The Jabberwock for Alumni - BOSTON LATIN ACADEMY "I AM PUTTING FORTH A CHALLENGE!"
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BOSTON LATIN ACADEMY
The Jabberwock for Alumni
SPRING 2020
“I AM PUTTING FORTH A CHALLENGE!”
Nathan Blecharczyk ’01, October 21, 2019
From BLA to Airbnb ~ Nathan’s Story
Girls’ Latin School/Boston Latin Academy Ad Astra Campaign FAQs What is the Blecharczyk Challenge? Nathan Blecharczyk ’01 and his wife Elizabeth have generously pledged $1 million to BLA. They issued a challenge: if the community can raise $1 million to match their gift by June 30, 2021 the school will receive an additional $1 million for a total gift of $2 million from the Blecharczyks. What gifts count toward the match? Any gifts made through the GLS/BLA Association will count toward the match. Both restricted and unrestricted gifts to benefit the School will count. How will the initial $1 million be allocated? In December of 2019, we received the first pledge payment of $400,000, which has been allocated to fund a new computer lab at Boston Latin Academy. The balance of the remaining funds, which will be paid at the rate of $200,000 per year (2020, 2021, and 2022), will be used to update the science labs, technology throughout the school and provide for other STEM related needs. Why is GLS/BLA going into a Campaign? In order to build on the momentum of the Blecharczyks’ generous gift, the Girls’ Latin School/ Boston Latin Academy Association decided to move forward with a campaign, named Ad Astra, to build a base of support for Boston Latin Academy that will grow over time to develop a robust public/private partnership that will benefit our students. What is the Ad Astra campaign goal? The Ad Astra campaign has a working Phase One goal of $3 million, inclusive of the Blecharczyk $2 million and the $1 million community match. The campaign was created to leverage the unique opportunity the Blecharczyk challenge has given BLA to unite to design a strong and enduring vehicle to increase philanthropic support for the school. How can I donate? You can donate by going to our website www.blagls.org and clicking on the “Give Today” button.
Letter from the GLS/BLA Association President
Dear Alumni,
First and foremost, I hope you are all staying safe during challenge. In November, we hired CCS Fundraising to assist in
this Covid-19 crisis. We took our new campaign slogan, Ad this endeavor. CCS is the same company that recently helped
Astra, from a well known Latin phrase popular at GLS, Ad Boston Latin School raise $54 million in their Prima Perpetua
Astra Per Aspera, to the stars through difficulties. Covid-19 Campaign. It is critical to fund an endowment for BLA.
certainly has made that phrase more relevant than ever.
One of my favorite expressions is, “We all have something to
It has been a whirlwind over the last six months since give, whether that be time, talent, or money.” We have been
Nathan and Elizabeth Blecharczyk announced their issued a challenge, and I am hoping we can all come together
enormously generous gift to Boston Latin Academy. to meet it. I personally ask for your help. Please donate as
Nathan’s motivation to give back to BLA for the education generously as you can. Remember every dollar that you
he received was made evident in the many times he returned donate will become two!
to BLA to speak to the student body. The GLS/BLA
Association did not solicit this donation. It was Nathan’s Ad Astra!
idea and final decision - an anomaly in fundraising today,
that an individual contacts an organization with a seven-
figure gift. In a word: unbelievable. Through his gift, the Cordially,
alumnae/i, school administration, parents, and friends of Karen D. Mastrobattista Curran ’74
Boston Latin Academy have come together to meet his President
i Ad Astra Campaign FAQs
ii Letter from the GLS/BLA Association President
2 Ad Astra Campaign
3 Nathan Blecharczyk’s Challenge
CONTENTS
4 Nathan Blecharczyk’s Story ~ From BLA to Airbnb
6 Ad Astra - Our Vision
8 BLA Benefactor Kent Van Zandt
9 Giving Back
10 Janet Fillion Retires
12 BLA Sports & Clubs
14 Alumni Basketball Game
15 Alumnae in the News
16 Recent Donations
17 Financial Report
18 Scholarship Awards
18 Board of Directors
19 Reunions
20 2019 BLA Graduation
20 Making a Bequest Through Your Estate
21 Alumna Spotlight
21 RSVP & Donation Forms
1
AD ASTRA
Girls’ Latin School / Boston Latin Academy Association
Ad Astra Campaign 2020-2025
Why we named our campaign “Ad Astra” to meet
Nathan Blecharczyk’s challenge:
No, it wasn’t because of the Brad Pitt movie Ad Astra that came out in 2019.
In July of 2011, Rosalie L’Ecuyer ’51 was asked to write about some of her GLS memories and said, “I remember Ad
Astra Per Aspera (to the stars through difficulties). Who was the Latin teacher who constantly repeated those words of
encouragement? Most of us took paths we never expected as we went on in life and continued to reach for the stars.
Every so often I think of those words…. I do believe the regular dosage of Ad Astra through the years spurred us on.”
AD ASTRA ~ To the Stars!
2
Join the Ad Astra Capital Campaign and help us meet Nathan’s Challenge!
“I am putting forth a challenge.”
The Boston Latin Academy community actually my fourth time coming back to
has received the largest donation ever the school in recent years to share my
made to Girls’ Latin School or Boston story. And I keep coming back not just
Latin Academy in their 142-year because I have an interesting story, but
shared history. because my story literally starts here as
a sixie at Latin Academy. And I want to
The first $1 million gift will be be sure that this school, and the teachers
designated to improve Science, here, have the resources they need to
Technology, Engineering and Math make the most of their time with you.
(STEM) education at BLA. With that in mind, my wife Elizabeth
and I would love to make a $1 million
In addition to the million-dollar gift to the school.”
donation, Nathan Blecharczyk ’01,
cofounder of Airbnb, and his wife “I am putting forth a challenge.”
Elizabeth have pledged to match all development and enhancement
future donations dollar for dollar up to of Boston Latin Academy. We are “I am offering up to another $1 million
another million dollars. extremely excited for this generous gift. in matching gifts. Elizabeth and I will
match anyone’s gift to the school, one
We want to thank Nathan and his Nathan summarized in visiting the for one, up to a total of $1 million.”
family for their contribution to the school to announce his gift, “This is
You can donate by going to our website www.blagls.org
and clicking on the “Give Today” button.
3
From BLA To Airbnb ~ Nathan’s Story
Twelve-year-old sixie Nathan Blecharczyk was sick at home Nathan quit his job and moved
from school one day. Out of curiosity, he flipped through a to San Francisco. “I needed a
computer manual his father Paul, an electrical engineer, had place to live,” Blecharczyk recalls.
purchased for his computer. That Christmas, Nathan asked “I met Joe Gebbia (my co-
for a book on programming. “A nice, 500-page book that founder) through Craigslist, just
most people would find a chore to read. I read it top by chance.” Nathan moved into
to bottom.” Joe’s apartment. In October 2007,
Joe called his friend and fellow
Before long he was writing short programs and advertising designer Brian Chesky in L.A.
his new skill set on the internet. Then a businessman made a and told him to quit his job and come to San Francisco to
proposition. Develop a program for him and he would pay become an entrepreneur.
him $1,000. “I was pretty excited. I told my dad: ‘Someone
from the internet wants to pay me $1,000’.” His father said, At the same time, the rent on their apartment jumped by
laughing: “Son, nobody from the internet is going to give 25 percent to $1,150. Nathan had had enough and told his
you $1,000.” Blecharczyk, now 14, said: “That’s fine, I’ll do friends he was moving back home. But a design conference
it anyway, just for fun.” Surprising everyone but himself, he was coming to San Francisco the following week and they
got paid. Not only did he get paid, he says, “I made almost got the idea to rent out a room in the apartment to help pay
a million dollars this way - it was the basis for my ongoing the rent, similar to offering a bed & breakfast rental. There
pursuit of entrepreneurship.” He made that first million was no bed in the room, but Joe had an air mattress. So
dollars while he was still in high school. While at BLA, instead of calling it a B&B, they named it Airbnb. They had
Nathan remained focused, using his time very wisely. When three customers and they made $1,000 in one weekend.
he was not studying, he ran track.
By January 2008, the three of them decided they wanted to
start a company together and, reflecting on what happened
in October, decided that Airbnb was a good concept. They
launched a website in March 2008 and planned to make
$200 million in three years. By the fall of 2009, they had
been at their new venture for 10 months without jobs, and
without having been able to raise any money.
“We were basically at the point of asking ourselves when
we should give up? When should we quit? It’s been almost
a year now and despite whatever we do, we can’t seem to
make more than $200 per week. We realized up until now,
although we had worked very hard, we had not given it one
hundred percent. Meaning I was moonlighting on the side,
living in Boston…so we decided before we quit, we had to
give it our best shot. We agreed to get super focused and
disciplined. I moved to San Francisco. We all moved back
into the apartment. We worked six days a week.”
Although it took them four years to get their first 4 million
guests, today Airbnb operates in over 100,000 cities and 191
countries. By 2013, they were serving over 11 million guests
annually and have served 500 million guests since inception.
He graduated from BLA in 2001 as class valedictorian and
then Harvard in 2005 with a degree in computer science. Today, Nathan has an estimated net worth of $4.2 billion
He turned down a job from his fellow Harvard graduate and was listed by Forbes in 2016 as the 4th wealthiest
Mark Zuckerberg at the new start-up called Facebook, to entrepreneur under 40, behind Mark Zuckerberg and
accept a position at OPNET Technologies in D.C. as an Dustin Moskovitz of Facebook and Garrett Camp of
engineer. By 2007, after a life-changing trip to Silicon Valley, Uber Technologies.
4
The Angels of Ad Astra: Introducing Nathan and Elizabeth Blecharczyk
“I AM PUTTING FORTH A CHALLENGE.”
Top left: Nathan and Elizabeth Blecharczyk. Top right: Headmaster Chimdi Uchendu, Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Nathan Blecharczyk,
Elizabeth Blecharczyk, Superintendent of Boston Public Schools Dr. Brenda Cassellius. Bottom: Nathan giving a speech in the BLA gym
5
Our
Vision
Dorothy Elia Howells '56 Girls' Latin School celebrates the 2013 BLA graduation of her godchild Xheni (Jenny) Mucelli on June 9th at Matthews Arena
Expanding Investing in Building Our
STEM Excellence Endowment Bo
We will continue preparing We prepare students for Our endowment will
our students for success success in college and support every aspect of
OU
in a new era by beyond. As such, we will the BLA student
supporting: improve: experience, including but A cla
• Computer science • Athletics programs not limited to: sprin
programs • College prep diver
• Arts offerings We b
• Science laboratory • Teacher
• International travel them
(e.g., student exchanges) development &
• After-school/summer colla
support
STEM programs • Extracurricular activities
(e.g., Chess Cub) • Infrastructure & “I a
• Technology in the
technology
classroom
Our s
the fi
1903
coun
year
are w
1878 BLA is founded as Girls’ Latin School, the first college
19
preparatory high school for girls in the US.
1880 GLS graduates its first class of 6 students, 1972
2 all of whom are accepted to Smith College.
Boys are admitted to GLS for the first time.
6
na
r Girls’ Latin School Class of 1969 visiting current Boston Latin Academy students for their 50th reunion.
t Boston Latin Academy AT A G L A N C E
OUR MISSION & HISTORY
A classical education remains one of the greatest 1,780 71%
Students Students of Color
springboards to success. At Boston Latin Academy, a richly
diversified student body is reaching new academic heights.
We build upon classical concepts of learning and recast
them for today’s world, where a global perspective, Top 5
93%
collaboration skills, and creativity are critical to success. College MA School
Placement Rate (US News &
World Report)
“I attribute 90% of my success to my time at BLA.”
– Nathan Blecharczyk, BLA ’01, Airbnb Cofounder
Our school was founded in 1878 as Girls’ Latin School, 42%
the first college preparatory schools for girls in the U.S. By
Title I
First Language School
1903, GLS had achieved a reputation as one of the Not English
country’s finest schools. We are proud to carry on a 142-
year history of academic excellence, ensuring students
are well prepared for success in college and in life.
50 12
Student Clubs Sports Offerings
US & World News Report
1975 Boston Latin Academy becomes the
2019 recognizes BLA as a Gold Medal
school’s official new name.
high school.
1991 BLA moves to its current Dorchester location.
3
7
BLA Benefactor Kent Van Zant
It is a typical cold and gloomy day outside on January 23, 2020 Kent and Nancy at first donated $10,000 to help students prepare
at Boston Latin Academy. Seventy-two year-old Kent Van Zant is for the SAT. Then, they gave another $10,000 to help four students
seated in the upper library filling out a judging sheet for the annual attend college.
science fair.
“Later I suggested I could fund one four-year college tuition. Victor
He is deep in concentration as he pens the review, as thoroughly asked, ‘How about two?’ These two students were at the top of
involved in the outcome as if it were for the National Medal of their class, but literally had no way of going to college. We knew
Science. So far, he is most impressed by a project entitled “How we could change peoples’ lives by contributing to BLA, especially
Seeds Germinate in the Presence of Water Substitute” by seventh sending two kids to college.” Van Zant has already contributed
grader Lily Costello. He is in his element. $47,000 to provide the first year of college to two students at
UMass Boston and will also fund the remaining
Van Zant, a scientist and geologist, has been involved in three years.
volunteering at Boston Latin Academy since he was a judge
at the last science fair. So impressed was he by the students “I used to be on the Board of a private school. We also gave a lot of
he encountered, he committed to volunteering and tutoring money to various schools but we did not have a lot of contact with
on a continuing basis. In 2019, he offered to provide two full the schools themselves. Giving here is much better.”
college scholarship, a gift to Boston Latin Academy students of
approximately $200,000. About that germination project? No, it did not win. But, explains
Van Zant, “The germination project at the science fair was certainly
Van Zant is not an alumnus, or parent or grandparent of a current not the best project there, but the student’s grasp of the project and
student. He graduated from Earlham College in 1969, and then what should be tried next, was impressive for a 7th grader. I’d like
went on to the University of Iowa to obtain his master’s and Ph.D. to watch this student when she gets to high school.” Recognizing
in geology in 1973 and 1976 respectively. After spending time in and mentoring talent, for that, Van Zant certainly gets first place.
the private sector, working for Amoco for twelve years, teaching at
both the college and the high school level in the Denver area, Van
Zant and his wife Nancy made the decision to move to Boston
in 1991. He taught science at several Boston high schools before
retiring in 2015.
After looking to donate at other Boston high schools, “We
contacted Boston Latin Academy because we were interested in
serving a diverse population. We came to a meeting at the school
and afterwards, Victor Caballo-Anderson, Assistant Headmaster,
ran up and continued talking…this is pretty neat I thought, he
wants to know more about us. That was the beginning…”
Top: Project Displays during Kent's visit,
Below: Kent pictured with Lily Costello, Class of 2025
John Quincy Adams truly captures
what Kent has meant to BLA when
he defined a leader: “If your actions
inspire others to dream more, learn
more, do more and become more,
you are a leader.”
Kent’s actions and contributions
reflect his kind nature and his
commitment to transform lives
by allowing dreams to become a
reality. His civic and philanthropic
engagement is a legacy to aspire to.
- Victor Caballo-Anderson Assistant
Headmaster BLA
8Giving Back
Keeping the Flame of Public Education Bright educational dreams. Primarily because the school had financial
Andrea Gargill Gordon ’58, February 3, 2020 support beyond its operating budget-from fund-raising and a
more than healthy endowment.
Marcus Tullius Cicero once said that if you have a garden and
a library, then you will have everything. For me this statement Our public schools, like my Alma Mater, need operational budgets
illuminates my life, my loves, and my giving to worthy causes, well-funded by city and state, but they desperately need donations
especially Boston Latin Academy. so that school officials can use discretionary funds to support
special courses, special programs, more staff, and more books. My
I like to think that the words “library” and “school” are synonyms private school library budget was much bigger than that for the
for education and the word “garden” is a metaphor for student. As library budget of a nearby public school.
a 1958 graduate of Girls’ Latin, I was well-prepared, not just for
college, but for being an independent thinker who loved learning. So now you know why I donate and why I trust that other alums
A shy, silent sixie (seventh grader) I had found my voice through will donate. Ours has been and is a worthy school with worthy
the encouragement of teachers, the classical curriculum, and the students. The educational goals of GLS have been carried on by
friendship of girls from so many Boston neighborhoods unlike my Boston Latin Academy and continue to benefit scores of students
middle-class homogeneous neighborhood of West Roxbury. from different backgrounds. The school has kept up with the social,
economic, and cultural changes since I was graduated. And if it
However, as a high school student I began to wonder why my doesn’t, the parents and students will raise their voices in protest
school did not have the courses and extracurricular enrichments just as they did in 2011 when they objected to the school being
that public schools in wealthy towns had like the town of Milton moved. Our parents and we girls in the 50’s did not do that when
or that private schools like Winsor and Roxbury Latin had. Then in 1955 the state kicked us out of our home on Huntington Ave. in
in 1975 I found out why. I read Village School Downtown: Boston the cultural center of Boston. If only we had.
Schools Boston Politics and ever since I have been following how
public schools are funded across the United States. My experience Today our school system, and specifically GLS/BLA, is no longer
as a library director for 22 years in a private day school for students “parochial” as Peter Schrag characterized it. The spirit of giving by
in grades 6-12 gave me personal knowledge about private school BLA alums is growing just like the plants in the BLA Greenhouse
budgets. At first hand, I saw how many more academic and extra- and Outdoor Classroom. I am thankful that I can be a small part of
curricular opportunities private school students had to fulfill their that growth.
Demolition of Building at 174 Ipswich Street
In the summer of 1981, Boston Latin Academy
moved to its fifth location, and opened in
September at 174 Ipswich Street, directly across
from Fenway Park.
The building was originally designed as a garage and
was formerly occupied by the U.S. Postal Service.
The site was never intended as a school and
presented many limitations to the learning process.
The building lacked an auditorium, gymnasium,
and adequate locker, shower or lavatory facilities.
There were forty-seven classrooms for 1,200
students.
The School was turned over to Boston Arts
Academy and was demolished in February of 2019.
9Janet Fillion Retires
When Janet Fillion started teaching eighth grade Latin at Boston milestone, including the arrival of smartphones and social media,
Latin Academy — then called Girls’ Latin School — in 1970, she but she said all that hasn’t really changed the classroom.
had just turned 22 years old. The other teachers often mistook her “Phones have changed them, in one sense. But I mean, they’re still
for a student. the same wonderful, cute kids — and some very exasperating ones,”
she said. “What I like about children is when they’re earnest — just
“There were a lot of older teachers — which I guess I shouldn’t like people! When they really try and they want to do better.”
look askance at right now, ’cause I’m one of them — but they
thought I was one of the kids,” Fillion said. Her enthusiasm is so infectious, it inspired her former student, Viet
Luong, to follow in her footsteps.
Fillion has weathered every change that’s faced the school
throughout her nearly 50-year-long career. Now, she has “I could tell how much she loves Latin and how much she also loves
decided this will be her final year teaching, she told the kids. And so, that’s one of the reasons why I got
WGBH News. into teaching, too,” Luong said.
She credits the long career to her role as the fearless “She actually got me involved in the Classics Club
leader of the Classics Club, which is a deep when I was in my ninth grade,” she said. “I
dive into all things ancient Rome, from was so involved, I became a student leader
chariot races to toga contests to translating for the club. And then I just ended up really
Latin at national competitions. enjoying the experience, and I wanted to
become a Latin teacher so I can inspire my
“That’s really why I’ve stayed as long as I students.”
have," Fillion said. “Because we do so many
fun things and I love it, and I love the energy Luong, who refers to Fillion as the “OG”
of the club. It’s mostly done after school, on — the “original gangster” — of the Latin
weekends and in the summer. It’s a full-year department, has also been teaching at Latin
job that we do.” Academy for 11 years. She’s even penned
her own Latin declension songs, but insists
Back when Fillion was still the new kid Fillion’s are hard to top.
among the teachers, she took a novel
approach to her lessons: teaching Latin “I always steal hers. Hers are really good. And
declensions with song. Her debut was then when my students get passed on to her,
“Mexican Hat Sum,” a riff on the Mexican they come back to me and say, ‘Ms. Fillion is
Hat Dance by conjugating the verb for “I doing the same songs!’ And I say, ‘You know, I
am” in Latin. And what worked back then stole it from my old Latin teacher.’”
still works today, she found.
Another student Fillion had a lasting
“It was originally just that one song, and now I have countless. I impression on is this reporter. I was an earnest eighth-grader who
keep thinking I’m going to make a YouTube, but I haven’t,” found Ms. Fillion tough but fair. And her songs were, indeed,
she said. catchy. Unfortunately, I’m a bit rusty, but I remember most of
“Mexican Hat Sum” and quickly joined in when she prompted me.
Fillion’s love of the classics hasn’t diminished after decades of
teaching eighth-graders how to decline nouns and conjugate verbs. After our duet, I asked if she feels ready for retirement.
If anything, it’s grown. When asked to elaborate on the value of
learning Latin, she said, almost exasperatedly, “Well, it’s the basis of “No and yes. No and yes,” she repeated. Every now and then, she
our culture, actually.” said, her voice gets a little tired.
“Sixty-five percent of our words are from ancient Latin and Greek. “I don’t mean my singing voice. I mean, just my voice is not as
And if you understand derivatives and roots of words, you can good, and so sometimes I actually get tired of speaking even by the
understand a word you may never have seen before because it will end of one class,” she said.
have a Latin root in it,” she said. “But also, I’ve always liked the
fact that it’s very patterned and it’s sort of mathematical. And I But she’s not discouraged. When asked what she’s looking forward
think it’s good for the brain.” to doing in retirement, she quickly responded: “Trying to find a
volunteer job where I can teach.”
Fillion has taught thousands of students in her career. In that
span, she has been teaching for every cultural and technological - Cristina Quinn ’97 / WGBH News
102010
1990 2020
1980 2000
1970
You are cordially invited to attend a
brunch to celebrate the retirement of
Janet Fillion
in recognition of her
50 Years
of dedicated teaching at
Girls’ Latin School / Boston Latin Academy
September 26th, 2020
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Venezia Restaurant
20 Ericsson St, Boston, MA 02122
RSVP at www.blagls.org
Non scholae sed vitae discimus. - Seneca
11BLA Sports and Clubs
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
CHEERLEADING
city champions 2019!
The Thanksgiving Day Football game is certainly not all about football players and
coaches. I am also proud to report that BLA Cheer Team are also 2019 City Champions!
On behalf of the Alumni Association I presented them all with a gift, a BLA scarf.
#GoDragons #AdAstra
- by David Isberg ’87
12BLA Sports and Clubs
SWIMMING
Winner of
city championship 2019!
Latin Academy’s coed swimming team ran up its ninth straight Boston
City League championship Thursday at Madison Park.
The Dragons, who have won 25 of the last 26 league titles, were led by
senior Jayson Zernitsky, who won the the 200-yard freestyle (2:03.49)
and the 100-yard butterfly (1:00.44), and was part of the first place
200-yard freestyle relay team (1:45:81).
“I am happy we won for my final year and I’m happy with the way I
raced,” said Zernitsky.
Zernitsky and many of the other Dragon swimmers are a product of
the philosophy established by former coach Mark Thomas and second-
year coach Richard Mojica.
- Source: The Boston Globe
SOFTBALL
13Alumni Basketball Game ~ June 2019
We would like to thank all our Alumni for coming back We would love to be able to build on this event for next year, so
and making the first annual “Alumni Classic Basketball try to spread the word and encourage your former teammates to
Tournament”a success. get involved.
Special thanks to Omar Moreta ’08 for organizing, to Armani Please try to stay involved with BLA any way you can. You were
Gill for designing and making the tee shirts, and Tambo Barrow all a big part of the BLA community when you were students and
’05 and Bred Gourmet for providing the food. Special thanks we want you to continue to stay connected. There are many great
also to Dave Isberg ’87, who is the Vice President of the GLS/ things going on, not only in athletics, but school-wide.
BLA Alumni Association and former player and coach here at
BLA - Dave has been instrumental to the improvements of our You can keep up to date by visiting our website BLAGLS.org or
athletic facilities. the school website latinacademy.org.
It was great to be able to reconnect with Alumni athletes and Great to see that many of you still have some skills and game.
show our improvements to the facilities and to share with you Hopefully you had as much fun playing as we did watching you
the direction and vision we have for our athletic programs here guys play again.
at BLA.
Thanks again, Coach Dan Bunker ’98, Billy McManus ’95, Mothler Dalexis ’00
14Alumni in the News
Malachi Hernandez ’16 Lorraine O’Grady ’51
The Strange Taxi, Stretched
Tito Jackson is with Malachi Hernandez. on exhibit at
November 9, 2019. Huge props to one of the the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum
most amazing young leaders in Boston, Malachi from January 14 – May 19, 2020
Hernandez for his 30 Under 30 Recognition
from El Mundo! So proud of this young man
and so excited about your future Malachi! Alexander Gray Associates announces The Strange Taxi,
Boston is a better place with you in it bro! Stretched, an installation by Lorraine O’Grady on the Anne H.
#ElMundo #30Under30 Fitzpatrick Façade, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum,
Boston, MA.
In The Strange Taxi, female members of O’Grady’s family—
her mother, Lena, second from left, and three maternal and
Pat Brophy ’89 and Dan Hunt ’99 paternal aunts—emerge through the roof of a New England
mansion to show black women escaping from the limitations
placed on them in post-World War I Boston, when domestic
City of Boston Chief of Operations,
service was virtually the only employment available to them.
Pat Brophy and State Representative
Dan Hunt, with Mayor Marty Walsh.
In the stretched version of The Strange Taxi for the Gardner,
O’Grady was able to double the height of the sky above them,
metaphorically giving the women (and their descendants)
expanded room to grow.
Duy Le ’20
“So excited to see one of
my photography work
PUBLISHED! One of my
photos of a high school
senior is featured on a
national photography
magazine called “Shutter”
(March 2020 Senior
edition). That senior was
particularly prepared
for the shoot and was a
natural. Grab a copy of
the magazine at Barnes
and Noble bookstore! I am
looking forward to doing photo shoots of high school seniors again
for Boston Latin Academy this summer as well as any college seniors
that want to document their departure from academia.”
Duy Le was at Barnes & Noble (Braintree, MA), March 4
Lorraine O’Grady: The Strange Taxi, Stretched, installation view, Anne
Shauna Rigaud ’99 H. Fitzpatrick Façade, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA
(2020). Photo: Stewart Clements Photography and Design.
We are braggin’ about a wicked smaht
Dragon. Shauna Rigaud (‘99) is George We extend our congratulations to Lorraine! Is there a more
Mason University’s 2020 Black Graduate perfect circle than her piece The Strange Taxi, Stretched being
Student of the year! exhibited a stone’s throw from the old GLS Huntington
Avenue building where she attended school?
15Recent Donations
This year, $10,650.00 was donated by alumnae of the Class of 1969 on the occasion of its 50th reunion.
We thank all of the Class of 1969 alums for their generous donations, especially Angelika Angino and Ann Keches, who each
donated $1,000.00, Sara Harmon, who donated $600.00, and Kathryn Hinderhofer, Patricia Manchester, Mary Foran, and
Ruth Chowdrow, who each donated $500.00.
$3,500.00 was generously donated to the Association’s $1,985.00 was donated by Kathleen Patton, GLS Class of
Scholarship Fund by Mr. Thomas Gosnell, a former teacher 1985, to the Undesignated Scholarship Fund. We thank
at GLS, in memory of his wife Marie Ciampa Gosnell, GLS Kathleen for supporting our Scholarship Awards Program.
Class of 1960. The Marie Ciampa Gosnell Scholarship was
presented to a BLA graduating senior in May 2019. Thank $800.00 was donated by Joyce Flaherty, GLS Class of 1974,
you to Thomas Gosnell for supporting our Scholarship to purchase furniture and archive cases for the BLA Library.
Awards Program. We thank Joyce for her generous donation to the
Library Fund.
$3,000.00 was given by the Class of 1974 honoring its
45th reunion. $750.00 was donated by alumnae of the Class of 1989 on the
occasion of their 30th Reunion Anniversary. We thank all of
$2,345.81 was donated by alumnae of the Class of 1958 the Class of 1989 alums for their generous donations.
on the occasion of its reunion. We thank all of the Class of
1958 alums for their generous donations.
The following donations of $1,000.00 each were received by the Association:
Nancy King Rockefeller GLS Class of 1974 unrestricted gift
Paula Lazar GLS Class of 1978 unrestricted gift
The following donations of $500.00 each were received by the Association:
Barbara McNeil GLS Class of 1958 unrestricted gift
Rene DelGaudio GLS Class of 1975 unrestricted gift
Barbara Katz GLS Class of 1971 BLA Fund
Jane Felzani-Manning GLS Class of 1971 undesignated scholarship
Harriett Korff GLS Class of 1954 Class of ’54 Scholarship
Richard Lappin and Julia Rabkin Family Fund Corwin Scholarship
We are grateful for each of these generous donations to our Association Funds.
Thank you to all of our Alumnae who so generously answered our requests for donations
in any amount to the Association’s Funds and Special Projects during the year.
The support of Your Alumnae Association is so important and greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your continued generosity!
Ad Astra Donations made since October 2019 will be included in a later publication-
but thank you to all who have already given so generously!
16GLS/BLA Financial Report 2019
In 2019, the GLSBLA Association managed approximately $1,058,458 in restricted scholarship and unrestricted operating
funds. It had revenues of $116,321 (not including investment income) and expenses of $153,648 as delineated in the charts
below. – Beth Hayes Barrett ’74, Asst. Treasurer
GLS/BLA Association Income 2019 1%
2%
4%
Sources of Income $ 4%
Dues 2,525
6%
Gifts 2,704
Store Sales 1,728
Scholarship 6,755
Other Restricted Funds 140
BLA Fund 2,108
GLS History Book Sales 381 Ad Astra Match
Book Fund/History Fund 425 Dona�ons 83%
Ad Astra Match Donations 96,246 Dues and Gi�s 4%
GLS Jab/Reunion 895 BLA Fund 2%
Pendant Sales 2,350 Scholarship 6%
Operating Interest 64 Store/Pendant/
83%
Total Income 116,321 GLS History Sales 4%
GLS Jab/Reunion
dona�ons 1%
GLS/BLA Association Expenses 2019 1%
1%
2%
3%
Uses of Cash $ 3%
Ad Astra Fundraising 36,333 4%
Supplies 100
Postage 4,479 Scholarships 37%
6%
Fees 1,032 Ad Astra Fundraising 37%
Miscellaneous Expense 415
Costs 24%
FOBLA Expenses 11%
GLS Magazine 12,487
GLS Magazine 8% 8%
Contract Services 208
Alum Events 6%
Accounting Fees 2,750
Alum Events 9,488 Pendant Costs 4%
Scholarships 57,236 Website 3%
11%
GLS Book – Non Production 1,470 Postage 3%
Website 5,252 Accoun�ng Fees 2%
FOBLA Expenses 16,769 Fees, Contract Services,
24%
Pendant Costs 5,629 and Misc 1%
Total Expense 153,648 GLS Book Exps - NonProduc�on 1%
17Recipients of 2019 Scholarship Awards
2019 Scholarships Awardee
Edward G. Atherton Fund - Excellence in Classics David Dubuisson
Berrigan Chemistry Prize Wenyin Cao
Class of 1933 - Scholarly Improvement Leslie Roman
Class of 1935 - Promise of Diligence Debohra Dagnachew
Class of 1944 - Deserving Joan Do-Troung
Class of 1948 Camille Gerena
Class of 1952 Memorial Fund - Well Rounded Michaela Williams and Moné Williams
Class of 1954 Zafira Smith
Class of 1956 Scholarship - First Generation Deserving Student Thao Trinh
Class of 1958 Gernell Reed
Class of 1961 Gloria Bouquet
Class of 1967 Kenneth Ho
Class of 1975 Legacy Maya Joseph- Lacet
Ida Cohen Corwin and Marion Cohen Lappin Prize - Excellence in Mathematics Hubert Galan, Jr.
Fenway Fund - Most Deserving (no other financial aid from Association or Academy) Ryan Walsh
In Memory of Marie Ciampa Gosnell Kaetu Wleh
Griswold / Foley / Roper Award - Most Deserving Applicant Madison Davies
Ernest G. Hapgood Memorial Fund - Education Anastasia Papajani
Jabberwock Prize - Excellence in Writing Thenica Saint Bruny
Anne R. and Rita M. Kelley Awards - Excellence in Science Michelle Chen
Alice Cunningham Lacey Memorial Award - Promise of Usefulness Shandira Soto
Mary C. McMackin Award - Service to School Aissatta Seck
Mercury Grant - Academic and Athletic Excellence Peace Idahor
Milgroom Scholarship - Scholarship and Career in Law Ahria Ilyas
David E. Rosengard Award - Mathematics and Teaching Jason Gashi
Staples Scholarship Cam Tien Chung
Daniel D. Tierney Award - Excellence in Music Matthew Walsh
Frances I. Watson History Prize Jennie Chang
BLA Special Camila Muñeton and Jessica Rynne
Board of Directors 2020
President Assistant Treasurer Historian Member-at-Large
Karen Mastrobattista Curran ’74 Beth Hayes Barrett ’74 Open Position Theresa Gulinello Raymond ’70
Vice President Recording Secretary Member-at-Large Member-at-Large
David Isberg ’87 Open Position Carol Coakley ’75 Betty Davis ’69
Treasurer Editor Member-at-Large Membership Secretary
Alice Holtz Hummel ’56 Shirley Barsamian Walsh ’75 Maureen Joyce Nelligan ’75 Beth Hayes Barrett ’74
18Class of 1989 Celebrates Class of 1999 Celebrates
Its 30th Reunion Its 20th Reunion
Thank you to the planning
committee, no one could have done
a better job. Thank you to the Class
of ‘90 for joining in on the fun.
2020 GLS/BLA Association Annual Meeting and Reunion
for the classes of 1935-40-45-50-55-60 & 65
This year we cordially invite all GLS alumnae and BLA alumni to the annual meeting which shall be combined not only
with our annual reunion event for classes having a 50th or greater reunion, but also the retirement luncheon in honor of
Miss Janet Fillion who taught at Girls’ Latin starting in 1970 and will retire at Boston Latin Academy at the end of the
2020 school year. Former faculty, staff, former students and friends are all welcomed to attend.
Reunion Classes: 1935, 1940, 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965
Date: Saturday September 26th, 2020
Time: Annual Meeting 10:30am - 11am, Luncheon Celebration 11am – 2pm
Where: Venezia Waterfront Restaurant & Ballroom
Donation: $50 per ticket
192019 BLA Graduation
Making a Bequest Through Your Estate
In October, as I sat in the BLA gymnasium with its huge black A bequest under a will or trust will not count toward the
and gold dragon mascot painted on the floor (my first time back to $1,000,000 challenge. However a bequest to the Association can
school since graduation, though not the same building I attended) reduce your estate’s tax liability and requires appropriate planning.
I listened to the hopes of what the largesse of the Blecharczyks Your financial planner and estate attorney will work with you to
and the challenge they created mean for the students. Think of the achieve your goals. Alternatively, making a request can be
opportunity for enriching a student’s educational P 30, taken for simple and straightforward, such as naming the GLS/BLA
granted by students in the more affluent neighboring communities Association as a beneficiary on one particular asset, such as a life
within a 40-minute drive of the school. For example, imagine insurance policy or bank account.
having some discretionary funding available so that exceptional
students whose performance merits an invitation to a state-wide So yes, the school name has changed and the Jabberwock has
event can attend that event without their parents worrying about sometimes yielded to the Dragon but the GLS Legacy does not
whether they can afford to send their daughter or son. have to yield to extinction through natural attrition. Instead,
the GLS Legacy can live on through a carefully thought out
The GLS/BLA Association is a registered 501(c)(3) entity. A bequest as part of your legacy giving or during your lifetime.
bequest is a gift or transfer of some property under a will or other That GLS existed for nearly a century serving so many young,
estate planning document. It frequently serves as a legacy. It can be bright women as their springboard into leadership roles, lucrative
limited to benefit a particular program like the Classics, or foreign careers, and became the yardstick by which our children’s
languages, or be unrestricted in scope. educational experience was measured, warrants us to collectively
and individually demonstrate a continued commitment to the
While the name of the school changed over 40 years ago, the excellence for which Girls’ Latin School is known and continues to
mission of the school has not. Similar to many alumnae, current this day albeit in a different location with a different name.
students are frequently the first in their families to go on to
college. Many come from one-income homes, from underserved For additional information about making a bequest to the
neighborhoods, ESL homes, and financial challenges. BLA GLS/BLA Association or the GLS Legacy Fund, contact me at
continues to provide an opportunity to advance the life trajectory cacoakley@gmail.com to request more information.
of its alumni. So why make a bequest?
- Carol Coakley ’75, Member-at-Large
Gifts to the GLS/BLA Association
A gift to the GLS/BLA Association in your will or irrevocable trust will allow us continue to serve our mission and make a
difference in the lives of future generations.
I give and devise to The GLS/BLA Association, located in Boston, Massachusetts, the sum of $___________
to be used for its general support (or for the support of a specific affiliate, fund or program).
20Alumna Spotlight
We are thrilled to offer a stylish new GLS Alumnae pendant. Twenty-five dollars from each sale will
support the GLS/BLA Association’s general funds. Colby Davis of Boston Company agreed to add the
Oxidized
GLS Alumnae Pendant to its fine collection just for us! And now, we make it available for you to order. Silver
A gift for you and an appreciated donation to the GLS/BLA association in one. STERLING
Diego Perez
SILVER CHAINS can be purchased separately at Colby Davis Company website:
colbydavisofboston.com
Name:_________________________________________________________ Class:____________
Enamel
Check out these alumna authors
Gold
of books and poetry:
Continued success to Diego Perez aka Yung Pueblo,
Address:_________________________________________________________________________
Maureen McDonnell McElroy, Class of 1986, White
BLA Class of 2006
Street Enamel
Book of poems: Car Poems
Address:_________________________________________________________________________
City/Town Zip
GLS ALUMNAE PENDANT, each set in Sterling Silver: $75 each. Choose by checking Lisa
below:
Foreman Dooley, Class of 1985,
□ GOLD GLASS ENAMEL □ OXIDIZED SILVER □ WHITE GLASS ENAMEL
Book: More Space. More Time. More Joy!:
Yes, I want to order some of the jewelry above!!! Make checks payable to the GLS/BLA Association. Organizing Your Best Life
Back
I will mail the form in the enclosed envelope or send to GLS/BLA Association, PO Box 386, Milton, MA 02186
SALE!! HER GREATNESS
Briana Crockett,PROCLAIM
Class of 2014,
Book: The Growing Place
Now is your chance to own this wonderful history of your alma mater at our lowest price yet!
Yes, I want to order a book!!! Make checks payable to the GLS/BLA Association.
I will mail the form in the enclosed envelope or send to GLS/BLA Association, PO Box 386, Milton, MA 02186
Ashley Rose, Class of 2012,
Book: Shattered Pieces
Name:_________________________________________________________ Class:_______________
Choose one by checking below:
Address:_____________________________________________________________________________
____ Hard Cover ($18.00) Street
Diego Perez Lacera aka “Yung Pueblo”, Class of 2006,
Address:_____________________________________________________________________________
Book: inward
____ Soft Cover ($14.00) City/Town Zip
I would like to RSVP a YES to
Janet Fillion’s
Retirement Party
Name:_______________________________________________________
Class:_______________________________________________________
and the
# and Names of Attendees: _______________________________________
The GLS/BLA Association Reunion for the
classes of 35-40-45-50-55-60-65 _____________________________________________________________
on September 26th, 2020 I will mail this form to
at Venezia Restaurant. GLS/BLA Association, PO Box 386, Milton, MA 02186
Making a Bequest to the GLS/BLA Association
Name:________________________________________ Class:_____________
_____ Yes! Please send me more information about how I can make a bequest through
my estate to the GLS/BLA Association.
_____ Please call me to discuss how I can coordinate a bequest through my estate at
Tel #__________________________.GLS/BLA Association, P.O. Box 386, Milton, Massachusetts 02186
(617) 480-4697 · blagls.org
Producer - Karen D. Curran ’74 • Editor - Anne Sandstrom ’74 • Designer - Karen LaCamera • Database Manager - Beth Barrett ’74You can also read
