BULLETIN
BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
Reaching for the Stars
SPRING 2019
credits Editor Dan Page Design Michele Page Design Communication Photography Jay Adeff Kamissa Barry Erin Ash Sullivan Lee-Daniel Tran ’19 Judy Wang ’19 WGBH
Voices of BLS “The greatest advantage in teaching at BLS is that our students are highly motivated, our teachers are collaborative, and the school encourages everyone to work diligently and aim for excellence in all we do.” A Senegalese native and 27-year veteran of the English faculty, Barry recently led 43 members of the BLS community on a service trip to Kenya.
Kamissa Barry
“What I love about BLS is that it levels the playing field for all students. No matter their present walk in life, they have the opportunity to graduate from this great school having learned the skills necessary to achieve success.” Margaret Greaves
Retiring this year after 26 years teaching science to students in classes VI and V, Greaves looks forward to staying in touch with former students at reunions, which she faithfully attends.
“Last week, talking with some seniors, I remembered how they were shy, scared sixies in my class just a few years ago. I am so impressed with how they have grown. It is wonderful to be part of that experience.” Jacobson-Peregrino is not only a long-standing science teacher, she's also the parent of an alumna of the Class of 2017, who is currently enrolled at Harvard.
Raquel Jacobson-Peregrino P’17
“In my 35 years of teaching here, I have been able to share my love of the classics with more than 5,000 students. Latin, with its declensions and conjugations, is a shared experience by students all the way back to 1635.” Bradford Smith
A highly-regarded member of the Classics faculty team, Smith retires from BLS this June.
“Students here make their own opportunities. There are so many ways for them to discover and pursue their interests—through clubs, sports, art, music, theatre, academics, and so much more. It is impressive.” A native of Colombia, Assistant Headmaster Verano is a graduate of a Boston exam school and is presently pursuing a doctorate degree at University of Massachusetts Boston.
Bethy Verano
WGBH High School Quiz Show Champions Families and students recently gathered at the WGBH television studio in Brighton to root for their team in the finals of the High School Quiz Show. Boston Latin emerged victorious! In November 2018, more than 100 high schools across Massachusetts competed for a coveted spot on the WGBH High School Quiz Show. Teams of four answer questions covering a range of topics including history, math, science, art, music, current events, and pop culture. A sort of “intellectual super bowl,� the Quiz Show pits the top teams against each other over a period of months and broadcasts episodes weekly throughout New England.
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Lights! Camera! Action! The drama of intense competition springs to life as a near full-house crowd waves their arms, applauds, and cheers. An enthusiastic warm-up man explains how they must behave in order to be a good TV audience. This is a theatrical production, a contest between Boston Latin and Acton-Boxborough to see which team has done the best job of preparing. It is a test not only of knowledge and memory, but of nerves and stamina as well to see which team performs well under pressure, and can come up with the right answers to a rapid fire barrage of questions.
“They spent hours preparing, much of the time watching past Quiz Show videos on YouTube and taking lots of notes.” Both teams have withstood weeks of competition to reach the finals. Now, as the show’s host, Billy Costa, gets his last touches of make up, the two teams stand self-consciously in the glare of studio lights and prepare for the challenge of the championship round. It is the culmination of a journey that began months earlier when Christy Jestin ’20 began to recruit friends who would become the Quiz Show team. “I thought of it as a great opportunity to represent our school,”
Christy says. “I knew we would have fun and we could show our abilities in a unique and highly respected academic competition.” Sebastian Suarez ’19, who is
We fell behind at one point, but we rallied to come back and win. It was a close match.” Nick persuaded Aidan Goldberg ’19 to try out for the team and he
headed for Princeton next year, was among the first of Christy’s recruits. “I really enjoyed the practice,” Sebastian recalls. “I did pretty well, so I became part of the effort. I enjoyed the whole experience, but of course everything is more fun when you win.” Nicholas Weiske ’19 had watched the Quiz Show for years so he was drawn to join a BLS club that competed in academic contests of all kinds. “I liked the idea that we would be competing on television and it would be seen by lots of people,” Nick says. “It was stressful in some ways—like our second match against South High, where we still weren’t used to our buzzers and the lights that signal when we can answer.
became the fourth member, joined by alternates, Lucas Aho ’21, Samuel Cheever ’20, Claer Jestin ’21, and Joseph Terrey ’21. “I’ve always had a knack for retaining obscure information,” Aidan comments, “and I always did well in history—so I was excited to pursue this.” Andy Zou, who teaches history and English at BLS, agreed to serve as the team’s coach, along with Clara Webb of the history department. “They spent hours preparing,” Zou says, “much of the time watching past Quiz Show videos on YouTube and taking lots of notes. They also had to learn to control stage fright. But they gained confidence as they moved forward. It was a growing experience for everyone.” Photos courtesy of WGBH
As Massachusetts champions, BLS went on to sweep regional finals by besting Rhode Island’s Barrington High School and the winner of New Hampshire's Granite State Challenge, Plymouth High School.
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Reaching for the Stars
Anyone who has ever watched figure skating has to be impressed with the grace and precision of the performance. The athleticism of such an event combined with the artistry of presentation is almost beyond comprehension. How does anyone learn to do that? The willingness to undertake such a daunting challenge requires an exceptional person. That description perfectly fits Gabriella “Gabbie” Izzo ’19.
Gabbie entered Latin School as a sixie and began to learn the life lessons that are the hallmark of BLS graduates—the value of hard work, the courage to set high goals, and the self-discipline to do whatever it takes to excel. Her talent and perseverance paid off in a major way last January when Gabbie skated her way to a gold medal, winning the 2019 U.S. Junior Championship in Detroit. “I grew up in California,” Gabbie says, “and started skating in 2011. My brother was a hockey player, and I loved watching him skate. I wanted to do the same thing. When we moved to Boston, I had the opportunity to work with internationally recognized skating coaches, Mark Mitchell and Peter Johansson, who offer a unique training program for elite skaters: The Mitchell Johansson Method. It was my good fortune that I had that kind of resource available to me.” “My coaches are so important,” she notes. “They do much more than just help us learn the techniques and routines that are critical for success in competitive skating. They help us choose the music that we love skating to and put us in touch with dressmakers who sew by hand the beautiful costumes that are appropriate for our skating routines and our personal preferences.” Her typical day begins with a full day of classes. As soon as school is out she heads for the Cronin Skating Rink in Revere where she practices every day for three hours or more.
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“There’s always loads of homework,” she remarks. “Most nights that’s about four hours. Then I start all over again the next day. It’s intensive, but it’s so worth it. I find that I’m most productive when I am busy, particularly if I am engaged in a physically demanding activity that I feel passionate about.” In addition to her grueling practice schedule, Gabbie often finds herself far from home competing in tournaments around the world. Last year alone, her competitions took her to the Netherlands, Thailand, Canada, Slovenia, and Italy, as well as two venues in the United States. Gabbie is taking a full course load, complete with the maximum number of AP classes including Calculus, Environmental Science, Literature, and Comparative Government. “Yes, it’s difficult,” she acknowledges, “but I really love what I’m doing.” In September 2020, she will enroll at Harvard and plans to continue skating. “Boston Latin has taught me to manage my time and balance my priorities,” she says. “I actually believe I may have more free time in college than I have now.” What comes after college? “I don’t think about it too much,” she says. “Right now, I’m focused on using my potential to the fullest, staying in the moment—so I can focus on being the best skater I can be.”
In a spectacular display of strength and endurance, Lily Tran ’19 recently won a national championship for powerlifting.
Champion Powerlifter Last March, Lily Tran ’19 competed in the prestigious National High School Powerlifting Championship held in Alexandria, LA. She picked up a first place trophy for her effort. But before doing that, she had to pick up a few other things, like five times her own weight in three different lifts: squat, deadlift, and bench press. Along the way, she managed to break two American records in her weight class as well. “Deadlift is my best event,” she explains. “That means I pick up a barbell and lift it to my thighs, standing straight. My best lift for that was 292 pounds. Squats require that I take a barbell from a rack and hold it on my shoulders, then squat all the way down and stand up. I managed 259 pounds. Bench press simply means I am in a horizontal position and push the weight away from my body. That’s my worst lift. My total for the three lifts was 661 pounds.” Lily has to master near perfect technique to lift these amounts of weight without injuring herself. “I started lifting in the 10th grade,” she says. “At first, I was just doing it for fun. But when I was told I had real potential, I began to take it seriously. I joined the weightlifting club at BLS and my results grew pretty rapidly.”
Lily has to work her arduous practice schedule around an equally heavy academic load that includes AP Literature, Economics, and Calculus. “I work out three days a week, because your body takes a day to recover between workouts. In the little bit of free time I have, I really enjoy being part of a rowing team and a club that discusses global issues.” For all her dedication to powerlifting, Lily is drawn to the sport in equal part for its life lessons. “It has helped me discover the power of motivation,” she says. “I have to dig deep within myself to accomplish my goals, but I know if I work hard enough I can do it. And even though this is basically an individual sport, I have a team around me, and we all support and encourage each other. I feel like we are all a family, and I love my teammates.” Lily will enroll at Tufts University in the fall where she has a scholarship to study biology and environmental science.
“I have to manage my powerlifting practice with an equally heavy academic load.” Spring Bulletin 2019
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Fencing continues to grow in popularity at BLS as students find new paths for developing athletic abilities.
En Garde In tournaments around the state, the BLS fencing team makes its presence known.
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Fencing became a varsity sport in 2016, the same year the team took first place in the state, competing against far more experienced independent and public schools. Since that time, the sport has continued to attract motivated student athletes with the desire to compete and win at a high level. At the state tournament this year, the girls’ foil squad took first place and the girls’ team took overall first place for the third year in a row. Co-captain Michaela Tecson ’19 is proud of the growing popularity of her sport. “When I joined, we had about 25 members,” she says. “Now we have twice that number. Part of that is the result of all the publicity we got when we won states three years ago—there were fencing photos all over the halls. And now, more and more students are discovering what a good way it is to build strategic thinking and physical ability.” Michaela will attend Carnegie Mellon in the fall, where she plans to study engineering and continue fencing. Liam Sinclair-Thompson ’19 is also a co-captain. “I help with organizing practice sessions and arranging transportation,” he explains, “and I provide encouragement and leadership for the team. Fencing has been a great way to get exercise and make friends. It’s also been useful in unexpected ways: for example, it’s helped me with my confidence, which has made me a better public speaker, and given me a wonderful sense of community.” Liam is headed to the University of Toronto. Fencing coach Jason Sachs offers another insight into the value of fencing. “It looks good on an application,” he says. “Colleges like student athletes because they have acquired discipline and organizational skills that often translate into academic success in college and beyond.”
The Power of Family With any successful team, there is a powerful chemistry that bonds individuals to one another and unites them in a common goal. Those who play sports often say that their teammates are “like family.” Teams are built upon the deep belief that by supporting each other there are no obstacles too great to overcome. Francis “Frankie” Linso ’19 and his sister, Ellen ’21, are part of such a family—at home and in a hockey rink. Ellen has played on the girls’ varsity hockey team for three years. With her in goal, the team has won the highly competitive Dual County League (DCL) for the last two years. “The job comes with tremendous pressure,” she comments, “not just for me, but my family as well. Sometimes if practice runs long, we don’t get home until late. Fortunately, our mom is really understanding and supportive of the time Frankie and I have to devote to hockey and academics.” “Hockey is a tremendously demanding sport,” Frankie says. “We either have practice or a game every day. Both Ellen and I have had to learn to be very efficient with our time. Neither of us has chosen a particularly easy course load. I’m taking AP courses in Economics, Computer Science, and Environmental Science. Ellen has a full schedule that includes AP History. And our mom has her hands full with four kids at home and my older brother in college. Fortunately, we all draw strength from each other.”
With two older brothers, both of them hockey players, Ellen found her love for skating early. “I started out in an instructional league when I was very young,” she says. “I remember watching my brothers skate and thinking ‘I want to do that!’ I was inspired by their example and I’ve worked hard to be the best I can be.” She has done exactly that, being named DCL MVP last season—along with Frankie, perhaps the first time in the city’s history that a brother and a sister have been named MVP in the same year. “My older brother (Daniel Linso ’16) played hockey when he was at BLS,” Frankie states. “I had the
chance to play defense with him when I was in the eighth grade and he was a senior. It was a tremendous experience for me and I hope that I can be the same kind of inspiration for Ellen and my two younger siblings.” “These are two terrific kids,” says Jack Owens ’03, Leven Director of Athletics. “They are great hockey players and great students. They come from a wonderful, close-knit family that has faced significant adversity. They know how to pull together. It’s no exaggeration to say that these are two of the best student athletes I’ve ever known. They work hard on and off the ice—and they set a really good example.”
“Hockey is a tremendously demanding sport,” Frankie says. “We either have practice or a game every day. Both Ellen and I have had to learn to be very efficient with our time.”
Collage photos courtesy of Lee-Daniel Tran ’19 Spring Bulletin 2019
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Achieving in Every Realm Students are not the only high achievers in the Latin School family. In every field of endeavor, the success of our alumni shines a bright light on alma mater. Linked by their common BLS experiences, these alumni are responsible and engaged citizens who set an outstanding example for today’s students.
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“My focus on music began at BLS when I took up the clarinet as a sixie,” notes Prince Charles Alexander ’75. He put out his first album at age 21 and performed professionally for a number of years before shifting his career focus to producing and recording other artists. Three Grammies and countless platinum records later, he again redirected his career. “I’ve been teaching at Berklee since 2006,” he says, “and using my experience to bring my love of music to another generation.”
In recognition of his entrepreneurial career (five successful tech start-ups including KAYAK and Lola.com) and his work with non-profit organizations, the University of Massachusetts Boston recently awarded Paul English ’82 an honorary doctorate. Inspired by writings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., English is leading an effort to create a memorial in Boston to Dr. King and his wife, Coretta. “Their vision of social justice and non-violence is a world we all should aspire to,” he affirms.
As president of the Boston City Council, Andrea Campbell ’00 is the first African-American woman to serve in that position. “We oversee a $3.5 billion budget,” she explains, “and focus on issues of concern to every Boston resident—from affordable housing to jobs and diversity.” A Princeton graduate with a law degree from UCLA, she credits BLS with her appreciation of “a rigorous education, public service, and the value of giving back.”
With more than 30 years of experience in public and private sectors, Elizabeth Chen ’81 was recently named secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs. Her career encompasses leadership roles in healthcare, biotechnology, higher education, and most recently as assistant commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. “BLS changed my life’s trajectory,” she says. “It continues to make the same impact every day for Boston students.”
Boston Latin School Association
As director of the Kavli Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Peking University, Luis Ho ’86 works with 250 scientists developing a next-generation telescope for exploration of the deepest universe. It will be 300 times more powerful than the Hubble Telescope. When China’s space station launches in 2024, the new telescope will send back untold volumes of data to an Earth-based team, for which Ho will serve as the mission’s chief scientist.
As the new chief resident of Boston Medical Center, Boston’s largest hospital, Alexandra Lane Piplas ’07 will have added responsibilities for teaching and administration. “BLS prepared me well,” she says. “Not only was I able to excel academically, I had the confidence to take on research and patient advisory opportunities along the way. Latin has instilled in me the desire to serve the underserved, and I am well positioned to do that in my new role at BMC.”
As president of Fixed Income at Fidelity Investments, Nancy Prior ’85 oversees a team of 250 financial professionals who manage more than $1 trillion in assets. She is dedicated to delivering strong investment performance to customers investing their money in ways that enable them to achieve their goals in life. “BLS was critical to my success,” she states. “I learned what can be accomplished when people are willing to work hard and are united by common goals.”
In a career that spans 38 years of foreign service, Ambassador Joseph Sullivan ’62 helped to set and carry out American foreign policy around the world. He was engaged in ending a long and violent conflict in Nicaragua. He was similarly involved in El Salvador as America assisted in ending a civil war there. “Boston Latin introduced me to an exciting new world,” he says, “and gave me a foundation for succeeding in that demanding environment.”
A fellow of the prestigious Association for Computing Machinery, Bryant York ’63 has conducted significant research in computer science. Of even greater value he believes is his leadership in bringing diversity to the field. “My goal has been to keep the door to computer science open long enough for minorities, women, and persons with disabilities to fully participate,” he says. His tireless efforts have proven to be both heroic and beneficial to the world.
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Brevia
BLS AT A GLANCE
Inspiring. Informed. Engaged. In touch. Impressive. What else can you say about BLS students, staff, coaches, and volunteers? Here are a few details of note.
New Associate Headmaster
First in Massachusetts U.S. News & World Report recently ranked Boston Latin School the best in Massachusetts—the third year in a row in which alma mater was singled out for the top spot. The only New England school to have earned top 100 honors every year since these rankings began, BLS also ranked 33rd nationally out of more than 17,000 ranked schools.
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Headmaster Rachel Skerritt ’95 has appointed Jonathan Mulhern ’98 to a new role as associate headmaster. His responsibilities focus primarily on the middle school grades, classes VI and V. “I work with teams of teachers in professional development and in the creation and implementation of an interdisciplinary curriculum,” he notes, “and I also lead the instructional leadership team, which cooperates on school-wide initiatives aimed at improving teaching and learning.” “My father was a 1949 graduate of BLS,” Mulhern says, “so I was drawn to the school at an early age. I attended Boston College, received a masters in teaching at Simmons University, and earned my administrative degree from Emmanuel College. I never got far away from Avenue Louis Pasteur,” he adds with laughter. “A seminal time at BLS was my junior year when I took an AP writing class,” he recalls. “It was one of my favorite classes ever. I enjoyed the group interaction and peer reviews. It was a group learning experience that sparked my interest in pursuing teaching as a profession.” “I’ve spent more than half of my life in this building,” he says. “I am mindful of the history, but it’s the students and teachers who are here now that inspire me. They are so dedicated to learning and the sharing of knowledge. I have great admiration for how hard our teachers work to meet the needs of today’s students.”
Recognition for Young Artists
Music to Our Ears
Clara Reed ’20 was awarded a gold medal for her drawing, “After 7 p.m.” by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
Emily Liu ’19 won a Scholastic Art & Writing silver medal for her large-scale modern sculpture, “Claustrophobia.”
Fighting Air Pollution, One Bike at a Time A team of BLS students created an air filtering system that attaches to a bicycle and removes air pollutants. In three weeks, the team sold more than 300 units, raised $6,300 in revenues, and won Company of the Year at the recent Junior Achievement of Northern New England Showcase, thereby qualifying for the national competition. Learn more about this innovative project at filtairusa.com.
The Big Band earned a gold medal at the MAJE state finals. Outstanding Musicianship awards went to Hazel Royer ’19, Anthony Wang ’19, and Ross Mikulskis ’21.The Big Band was also selected as a finalist in the Charles Mingus High School Competition for the third year in a row. The Concert String Orchestra won gold at the MICCA Festival, and Show Choir, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Concert Choir all earned silver.
A First-Place Win at the Babson Olympiad In a recent international competition, teams of young entrepreneurs came to Babson College to pitch ideas for a start-up companies. Teams identified opportunities for innovation, explained the value they would add to the project, and asked for the resources to move forward. Sponsored by the Deitch Leadership Insititute and the Wolk Center, the BLS team took first place. The winning team of Zayna Azzouzi ’21, Julia Epshtein ’20, and Khadija Raza ’22 proposed a website to help immigrants find resources needed to succeed and thrive in their new country. The proposed company would be a first-generation, woman-run business connecting immigrants to services like community centers, English classes, and discussion forums. The subscription-based website with a low monthly fee would inform users of job fairs, private chat boxes, and other crucial networking opportunities.
A Special Project for Class III Students BLS was invited to join a consortium of Greater Boston schools to explore issues of income inequality. Working collaboratively with groups from other schools, Class III students performed academic and field research that took them into neighborhoods throughout Boston to discover how this inequality impacted residents and their ability to achieve the American dream. Extensive interviews with residents and experts shed light on the many different ways that life is affected by the relative wealth of the neighborhood in which one lives, works, and studies.
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Real-World Science Science, as it is taught at BLS, goes far beyond laboratory experiments. Faculty seek to impart a deep understanding of the scientific method, a respect for fact-based independent thinking, and an ability to conduct meaningful research with real-world results. Daisy Wang ’20 and John Lin ’21 exemplify the power of this approach. Both represented the city of Boston and BLS at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held in Phoenix in May.
Daisy Wang ’20: RNA-based Early Detection for Prostate 4 Cancer Using Nanotechnology “For the science fair this year, I wanted to do something very different from what I did a year ago,” says Daisy Wang ’20. “I decided to take on a project that might provide a solution to a real problem. I learned that existing methods of screening for prostate cancer had some serious drawbacks. I decided to explore and develop a different way to conduct screenings that would
be less invasive, more accurate, and more specific to the detection of prostate cancer.” Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death by cancer among men in the U.S. “This is mainly due to late diagnosis,” Daisy explains. “If diagnosed early, it is almost 100% treatable. So early and accurate detection is critical.” The presentation of Daisy’s research is a thing of beauty: building from her hypothesis, she lucidly puts forth in graphs, words, and pictures a compelling argument for the feasibility and efficacy of her approach. Her conclusions make a strong case for serious follow-up studies. “I have shown that the test is non-invasive,” she states, “because samples can be obtained from urine, not blood. It is fast and easy, because sample testing will not require time-consuming and expensive analytic procedures. It is much more sensitive than the current method of prostate-specific antigen testing.” What remains now is the need for further testing in a clinical setting and the development of a portable analytic device based on Daisy’s original research.
John Lin ’21: Development of a qPCR Assay for Quantification of Saccharibacteria John Lin ’21 was inspired by his mentors, medical professionals, to pursue research on an extremely small, uncultivable microbe that lives a unique parasitic lifestyle on various host bacteria found in the mouths of humans. With the jaw-breaking name of saccharibacteria, these microbes recently were found in great abundance in plaque samples of patients with periodontal disease. “There is limited knowledge about the behavior of this microbe,” John explains, “because of its minuscule size and resistance to traditional methods of culture.” The study focused on development of a unique method to quantify this bacterium. “It gets pretty complicated,” John admits, “but in the end a highly accurate process was developed for quantifying saccharibacteria. These findings open the door to several potentially useful applications. For example, periodontists could use measurements of the microbe to diagnose and
assess the risk for certain diseases of the oral cavity. In a research setting, this process might prove useful for growing these elusive microbes and studying their behaviors.” “Earning an invitation to the Intel Science Fair was very exciting,” John says. “It was a chance to get feedback from the judges not just on the merit of my research but my presentation as well. In addition, there is the interaction with other people, seeing and hearing how they conducted their research, and sharpening my own abilities to communicate what I am hoping to accomplish.”
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Postcards from Kenya In February, 37 students and six faculty chaperones traveled to Kenya. Over the next few days, they would, quite literally, eat, sleep, and breathe a culture unlike anything they had ever known.
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key part of the Boston Latin mission is “to ground its students in a contemporary classical education as preparation for responsible and engaged citizenship.” The goal of this trip was to connect students to the school’s mission and curriculum in a powerful and very fundamental way. Kamissa Barry, who was born in the African nation of Senegal and has taught English at BLS for 27 years, conceived the idea and organized the trip. What emerged from his inspired direction was a deeply immersive and life-altering learning experience for all involved. Barry chose the Kenya destination for very specific reasons. “I wanted to expose students to a world that is far removed from their daily reality,” he says. “I believed that the stark differences between cultures would expand our students’ perspectives and enhance their appreciation of African life, with all its complexities and challenges.” With the input from experienced teachers of history, languages, literature, the arts, and environmental science, students had the opportunity to see for themselves the economic, social, and environmental issues Kenya faces. Through interactions with the people—discussions, community service, and visits to schools and orphanages—students gained firsthand knowledge of the realities of Kenyan life. “We learned together,” Barry says, “by observing and discussing a world that is similar to ours and yet fundamentally different in terms of resource availability, social policies, history, and culture.”
The educational goals of this adventure were direct and specific. Students were building language skills as they spoke with a multilingual population for whom English is effectively the lingua franca. They confronted history as they discussed and wrote about the effects of colonialism on the environment and people of Kenya. Similarly, they developed a new appreciation for different art forms ranging from music to dance to visual expression. They kept journals documenting how they coped with a wide range of experiences that took them outside their comfort zones. “We wanted the students to question their own views and conceptualize how they might affect positive changes,” Barry says. “While they were building bonds of friendship with Kenyan students and their families, they were also discovering how they might promote peace, cultural understanding, and a better life for the people they encountered.”
“We visited a village where finding safe drinking water was almost a full-time effort.”
Beatrix Knight ’21 was deeply moved to see how certain things Americans take for granted are simply not available for many Kenyans. “We are used to getting clean water by turning on a faucet,” she says. “But we visited a village where finding safe drinking water was almost a full-time effort. They had to walk half a mile to a stream, find small pools of unpolluted water along the banks, dip water into a bucket with a cup, and carry the heavy buckets half a mile back to their village. While we were there, arrangements were made to have a well drilled—and it was a thrilling experience!” “Our hope was that this trip would expand the very concept of contemporary classical education,” Barry states, “because Kenya is a bridge between past and present. I am convinced that every traveler returns home enriched by unfathomable experiences and possibilities. This trip was all that and more.” Thanks to the Clough Center for Global Understanding, students were able to participate in this life-changing experience regardless of their family’s ability to pay. Photos courtesy of Kamissa Barry
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Honoring Headmaster Emerita Lynne Mooney Teta ’86, P’19
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n the morning of November 17, as we celebrated the successful conclusion of the Prima Perpetua Campaign, alumni, teachers, students, and friends of the school gathered in the assembly hall to witness the presentation of a portrait of Headmaster Emerita Lynne Mooney Teta ’86, P’19. Following a long-standing tradition, portraits of past headmasters are displayed in the assembly hall in the company of the illustrious names that adorn the hall’s upper and lower friezes. Dr. Mooney Teta served alma mater with great distinction for more than a decade. For nine of those years, she was our 27th headmaster, the first alumna to hold that office. Her many achievements ranged from the expansion of the AP curriculum to strategic planning for the Prima Perpetua Campaign. She took a special interest in developing programs to support the social-emotional development of students. Her contributions to the betterment of Latin School opened doors and expanded opportunities for thousands of children and their families.
2018 Distinguished Graduate
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n a long, remarkable career spanning more than seven decades, Dr. George Canellos ’52 was at the forefront of cancer research. His life-saving work forged new frontiers in the continuing battle against one of mankind’s deadliest diseases. He led the way in numerous cancer treatment therapies and the development of innovative and effective clinical-trial procedures. He earned an A.B. cum laude from Harvard and received an M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons. He served in clinical and research roles at the National Cancer Institute and the Royal Postgraduate Medical School in London. Dr. Canellos joined the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in 1975, where he served as the founding chief of medical oncology for 20 years. With more than 350 publications in his field, he is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and past president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. An endowed professorship at Harvard Medical School has been named in honor of Dr. Canellos and his wife, Jean.
in memoriam Daniel J. Blacklow ’37 Bernard Cole ’41 Bertram Grand ’41 Murray Spotnitz ’41 Thomas L. Phillips Sr. ’42 William C. Starr ’43 Robert M. Wilson ’43 Sumner Darman ’44 Herbert A. Lerner ’44 Leonard H. Schwall ’44 John C. Berlinguet ’45 Richard L. Dobson ’45 Paul C. Haley ’45 Joseph W. Swett ’45 Leo R. Turley ’45 Irwin S. Zonis ’46 Hugh E. O’Donnell ’47
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James E. Burris ’48 Ira S. Steinberg ’49 Edward A. Zaleskas ’49 Gerald Alch ’50 Edwin P. Collins ’50 Gerard M. Ford ’50 Robert D. Graham ’50 Robert W. Greene ’50 Howard J. Promer ’50 R. Michael Zilberstein ’50 Joseph J. Kirk ’51 Marvin G. Osofsky ’51 Charles J. Hamlin Jr. ’52 Robert Ira Jaspan ’52 William S. Kaden ’52 Frederic R. Lupi ’52 Paul L. O’Sullivan ’52
Charles N. Bougopoulos ’53 Barton M. Lilenfield ’53 Robert F. Misiewicz ’54 William I. Murphy ’54 John F. Bennett ’55 C. Gerard Drucker ’55 Warren Edward Murray ’55 Robert M. Cohen ’56 Philip J. Fasano ’56 Vincent R. Maffei ’56 Thomas L. McDonald Jr. ’56 Robert A. Shuster ’56 Jason L. Blank ’57 Christos Karimbakas ’57 Basil S. Moskos ’57 Stanley J. Baron ’58 Douglas A. Cowley ’58
Francis P. Domohoski ’58 Michael D. Healey ’59 Leon M. Rudman ’60 Jerold S. Weinstein ’61 Joseph F. Ryan Jr. ’65 Stephen Buckley ’67 John J. Clark ’69 Walter E. Michalik ’69 Robert W. Ng ’75 Robert J. Burke ’81 James E. Collins Jr. ’91 Lienna Peng ’20
Former Faculty Charles McCabe Leo D. Salvucci Rose Saunders
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BLSA DONORS
XPENSES FUNDED BY
$10,000 Summer stipends for four Miller Fellows serving in the U.S. Senate and Congress
Registration fees for National Spanish Exam
$4,350
$5,600 Fourteen Topol Fellows for Peace and Non-Violence
$750 Transportation for fans to boys’ hockey finals at Tsongas Arena
$2,575
$49,875
Five violins
Rental fees for rink, field, and court time for athletic teams
$5,000 Hosting for bls.org Participation in the Yale Mock Trial Invitational
$2,127
$33,851
Financial aid for students participating in service trip to Kenya
Enrollment of 60 students in Harvard Medical School’s MedScience program
$9,000 $11,000 Chromebook cart for Science department
Design, printing, and mailing of the BLSA Bulletin
$35,250
Non-Profit Org. US Postage
PAID Boston, MA Permit No. 56615
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