6 Things About BB&N:
1974 marked an historic date in School history when Buckingham and Browne & Nichols officially merged. The Spring 1974 Bulletin cover captured the moment of the unveiling of the new sign, a momentous and significant moment to be sure.
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Mark Leeds ’83
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A Legacy Gift Honors a Mother’s Lifetime Dedication to BB&N Across the decades, the experiences and memories of BB&N alumni/ae are often remarkably similar to those shared by Mark Leeds ’83: caring teachers, lasting friendships, and preparation for further education and life. They are also those that recently motivated Mark to leave a lasting legacy to BB&N in memory of his mother, Beatrice Leeds.
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Bulletin Covers that Resonate Celebrating the 50th anniversary of BB&N’s unique and innovative Bivouac program took center stage on the Spring 2002 cover. The resilient yet satisfied look on the face of Young Won ’94 spoke to the power of the Bivouac experience for thousands of alums.
The playful Spring 2011 issue of The Bulletin featured an illustrative treatment of longtime Upper School math teacher Mark Fidler’s “Tag Quiz” as one of 16 “bucket list” items at BB&N that every alum could relate to. “I have that magazine in my math class, and students enjoy making the connection to the tag quizzes I still have,” Fidler notes. “I love that cover…it really captures the fun and the ingenuity that my students show in avoiding me!”
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3 The Fall/Winter 2015 edition caught musician Rachel Platten ’99 at the moment she had rocketed to fame behind her hit “Fight Song.” The article touched on her hard-fought journey to success and dedication to using her achievements for charitable purposes.
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The Fall 1999 Bulletin cover announced the School’s renewed commitment toward diversity. Featuring a 1995 Lower School student mural of interwoven religious imagery, it marked an emphasis on inclusion that continues at BB&N to this day.
An unabashed hug between Otis Bennet and Miles Esteves warmed the Fall/Winter 2013 Bulletin cover. The cover feature describes the distinctive BB&N Family Cooperative, a new (at the time) early childhood center on School grounds that allows faculty and staff a nurturing childcare option that fits the academic schedule.
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Living in Boston in the 1970s, Beatrice was concerned about the education Mark would receive in the Boston Public Schools at the time. While Mark attended the BB&N Summer Camp, his mother became friendly with Director of Athletics Jack Etter ’49, who encouraged Beatrice to consider BB&N for her son. Thanks to the generous financial aid provided by the School, Mark was able to enroll as a fourth grader and continue through graduation. “Sending me to BB&N was a huge source of pride for my mother, a single parent,” recalls Mark. “She remained involved in all aspects of my life at BB&N, including attending all of my games (particularly tennis and basketball) and often riding on the team bus. BB&N truly understood her overprotective nature and didn’t mind her calling my coaches to check up on me if I was late getting home from practice.” While he found BB&N academically challenging, Mark worked very hard and credits his success in part to demanding teachers and coaches—including history teacher Peter Tower; English teacher, advisor, and basketball coach Rob Leith; and tennis coach Armen Dedekian—all of whom prepared him well for college and beyond.
After attending Bowdoin College and graduating with a degree in economics, Mark received an M.B.A. from New York University, and then pursued a career in the employee benefits, human resources, and insurance technology field. He is currently part of senior management with a Massachusetts-based technology company. Mark has three children—Mitchell (23), Jason (20), and Madeline (17)—and lives in Westchester County, NY, with his wife, Jennifer, and stepson, Luke. He remains connected to BB&N as a volunteer and donor, and some of his closest friends are those he met at BB&N— friendships he was always proud to share with his mother throughout her life. When his mother passed away in December of 2016, Mark had no question of how he wanted to honor her life and their shared dedication to BB&N. He has recently amended his will to include an irrevocable gift to BB&N that will establish the Beatrice Leeds Financial Aid Fund (with a focus on single parents) upon his death, enabling other children like him to have the opportunity of a BB&N education. For more information about gift and estate planning at BB&N, visit the School’s new Gift Planning website at giftplanning.bbns.org/plan, or contact Janet Rosen at jrosen@bbns.org or 617-800-2729.
PICTURED: MARK LEEDS ’83 AND HIS MOTHER, BEATRICE LEEDS (A HUGE RED SOX FAN) AT FENWAY PARK IN MAY 2016. INSET: MARK LEEDS ’83 AT HIS BB&N GRADUATION 76