Keeping You Up to Date

57th Annual Circus:
Saturday, May 3

Join all your friends at the Lower School Campus on May 3rd—10AM to 3PM—for an exhilarating blast of games, rides, food, fun and entertainment at the BB&N Circus. All proceeds from the non-stop fun benefit the School’s financial aid program.

Perennial favorites back this year include the moon bounce, the obstacle course, the dunk tank, lots of games of skill and chance, several crafts tables, and face painting.

As always, the Market Bazaar will offer books, sports equipment, and toys. Donated items are needed and welcome, or just come to browse and find a great bargain.

The Silent Auction is a great opportunity to bid on unique vacations, catered parties, gourmet items, sports tickets, and more. Details on this year’s online auction preview will follow soon.

Volunteers are needed, in particular to help out the day of the circus; to sign up, please contact any of the PA Circus co-chairs: Belinda Hunsinger, Julia Elhauge, or David Cumberbatch. Top

Cultural Assembly Mesmerizes Lower Schoolers

The Lower School Gym resounded with gospel music last month when acclaimed pianist George K. Russell Jr. and his band visited lower school students to educate and entertain them with a narrative concert about gospel music in America. With interactive dialogue, brief history lessons, and sweet, sweet music, Russell led BB&N students on a musical tour through plantation fields, the nooks and crannies of the underground railroad, and up through gospel greats of 1900s.

“The Clap Your Hands Gospel program had Lower School students clapping in rhythm, enthusiastically singing along, and mesmerized by the dynamic voices of the soloists and George's amazing piano playing talent,” said Assistant Director of Studies, Rebecca Geary who helped to organize the event. “Even the teachers were clapping and swaying to the music!” Top

Upper School Students Aid Charles River Conservancy

Students and staff from the Upper School recently pitched in to aid the Charles River Conservancy, part of wide-ranging community service initiatives undertaken throughout the year by the school. The volunteers cleared some vistas near the Eliot Bridge portion of the Charles River and learned about the ecology of these urban parklands. BB&N is one of several area schools working on the project, which is clearing invasive plants and pruning trees along the long-neglected stretch of Charles River shoreline. The restoration efforts are taking place thanks to grants that the Charles River Conservancy received from the Adobe Foundation Fund through the Boston Foundation. Top

Books, Basketball & Neighbors Program Celebrates 10th Year

BB&N opened its doors to the greater Boston and Cambridge communities once again this year with its Books Basketball and Neighbors program. Inner-city students from grades four through eight spent six Saturday’s over the winter trading time between the library and Nicholas Athletic Center, concentrating on basketball and studying as facilitated by BB&N students and faculty.

Now in its tenth year, the program was founded by Director of Multicultural Services and Boys’ Basketball Coach Lewis Bryant and Science Teacher Byron Bowman. Each year 50 to 60 inner-city students sign up for the program and are split into two groups, one younger and one older. The groups then take 90 minute turns being coached on basketball and receiving tutoring help in math and reading comprehension. Top

Middle School Preps for Debut Read-a-Thon

This spring, the Middle School will introduce a pilot literacy project that involves reading, community service, an author visit and reception, and the school’s advisory program. A month-long read-a-thon will kick off on March 14; the students have elected to donate the funds raised to Safe Passage’s literacy programs.

An integral part of the read-a-thon will be the recommended community-wide reading of Freak, by local author Marcella Pixley. The fiction book deals with the struggles of a middle school girl. Ms. Pixley will visit the Middle School on April 25 to speak with the students at a special assembly. Following the assembly, the newly renovated MS library will host a reception. In addition, MS counselors and staff will hold a coffee get-together for parents to discuss issues raised by the book and the implications for kids. Top

Farkes '02 Featured in Boston Globe

Zak Farkes ’02, perhaps BB&N’s most illustrious athlete/alumnus, was featured in a Boston Globe article on February 27. The feature, written by Globe baseball columnist Gordon Edes, detailed Farkes’ path from lifelong Sox fan to BB&N/Harvard graduate, to minor leaguer vying to one day inherit the catching duties from Sox captain Jason Varitek.

Farkes was asked why the Sox converted him to catcher a year and a half ago: “My makeup as a player, my body type, my intelligence, my hard work—that all fit, I guess, with the type of catcher this organization wants to develop,” he said. "They wanted to see if I fit in that mold.”

CLICK HERE to read the feature. Top

The Link Earns CASE Honors

BB&N’s electronic newsletter, The Link, was honored last month with a Bronze Award from the Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District I. The category, Website-Specialty Sites, included entries from dozens of colleges and independent schools throughout the Northeast United States and Canada. Top

Papas and Halloran Named to Super 26 Team

Seniors Nico Papas (left) and Nick Halloran (right) were both named to the Super 26 Football Team this year. This team consists of the best 26 players in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is chosen by the state high school coaches.

Papas, a defensive lineman/fullback, finished his career with a school-record 206 tackles. Halloran, a defensive end/offensive tackle, allowed zero sacks over the two years he played for BB&N.

Both players were also named to the North squad of the Shriners All Star football game to be played June 14 at Bentley College.

Next year, Papas will play for Columbia University and Halloran for Boston College. Top

Fourth Graders Create Book Advertisements

BBB&N Fourth Graders will be very busy for the next few weeks—not with school work—but with reading! Last month, Fourth Grader Teachers Jenny Weymouth and Bill Hritz organized a session of show-and-tell for “book advertisements” created by students about books they had read.

“Students had to write something that would convince other students to read their book without giving away the ending,” says Weymouth. “They had to illustrate and come up with a quote about the book as well.”

Most kids came away with long lists of books for that next rainy day, including such titles as: The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall; The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan; Just As Long As We’re Together by Judy Blume; and Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer. Top

Father and Son Authors Deliver Powerful Speech at Upper School

Like many BB&N students, when Nic Sheff was 17 he seemed to have it all—he was an editor on his independent high school newspaper, an honors student, and co-captain of the water polo team. But, after being accepted into some of the best colleges in the country, tragedy struck, and Nic transformed into every parent’s worst nightmare—a drug addict living on the streets.

 “When I was growing up I had this hole inside of me…I felt scared all the time, insecure and ugly,” Nic said to a large crowd of US students during a recent talk where Nic, along with his father David, each discussed their recent books on Nic’s methamphetamine addiction. “I didn’t know what I was doing, everyone else seemed so confident and strong and I wasn’t any of those things. My life became centered around getting high—nothing else mattered.”

Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines is a harrowing first-person account of Nic’s meth addiction, telling the painful story of how Nic lived on the streets, ate food from the side of the road, and occasionally popped into his family’s life, usually only to steal money for his next fix.

His father’s book, Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction, which has recently been selected as Starbucks next featured book, tells the story of Nic’s addiction from David’s perspective.
“I was completely blindsided, I thought maybe he’d been kidnapped or murdered,” David said, speaking about the first time his son disappeared due to his drug problem. “I stayed up nights, I called the police, emergency rooms…when I picked him up he was near death. That began five years of a nightmare. Nic went in and out of rehab so many times, and it was devastating.”

“Being in treatment taught me to see who I am, to accept that person that I am and not try to be somebody else,” Nic added about his recovery. “It was the process of getting open about who I am that really allowed me to start to accept myself and start to love myself.”

CLICK HERE to read an in-depth article on the Sheffs which appeared in The New York Times. Top

Kindergartners Celebrate Chinese New Year with Neville Place Residents

The kindergarten class co-taught by Tracy McLaughlin and Deanne Peterson brought some Chinese New Year joy to residents of the nearby Neville Place Assisted Living Facility in early February. CLICK HERE to read Tracy McLaughlin’s letter about the visit. Top

Local Glassblowers' Exhibit on Display at Upper School

Make certain to stop by the Upper School art gallery in the new wing to see the sculpture work of Andy Magdanz and Susie Shapiro (P ’06, ’12), but tread carefully around the delicate pieces of these well known artists—they’re all made of glass! Magdanz specializes in abstract, functional pieces while Shapiro prefers sand etched vases and other more decorative glass themes. The exhibit will be up through March 10. Top

McCarthy '08 Nominated for McDonalds All American Game

Andrew McCarthy ’08 was one of just 23 Massachusetts basketball seniors nominated for inclusion in the 2008 McDonalds All American Game. Each year the game features 24 of the top high school basketball players nationally. Past alums of the annual event include Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and LeBron James. Top