academy
Thompson, Juliana - Fenway High School
Twenty-two Boston Public Schools (BPS) students have won Boston Globe Scholastic Art Awards. The winning artists attend five Boston schools: Boston Arts Academy, Boston Latin Academy, Boston Latin School, New Mission High School and Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School.
The program honors student artists from middle and high schools throughout the Commonwealth in twelve different art media, including painting, drawing, photography, and design. A panel of judges reviewed the students' work and presented Gold Key, Silver Key and Honorable Mention awards.
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The goal of the fair was to highlight the programs of study offered by the Greater Boston community colleges and to share information about the unique economic, educational, and career advantages inherent in a community college setting. Bunker Hill Community College, Roxbury Community College, Massasoit Community College, and MassBay Community College were represented at the fair. The Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology was also invited this year. BFIT has evidenced a long-standing and strong commitment to Boston Public School students. BFIT also offers a variety of unique two-year, four-year, and certificate programs of study.
Charles McAfee, Headmaster of Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, was the keynote speaker. He inspired students with a personal rendition of his educational journey. Tia Phillips, a current student at Roxbury Community College, was our second keynote speaker. Tia spoke described her educational experiences and offered encouragement and suggestions for seniors in the process of choosing career paths. Tia illustrated with personal examples the methods she employed to balance her responsibilities as student, worker, family member, and mother.
The fifteen Massachusetts state community colleges offer education in a variety of formats; distance learning, web-based courses, traditional classroom, combined distance and classroom, and internships.
Representatives from the five colleges at the fair provided students with information on financial aid, completing applications, Accuplacer placement testing, and the two year and certificate programs of study available at their colleges. The Tuition Advantage Program, the Joint Admissions Program and the Tech Prep Program were also described. Representatives from Boston ACCESS, Year-Up, the NSTAR Program at Bunker Hill Community College Program all provided information about the services each program provides.
Results from the student surveys administered at the fair indicate a high interest in community college as a primary post-secondary destination. Results from the most recent one-year follow-up study of Boston Public School graduates (2006) demonstrate that community college is increasingly a viable and desired next step for many students.
For more information, please contact John Zinkowski, Tech Prep Planner, jzinkowski@boston.k12.ma.us.
The New York Times recently featured a front-page story about making college a priority for urban high school students and highlights efforts in the Boston Public Schools. The reporter cites Excel High School in South Boston and Brighton High School as models for encouraging and supporting students in the college application process. The article also commends Boston's annual College Month activities.
At Excel High School, in South Boston, teachers do not just prepare students academically for the SAT; they take them on practice walks to the building where SAT tests will be given so they won't get lost. In Chattanooga, Tenn., every student is now on a college track and in a Washington DC suburb the district is arranging college tours for students as early as 7th grade and adding eight core Advanced Placement classes to every high school.
Those efforts and others across the country reflect a growing sense of urgency among educators that the primary goal of many large high schools serving low-income and urban populations - to move students toward graduation - is no longer enough. Now, educators say, even as they struggle to lift dismal high school graduation rates, they must also prepare the students for college, or some form of post-secondary school training, with skills to succeed.
In affluent suburbs, where college admission is an obsession, some educators worry that high schools, with their rigorous college preparatory curriculums, have become too academically demanding in recent years.
By contrast, many urban and low-income districts, which also serve many immigrants, are experimenting with ways to teach more than the basic skills so that their students can not only get to college, but earn college degrees. Some states have begun to strengthen their graduation requirements. Many of the new efforts involve building close relationships with local higher education institutions. North Carolina, for example, is creating 70 new "early college" high schools, where students can take college classes.
A new ritual in Boston schools is College Month, which culminated last fall in "Represent Your Alma Mater Day," when teachers from kindergarten to high school wore their college T-shirts to work.
At Brighton High in Boston, for the first time this year, John Travers, the head of counseling, and his staff visited every freshman English class to begin mapping out the steps toward college: Maintaining a high grade point average. Taking tough classes. Building a résumé.
After Mr. Travers's pitch, 14-year-old Katherine Nunez, who juggles her homework with helping her Dominican immigrant parents at their convenience store, said she was determined to make the honor roll. "My parents talk about it every day - the economy, money makes the world go round," she said. "If I want to be successful, I have to go to college."
In 2005, 74.2 percent of the graduating seniors went on to post-secondary education: of those, 56 percent went to four-year colleges, 33 percent to two-year schools and 11 percent to advanced training, Mr. Travers said. The colleges at the top of the list: Bunker Hill Community College, the University of Massachusetts at Boston and Massachusetts Bay Community College.
Mr. Travers leads students on trips to colleges many of them pass every day on the "T" to high school, but have never visited.
"We all went to Bentley on the bus together," said Rashell Wilson, 18, vice president of Brighton's senior class. "We had a beautiful tour." Ms. Wilson and her classmates ride the T over an hour after school to nonprofit programs where they get extra help with tutoring, and with their college applications. They take free SAT prep classes at night. Ms. Wilson is the daughter of Jamaican immigrants. Her mother is a nursing assistant. Her father works in maintenance.
"My parents instilled in me from Day One, 'You're going to college,' " she said. But her parents, she added, have not been to college and so cannot help her figure out how to get there.
So she has enlisted the help of her guidance counselor and teachers, her co-workers at the Boston law firm where she has an internship, and any other college-educated adult she can find. She has spent hours researching college admissions on the College Board Web site.
"I want a whole lot more," Ms. Wilson said. "I want to be financially stable. I don't want to be struggling on $30,000 a year."
Continuing the practice of featuring student writing in the newsletter, this edition features a selection of student writing from the Urban Science Academy. Click to read each selection. [Or right click and choose "Open in New Window" from the popup menu to open a selection in its own window.]
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Registration Underway for 2008-09 School YearThe school registration process for next year has begun, with families of students entering kindergarten and grades 6 and 9 in September encouraged to register before February 1. The registration period for all other students takes place thru March 14. Families may register at any of six registration sites, including special hours at City Hall. Families are encouraged to visit the BPS website for important information about what documentation to bring, and save time by completing pre-registration online. Questions? Call the family hotline at 617-635-9046. Just in time for school registration for next year, Introducing the Boston Public Schools 2008 is now available. This publication provides valuable information about the school registration and assignment process, transportation services, district programs and policies, school profiles, and much more. The publication is available in print and online in several languages. Visit: http://boston.k12.ma.us/schools/assign.asp. Resource Shelf: Upcoming Events and Opportunities for Health Care PathwaysThe EIGHTH ANNUAL HEALTH CAREERS EXPO will be held on Wednesday, March 19th at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center.
HEALTH CARE PATHWAYS CONFERENCE MEDICAL STUDENTS FROM TUFTS MEDICAL SCHOOL COLLEGE WORKSHOPS Attention SENIORS - Contact Citylab for a unique pathway to college and careers in Biotechnology. SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES SUMMER INTERNSHIPS IN HEALTH CAREERS COMMUNITY VOICES Resources/Lending Library
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Welcome to our March newsletter! It brings news of students reaching out to their communities and of strong partnerships with businesses, colleges and nonprofit organizations that support the work of the Boston Public Schools. You will read about students that celebrated Black History Month in February, presented at Science Fairs, and participated in career-related activities in Media, Health, Entrepreneurship and more. You will also read student writings and learn about some upcoming events. If you have any comments or questions concerning the newsletter please contact Mary Ellen Bower at