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News
Online Community
BLSA Website
BLS Website
Calendar
See online calendar for specific event details
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March
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10
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Sarasota Alumni Luncheon
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11
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BLSA at the Ballpark:
Ft. Myers, FL
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13
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Class of 1977 Phonathon
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14
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Class of 1957 Phonathon
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15
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Book Club: Boston
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24
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Southern California Luncheon:
Costa Mesa, CA
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28
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New York Chapter Spring Dinner
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29
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Dialogue & Discourse:
Alumni Speakers Series:
Rachel Skerritt '95
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April
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11
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Alumni Networking Night
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24
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Washington, D.C. Reception
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26
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Alumni @ Music Night
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26&27
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BLS Music Night
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May
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10-12
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Reunion Weekend
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12
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Golden Alumni Luncheon
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17-20
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BLS Musical: Fame
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June
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6
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BLSA/Red Sox Nation Tour: Oakland
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18
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Wolfpack Classic
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July
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19
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Young Alumni Night at Fenway
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22
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Volunteer Appreciation Day at Fenway
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Visit www.blsa.org for more details and up-to-date listings.
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A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD MASTER
Head Master Cornelia A. Kelley H'44 has announced that effective June 30, 2007, she shall finish in her role as head master of the Boston Latin School. She explains, "I have notified Superintendent Michael Contompasis '57 of my intent. In accordance with established procedures, he will post the position, accept applications, and convene a screening committee composed of representatives from the various constituencies. That group will then interview qualified candidates and make recommendations to the Superintendent. I wish to share one thought with all of you. The position of head master of the Latin School is one of stewardship and it has brought me great joy. You are a wonderful group of alumni. Without your support I should never have been able to see this institution not simply survive but truly thrive. Please be proud of all that you do to make Boston Latin School a very special place. I thank you professionally and personally." As noted in the Boston Globe, during her nine-year tenure, the head master oversaw a $32 million renovation that included a new library, dining hall and visual and performing arts center. She began her career at the school in 1980 as an English teacher, and later went on to teach Latin and Greek, before becoming assistant headmaster in 1987.
NETWORKING NIGHT
Looking to connect with people in your industry? Exploring a new career path? Considering a new position? Then plan to attend BLSA's second annual Alumni Networking Night on Wednesday, April 11, hosted once again by Holland + Knight at 10 Saint James Avenue in Boston. This year's event will offer the opportunity to network with alumni of all ages, meet with potential employers and hear from a distinguished panel of alumni share how they built successful careers in government, finance, real estate development, healthcare and hi-tech. The cost is just $15 per person or $10 for young alumni (1992 to 2006) and includes a reception. Register early, as space is limited, and check back often for updates to the list of speakers and recruiters. Pre-registration is required to obtain entry to 10 St. James Ave. Click here to register now. Even if you can't attend, you can be part of this great network by joining the online Career Network. If you're not already a registered user of the online community, simply use your Unique ID: {{$USER_SECURITY$}} to get started now.
ALUMNI BOOK CLUB
Time's running out to sign up for our first Alumni Book Club meeting in Boston on Thursday, March 15. The first selection is "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder, an inspiring story of how one person can truly make a difference. Alumni and friends are invited to join us for what will undoubtedly be an interesting conversation, led by Assistant Head Master Malcolm Flynn and former English master Rachel Skerritt '95. While the event officially begins at 6:30 p.m., early arrivals can visit with Dr. David Walton beginning at 6 p.m. Dr. Walton is one of the residents who works with Dr. Paul Farmer - the subject of "Mountains Beyond Mountains" - in Haiti. Study questions can be downloaded here. Even if you don't live in Boston, start reading now and stayed tuned for how you can participate in a virtual conversation or a Book Club session in your area. Potential session hosts are welcome to e-mail Lynn Flaherty for more information.
BI-COASTAL TRIBUTES
They say trends often start on the west coast and this one is no exception.
The Los Angles and San Diego Chapters are teaming up to host a Southern California Alumni Luncheon on Saturday, March 24, at The Clubhouse in Costa Mesa. The original plan called for toasts - and a few roasts - of outgoing Boston School Superintendent and Head Master Emeritus Michael Contompasis '57. With Head Master Cornelia A. Kelley H'44's recent news of her retirement at the end of the school year, you can be sure that her tremendous contribution to Alma Mater will be celebrated, as well. Just a few days later - Wednesday, March 28 - the
New York Chapter gets into the act, with their annual Spring Dinner at The Penn Club. Click the chapter names above for specific event information or here to learn more about all the tributes being planned.
AUTHOR! AUTHOR!
Rachel Skerritt '95 will close out the spring offerings for
Dialogue & Discourse: The Boston Latin School Alumni Speakers Series on Thursday, March 29, with A Writer's Story. Rachel will discuss her most recent novel, "No More Lies," and how her Latin School education led her on the journey to author, screenwriter and, now, principal-in-training for the Boston Public Schools. Click here to register or learn more.
ALUMNI @ MUSIC NIGHT
Alumni and their families have a special opportunity to take part in one of BLS' most beloved traditions. Music Night - the annual showcase of instrumental and vocal performances - is a perennial sell-out, but BLSA has arranged for special alumni seating and a pre-concert reception at the Longwood Grill. Tickets are just $20 ($10 for students and children.) Click here for tickets and more information or here for musical clips from last year's performances.
REUNION WEEKEND 2007
Reunion brochures will be in the mail next week to the classes of 1947, 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1982 and 1987, but online registration is now open for all events except the ever-popular Red Sox outing. Red Sox tickets go on sale March 15 at 12 noon. With everything from tours of Alma Mater, a chartered Duck Tour, cocktail parties and a walking tour of Boston's inner workings, to a night at Pops and a visit to the Gardner Museum, we hope to offer something for everyone. Click here for more information. Don't forget to use your personal Unique ID: {{$USER_SECURITY$}} to register for the online community - it not only makes Reunion registration simpler, it could also help your class win a complimentary cocktail reception at your banquet!
UPDATE YOUR ONLINE COMMUNITY
We need your help in making the Online Community as dynamic and up to date as it can be! If you have already registered, thank you and please make sure that the contact information that we have for you is the most current. If you have not yet become a registered member, click here to join the Online Community by using your Unique ID: {{$USER_SECURITY$}} and simply follow the prompts on the page.
FORE CHARITY
John Fitzgerald ’91, Ailbe Glynn ’91, Raffi Yessayan ’86 and Brian Waters ’86 will host the 7th Annual An Tain Charity Golf Tournament on Monday, June 25, 2007, at Putterham and Newton Commonwealth Golf Courses. A block party will follow at An Tain with a DJ, auction and raffles, as well. They are looking for golfers, volunteers, sponsors and people to donate prizes. Proceeds from this event support the Imette Saint-Guillen Scholarship Fund and the John Yessayan Scholarship Fund. For more information, please e-mail John or call him at (617) 816-0564.
SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY
As we noted in the November issue, military service is a proud Latin School tradition. We recently heard from the president of the 35th Infantry Regiment's alumni group, looking for a picture of Jim Curry '65, who was killed in action in Vietnam. This gentlemen's thank you note stating "one of your alumni is remembered by us, and all of our departed Cacti alumni will never be forgotten," underscored how important it is to keep our alumni currently serving in our thoughts during these difficult times. We'd like to share more of their stories, but we need your help. If you know an alumna/us on active duty for the military, serving domestically or abroad, please drop us a note by clicking here. If you would like to view the 35th Regiment's memorial for Jim Curry, visit their website by clicking here.
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SCHOOL NEWS |
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Boston Latin School leads the nation in AP Italian courses in large-size schools. More BLS students achieve an exam grade of 3 or higher than any other large school in the country.
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Distinctions for the BLS music department abound this year! It recently received notification that it was awarded a finalist spot in the 2007 Grammy Signature School Award for Excellence in Music Education. If selected for the award the school will receive a $2,000 donation from the Grammy Fund and recognition for excellence in music education. Additional achievements this year include the selection of record numbers of student musicians to the MMEA Southeast Senior (21 students) and Junior (22 students) District Music Festivals as well as the All State Music Festival (12 students).
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Sports news: The Girls' hockey team finished an undefeated regular season at 15-0-3 and was awarded the #2 seed in the Division 1 State Tournament. It was not the result they were hoping for, however, as they lost in the final round of quarterfinals to Arlington Catholic in a match that ended with a score of 5-4. The Boys' varsity basketball team, who are co-champs of the Dual County League with Concord-Carlisle, finished with a regular season record of 18-6. The boys' basketball team also saw post-season play but lost in the 3rd round of the State Tournament. Senior Ben Speicher was the Division 1 Central Sectional Championships at 142 pounds and advanced to the State Championships. Senior Caroline O'Loughlin finished in the top 5 in both the Division 1 mile and the All State mile.
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The BLS Theater Company competed in Round One of the annual State One Act Play Contest March 3 and 4.
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ALUMNI NEWS |
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The Boston Herald reports that Bob Rittenburg '52 was inducted into the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame, February 4, 2007, at the Reggie Lewis Center. Rittenburg is the only MA athlete to win two indoor national championships in two events in the same year.
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Headmaster Emeritus Michael G. Contompasis '57, superintendent of the Boston Public Schools, who was recently featured on the front page of the Boston Globe, will be honored at the "Night of Discovering Justice" gala at the Seaport Hotel in Boston on Thursday, April 12, 2007, at 5:30 p.m. Contompasis' more than 40 years of dedication to excellence in public education and civic involvement will be celebrated by Discovering Justice, a non-profit leader in civic education which inspires active and informed citizenship, and provides an innovative curriculum to more than 6,000 Boston-area elementary school students, including 149 Boston Public School classrooms. BLS alumni George Field '67, Dickens Mathieu '83 (both members of the Discovering Justice Board), Michele Ayan Lamoureux '89 and Mary O'Neill '96, among others, are hoping to recruit as large a contingent of the Wolfpack as possible to participate in the event. For more information, please e-mail Carol McKean or call her at (781) 925-3459. You can also register by clicking here.
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Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley announced February 1 that he is replacing the rector of St. John's Seminary in Brighton. The Rev. Arthur L. Kennedy '59, a diocesan priest who has served as chairman of the theology department at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, and executive director of the ecumenical and interreligious affairs office at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, will head the seminary starting July 1.
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In recognition of his 20 years of service to the New Hampshire Bar Association Law-related Education (LRE) Program, Howard J. Zibel '67, a member of the NH Bar since 1976 and general counsel to the Supreme Court, received a lamp recently presented by NH Senate President Sylvia Larsen. The lamp is symbolic of the light shone on the Constitution by the We the People program, which was introduced to New Hampshire by Zibel.
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The Patriot Ledger reports that Ron Bell '81 has been chosen by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick to direct his public liaison office. The paper reports that the public liaison office is a first for a Massachusetts governor. Bell's job is to let Patrick know about the concerns, hopes, wants and dreams of community groups, individuals, businesses and anyone else he meets trekking across the state to meet with everyone from school children to veterans' groups. Bell is the founder of Dunk the Vote and former director of Mission Hill Community Centers. He has most recently been honored as Central Boston Elder Services History Maker award recipient in 2007 and was listed in The Black Pages 100 Most Influential People of African Descent, 2007 edition.
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Rachel Skerritt '95 has authored a new novel, "No More Lies" published this January. She is currently participating in the Boston Principal Fellowship for the 2006-2007 school year after beginning her teaching career at Boston Latin School eight years ago. Her previous works include her first novel, "Truth Be Told" and "Have No Career Fear" with Ben Cohen-Leadholm and Ari Gerzon-Kessler. Learn more about Rachel's journey at
Dialogue & Discourse: The Boston Latin School Alumni Speakers Series on Thursday, March 29. Click here to register.
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BLS History Program Director Rashaun Martin '97 played David Debias, a black sailor on the USS Constitution during the War of 1812, in "Stranger in a Strange Land: The Journey of a Black Sailor from Beacon Hill to the Decks of USS Constitution" at Boston's Museum of African American History. The Boston Banner reported that Martin has played Debias in performances at the Constitution Museum since last July. "It gives me a chance to make [Debias'] memory come alive for others, and I think that any time you can make history personal for people, you're going to have a better opportunity to connect them to the experience," Martin said.
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Alexis Heos '00 is a member of the inaugural Boston Celtics dance team. The Parkway Transcript recently reported that the Roslindale resident works for the state in the Division of Banks regulation area. "There is nothing like performing in front of my hometown crowd," said Heos, the only Celtics team dancer who grew up in Boston. She's currently working on her thesis for a master's degree in public policy and international relations at UMass-Boston.
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Click here to submit news of your own.
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POINTS OF PRIDE CONTEST
We are excited to bring you a new webpage to give our contest winners a few more minutes of fame. The
Points of Pride Hall of Fame contains the questions, answers and winners of our BLS history contest over the years. We will also be posting the answer and winner of the monthly questions to the website as soon as we get the correct response. There are two unanswered questions posted there right now so if you want a second shot at deciphering the answer, we'd love to hear from you. Simply visit the page once you send in your response to see if your name is up in lights! Just click on
Points of Pride Hall of Fame.
And now back to the contest!
Congratulations go to Sarah Grandfield '99 for solving our February question. The BLS alumnus credited with the first successful clinical use of cardiac pacing and the first successful use of external defibrillation was Dr. Paul Zoll '28.
Tuxedo and limo rentals, dress shopping and hair appointments ... do you remember all the preparation that went into planning for the prom? Our March question throws us right back to those exhilarating - or perhaps anxiety ridden - days of our youth. It comes to us from Assistant Head Master Malcolm Flynn.
March question:
In what year did the first official BLS prom take place?
BLS history buffs seeking a free T-shirt should send responses - including name and class year - magna cum celeritate via e-mail.
Note: Alumni may win only once during an academic year.
CONTACT US
101 Huntington Avenue, Suite 200, Boston, MA 02199
Phone (617) 450-0004 Fax (617) 450-0284
Web www.blsa.org
E-mail blsa@blsa.org
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