Baker-Polito Administration Announces Designation Status to Early College Programs

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Designation Status to Early College Programs

Five programs receive designation and $673,500 in total grant funding to launch programs

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today officially designated five early college programs to help high school students better prepare academically for college while also earning college credits at no cost to them. Early college programs combine traditional high school courses with an opportunity to earn college credit at a public college or university and are typically aligned to a particular career pathway. The five designated early college programs – in Chelsea, Charlestown, Holyoke, Brockton and Salem – will enroll hundreds of students this fall.

“Designating these five early college programs will create more opportunities for Massachusetts high school students to be ready for college,” Governor Charlie Baker said. “We are very proud of the faculty and staff at these high schools and colleges for taking on the hard work to create early college programs so students will benefit from challenging course work that will prepare them for success in high school and college, as well as reduce their overall cost to obtain a degree.”

“Early college programs are a great tool for combining traditional high school courses with an opportunity to earn college credit at a local community college,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We look forward to working with these high schools and colleges to implement these grants and make these early college programs successful for our students, who are the future of the Commonwealth.”

Early college has been shown to boost college completion rates for low-income students, minorities and first-generation college-goers. By creating designated early college programs, the Baker-Polito Administration aims to break down barriers between high school and higher education in order to create a more seamless path for students to move to college and careers.  

“Successful early college programs create a coherent course of study that can change the trajectory of a student’s life,” Education Secretary James Peyser said. “By designating these early college programs we are creating a shift in the educational experience for many students.”

In March 2017, Governor Charlie Baker announced the Baker-Polito Administration would make efforts to significantly increase the number of early college seats available to high school students. Currently there are approximately 2,400 students enrolled in early college programs around the state.

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Board of Higher Education agreed on criteria that will enable programs to become designated early college programs. Through the designation process, the Departments of Higher Education and Elementary and Secondary Education asked K-12 schools, community colleges and state universities to jointly design models.

“Many young people need an opportunity to see themselves in college so they can know it is possible for them. By giving high school students, particularly those who will be the first in their family to attend the chance to succeed in college-level courses before they earn a high school diploma, we give them the confidence to know that a college degree is within their reach,” Higher Education Commissioner Carlos Santiago said.

“I am proud to be part of this collaborative effort to prepare more students to succeed in college,” Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley said. “I hope that students will take advantage of these opportunities, and I am grateful to the educators who are making these courses possible.”

There are five design principles for a designated early college program:

·       Equitable access for all students

·       Guided academic pathway

·       Enhanced student supports 

·       Relevant connection to career

·       Deep partnerships between high schools, community colleges and state universities

In 2016, the Boards of Higher Education and Elementary and Secondary Education looked at whether the state could devise an early college strategy. They commissioned a study, done by Parthenon-EY Education Practice, to look at what exists in Massachusetts and the possibility of expanding successful models. The report found early college is a promising model that narrows educational opportunity gaps, and existing programs were a powerful base from which to build a broader statewide early college initiative.

The following organizations received early college designation, and implementation grant funding: 

1.      Charlestown High School and Bunker Hill Community College – Awarded $136,280: BCC and Charlestown High School will provide career pathway programs in information technology and business, which combine early college experiences and career exploration. The schools plan to expand opportunities to high school students and eventually add more fields to the program, with health and liberal arts courses.

2.      Chelsea High School and Bunker Hill Community College – Awarded $125,686: Chelsea High School and Bunker Hill Community College will expand their existing early college program by developing pathways in three fields: health and life sciences, law and public policy, and education. The goal is to have students graduate from high school, with an associates’ degree or a professional certificate from Bunker Hill Community College.

3.      Holyoke Public Schools and Holyoke Community College and – Awarded $131,600: The college is establishing a new early college program with Holyoke Public Schools that will enable students to earn up to 12 college credits before high school graduation. Students enrolled in the program will complete a minimum of two core courses taught by HCC at the Holyoke campus, and complete a minimum of two technical courses, giving students experience and a pathway to college.

4.      Massasoit Community College and New Heights Charter School of Brockton – Awarded $140,000: The program plans to expand from 315 students enrolled to 735 over five years. Students will be introduced to career options and college connections. Students will create individualized college and career plans to begin thinking about future career goals.  In later grades students will participate in work and learn opportunities, identify college majors and explore college options.

5.      Salem State and Salem Public Schools – Awarded $140,000: The goal of this new program is to provide underrepresented, low-income students with a seamless transition to college, after focusing on a career pathway in healthcare or business and technology. Students who successfully complete courses during the 11^th grade will be enrolled in Salem State University to continue their studies in the 12^th grade and beyond.

葉問出品人冼國林5/25來哈佛演講

   (Boston Orange)預定於5月25日至27日舉行的第一屆全美舞龍舞獅大賽，將於5月25日晚6點半，以邀請電影"葉問"導演冼國林到哈佛大學科學中心演講，拉開序幕。
                       華林太極功夫學校創辦人，也是這第一屆全美舞龍舞獅比賽策劃人及籌辦者的余翠梅，為彰顯舞龍舞獅與功夫藝術，特地與哈佛大學少林文化基金會合作，將把電影"葉問"的導演冼國林，從香港邀來波士頓，在哈佛大學科學中心B講廳，與觀眾分享"經由拍電影來保存、宣揚中華文化:葉問系列的拍攝，製作，導演"種種經驗與心得。

這場講座經主辦單位竭力籌措，現在將免費開放，歡迎各界出席。

第一屆全美舞龍舞獅大賽的其他兩日活動，分別為26日的從早上9點半至晚上8點，在北昆士高中舉行傳統舞獅比賽，會場佈置有梅花樁。9點半舉行開幕式。

27日有4場不同活動，早上9點半至下午1點有自由式的鐘鼓競賽，下午3點半到5點，在波士頓的帝苑大酒樓，舉行舞龍比賽，晚上5點半到6點，從華埠牌樓到帝苑大酒樓的獅隊遊行，晚上6點至9點，在帝苑大酒樓舉行頒獎晚宴，以及特別表演。

葉問演講活動，查詢可洽yonlee@fas.harvard.edu，maidu8@gmail.com。頒獎晚宴購票，可洽maidu8@gmail.com。

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES AMERICORPS VISTA MEMBERS TO BUILD CAPACITY IN CLOSING FOOD ACCESS GAPS IN BOSTON

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES AMERICORPS VISTA MEMBERS TO BUILD CAPACITY IN CLOSING FOOD ACCESS GAPS IN BOSTON

BOSTON - Thursday, May 17, 2018 - Today, Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced the Mayor’s Office of Food Access (OFA) and Project Bread have been selected to receive two AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) service members to close food access gaps in the City of Boston and surrounding communities. Applications to become the OFA VISTA service member are due June 1.

"No one should have to live with food insecurity," said Mayor Walsh. "With the help of the VISTA service members, the Mayor's Office of Food Access and Project Bread will build on existing programs and policies to create greater opportunities for children and families to access healthy and nutritious food year round."

Beginning this summer, the AmeriCorps VISTA service members will work with OFA and Project Bread to serve low-income communities and communities of color in Boston, Malden, Everett, and Medford that are disproportionately impacted by food insecurity, with a special emphasis on serving children and families. With the support of the AmeriCorps VISTA service members, OFA and Project Bread are expected to reach at least 1,200 individuals through their services.

"Many individuals and families today experience food insecurity on a daily basis," said Mayor's Office of Health and Human Services Chief, Marty Martinez. “Through OFA, the VISTA service members, and Project Bread, we will take new bold approaches to close food gaps further, so every individual and family can have an opportunity to be healthy and thrive."

The two VISTAs will work with OFA and Project Bread to identify areas where new summer and afterschool meal sites will fill a food access gap. The OFA AmeriCorps VISTA service members will work with Boston Public Schools (BPS), Boston Public Library (BPL), and Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) to coordinate summer and afterschool meal programs, new and existing summer meals sites at BPL branches; and manage afterschool meals at all BCYF community centers.

The OFA AmeriCorps VISTA, leveraging the expertise of Project Bread, will also pilot “SNAP application clinics.” The VISTA work in SNAP clinics will help to develop a system where residents can be reached and supported throughout the SNAP application process.

“Identifying gaps and finding opportunities to fill them is an important role that our office plays in addressing food insecurity and food access issues in Boston. We look forward to bringing these VISTA members on board to help us do just that. Our community partners know and work intimately with the communities they serve and are well suited to provide more summer and afterschool meals to children and to help close the SNAP gap in their communities. The VISTA members will help to leverage the strengths that all of these partners bring to the table to yield a meaningful impact on the food security of families across Boston,” said Catalina López-Ospina, Director of the Mayor's Office of Food Access.

“At Project Bread, we promote the success of anti-hunger programs such as SNAP, school breakfast, and summer meals as scalable solutions to food insecurity. These programs have an immediate impact on the children and families who don't have enough to eat. Hunger is a solvable problem, yet its solutions are complex and require an all-hands-on-deck approach,” said Erin McAleer, President of Project Bread. “The City of Boston has demonstrated great commitment to preventing and ending hunger, and we look forward to collaborating with them to advance our shared goal of making sure everyone in Boston and throughout the Commonwealth have equal access to this basic right - food. By partnering with OFA and the VISTA program, we look forward to expanding our capacity and using our many years of experience to enhance these vital programs for the residents of Greater Boston and beyond.”

“This program will help us ensure that students are learning healthy eating habits that will last them a lifetime,” said Laura Benavidez, BPS Executive Director of Food and Nutrition Services. “We look forward to this collaboration with Project Bread and the AmeriCorps VISTA program, as we continue working to close the food access gaps for BPS students and their families.”

Project Bread’s AmeriCorps VISTA service members will work with school wellness committees and other relevant partners to advocate for improved access to and quality of child nutrition programs hosted or sponsored by schools, including summer and afterschool meal programs and breakfast and lunch programs.

In addition to these activities, both AmeriCorps VISTAs will develop a meal program toolkit highlighting best practices for creation and management of sites. These toolkits will help organizations build solid operational systems to restart the programs seamlessly each season and will synthesize best practices around outreach and advocacy with school wellness committees to ensure that future sites effectively reach and meet the needs of the community.

“Boston Public Library is proud to collaborate with like-minded service organizations and expand summer meal sites in the city’s neighborhoods to the Codman Square, East Boston, and Grove Hall library branches this year, and additionally share library resources with children and families,” said Boston Public Library President David Leonard. “Basic needs have to be met to ensure users can take full advantage of all our library spaces, collections, and programming.”

"Boston Centers for Youth & Families is looking forward to partnering with OFA to provide much-needed nutrition resources for the young people and families who attend our centers,” said William Morales, Commissioner of BCYF. “This new partnership will provide families with free, nutritious meals allowing us to further our goal of improving our families overall health and happiness."

ABOUT THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF FOOD ACCESS:

Created by Mayor Walsh, the Mayor’s Office of Food Access works to improve equitable access to nutritious food to foster a more food secure city with vibrant, inclusive food cultures, reflective of the diverse residents in the City of Boston.

Last summer OFA in partnership with The Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics, Boston Public Schools, Project Bread, and Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition piloted Lunch on the Lawn at City Hall Plaza and Books and Bites at the Mattapan Branch of the Boston Public Library. These two new locations combined serve more than 3,000 meals to young people 18 or under during the summer, filling the school meals gap. This year OFA is strengthening partnerships and expanding to more BPL branches, farmers markets, and public facilities.

ABOUT PROJECT BREAD:

Project Bread is committed to preventing and ending hunger in Massachusetts. We approach hunger as a complex problem with multiple solutions; we provide immediate access to affordable, healthy food to those who are hungry today, while also eradicating the systemic causes of hunger. Through its Child Nutrition Outreach Program operated in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary education, Project Bread assists communities across Massachusetts to provide high-quality free summer meals to children and teens at over 1,000 sites across the state, including nearly 200 in the city of Boston.

Along with other sources, the funds raised through The Walk for Hunger™, celebrating its 50th anniversary in May 2018, enable Project Bread to pioneer innovative initiatives and support effective programs to end hunger in Boston and throughout Massachusetts. For more information on Project Bread visit www.projectbread.org and to learn more about the Walk for Hunger™ visit www.projectbread.org/walk.

ABOUT THE AmeriCorps VISTA PROGRAM:

VISTA, Volunteers in Service to America, was conceived by President John F. Kennedy as a domestic counterpart to the Peace Corps and was started by President Lyndon Johnson as part of the War on Poverty. It is the national service program that works to eliminate poverty. The first VISTAs began serving in 1965, in migrant farm worker camps in California, the hollows of eastern Kentucky, and the urban neighborhoods of Hartford, CT. In 1994, VISTA was incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs. Today, AmeriCorps VISTA is a full-time national service program for individuals interested in developing lasting solutions to the problems of poverty in the United States.  AmeriCorps VISTA members create and expand services and programs that help bring low-income individuals out of poverty.

BCNC包氏文藝中心慶祝成立一週年

On Saturday, May 12^th, 2019, Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC)’s Pao Arts Center celebrated its first birthday with a day of art, music, and fun. The celebration consisted of arts and crafts for the whole family, a performance by artist-in-residence Shaw Pong Liu, the opening reception of the newest gallery exhibit, and, of course, birthday cake.

In partnership with Bunker Hill Community College, BCNC opened the Pao Arts Center in 2017 to be Chinatown’s first community-based arts center and Boston’s newly dedicated Asian American and Asian immigrant cultural space. The Pao Arts Center sits on a historically significant piece of land, Parcel 24, where hundreds of Chinatown residents were displaced in the 1960s to build a highway on-ramp. The reclamation of this land as a place to celebrate and explore Asian culture represents a powerful shift towards community-oriented development in the face of rapid change.

Since its opening in May 2017, the Pao Arts Center has had:

·        4,500 visitors who have experience creativity in Chinatown at the Pao Arts Center

·        23 Bunker Hill Community College classes

·        21 events hosted by community organizations

·        18 art and community partners

·        17 workshops to explore and create

·        12 tours for community groups and schools

·        9 performances through the Chinatown Presents series

·        7 sessions of classes to learn develop new skills

·        6 visual arts exhibits featuring local Asian/Asian American artists

“The BCNC Pao Arts Center in Chinatown is becoming a vibrant Boston community hub for Asian cultural arts. We had a great time celebrating the Arts Center’s 1st birthday with families, students, artists, educators, volunteers, and community members,” said Terri Mock, BCNC Board Member.

For more information about the Pao Arts Center and upcoming events, go to www.bcnc.net/pao.

WGBH to Celebration of Asian Pacific American Culture on 5/22

Celebration of Asian Pacific American Culture 

Tues., 5/22, 7pm–9pm at WGBH Studios.

Join us for WGBH’s 10th annual celebration of Asian Pacific American culture with specially selected films and programs airing this month on WGBH 2, WGBX 44 and World, our national documentary and information channel. This year, the event will spotlight Asian American entrepreneurs who have risen to the top of their respective industries and remain civically engaged in their communities. Leaders from a variety of sectors will share their personal experiences and journeys to professional success with the event attendees. Liz Cheng, general manager of WGBH Television and the World Channel, will moderate the discussion with panelists Yvonne Hao, COO and CFO of Pill Pack, Mohamad Ali, President and CEO of Carbonite and Ian So, CEO, co-owner and co-founder of Chicken and Rice Guys. Panelists will offer real-world advice to event attendees.

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Register now:

https://www.wgbh.org/event/celebration-of-asian-pacific-american-culture 

Directions and Parking Information

WGBH offers free parking for visitors and events. 

B.A.A. Announces 2019 Boston Marathon Registration Dates

B.A.A. Announces 2019 Boston Marathon Registration Dates

Registration Opens Monday, September 10 at 10:00 a.m. ET

BOSTON - Registration for the 2019 Boston Marathon will open on Monday, September 10, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. ET. The Boston Athletic Association will use the same process to register qualified open runners as it has used in recent years, allowing the fastest qualifiers in their gender and age group to register first.

The 123rd Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 15, 2019, Patriots’ Day in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. For the 34th consecutive year the Boston Marathon will be sponsored by John Hancock. Registration for the 2019 Boston Marathon will be held entirely online at www.baa.org. The qualification window for the 2019 Boston Marathon began on Saturday, September 16, 2017.

To qualify for the Boston Marathon, athletes must meet time standards which correspond to their age and gender. The qualifying times for the 2019 Boston Marathon remain unchanged from recent years and are listed on the B.A.A.’s website.

Registration will occur on a “rolling admission” schedule, beginning with the fastest qualifiers. On Monday, September 10, eligible runners who have met the qualifying standard for their age and gender by 20 minutes or more may register. On Wednesday, September 12 at 10:00 a.m. ET, registration will open for those who have met their qualifying standard by 10 minutes or more. Registration will open on Friday, September 14 at 10:00 a.m. ET for those who have met their qualifying standard by five minutes or more. Registration will close for week one on Saturday, September 15 at 10:00 p.m. ET.

If space remains after the first week of registration (September 10-15), then registration will re-open for all qualifiers from Monday, September 17 at 10:00 a.m. ET through Wednesday, September 19 at 5:00 p.m. ET. As during the first week of registration, entry during this period (September 17-19) will not be first-come, first-served and the fastest qualifiers in their gender and age group among these submissions will be given entry as space allows. If space remains after this initial period, then on Monday, September 24 at 10:00 a.m. ET, registration will re-open to anyone who meets the qualifying standards. Registration will remain open for valid qualifiers on a first-come, first-served basis until the maximum field size is reached, or until Sunday, October 28 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

Registration for Athletes with Disabilities (AWD) programs and divisions will open on Monday, September 10 at 10:00 a.m. ET and will follow the same registration timeline detailed above. If space remains beyond Monday, September 24, then registration for AWD programs/divisions will be first-come, first-served for qualified applicants until each respective division/program is filled, or until Sunday, October 28 at 5:00 p.m. ET when AWD registration closes. AWD divisions/programs include the push rim wheelchair division, visually impaired division, mobility impaired program, handcycle program, and duo team program. AWD eligibility criteria and qualifying standards can be found on the B.A.A. website. Further details will be communicated leading up to registration on www.baa.org.

“Each year, the devotion, determination, and commitment by those aiming to participate in the Boston Marathon is truly inspiring,” said Tom Grilk, B.A.A. Chief Executive Officer. “As the oldest consecutively run marathon in the world, we are grateful that so many athletes aim to achieve their athletic goals on the roads from Hopkinton to Boston. Each year we add a page to the Boston Marathon’s storied history thanks to the many participants from around the world.”

The Boston Marathon registration process ensures that the fastest qualifiers will be accepted first. However, achieving one’s qualifying standard does not guarantee acceptance into the Boston Marathon due to field size limitations. Those who are fastest among the pool of applicants in their age and gender group will be accepted.

Working in cooperation with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the eight cities and towns along the Boston Marathon route, the B.A.A. will set and announce the field size for the 2019 Boston Marathon this summer. The 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 Boston Marathons had field sizes of 30,000 official entrants.

BOSTON MARATHON REGISTRATION DATES

• Monday, September 10, 10:00 a.m. ET – Qualifiers who have met the qualifying standard by 20 minutes, 00 seconds or more.
• Wednesday, September 12, 10:00 a.m. ET – Qualifiers who have met the qualifying standard by 10 minutes, 00 seconds or more (if space remains).
• Friday, September 14, 10:00 a.m. – Qualifiers who have met the qualifying standard by 5 minutes, 00 seconds or more (if space remains).
• Saturday, September 15, 10:00 p.m. ET – Week One registration closes.
• Monday, September 17. 10:00 a.m. ET – All qualifiers who have met the qualifying standard (if space remains) may submit an entry.
• Wednesday, September 19, 5:00 p.m. ET – Week Two registration closes.
  • Registration from September 10-19 will not be first-come, first-served.
  • The fastest qualifiers in gender and age groups will be given entry as space allows.
• Monday, September 24, 10:00 a.m. ET: If space remains after the first two weeks of registration, then registration will re-open to anyone who meets the qualifying standards on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Registration will remain open until the maximum field size is reached.
• Registration for all qualified applicants will close when the maximum field size is reached, or until Sunday, October 28 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

A FEW IMPORTANT NOTES

• The 2019 Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 15, 2019, Patriots’ Day in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• The qualifying standards for the 2019 Boston Marathon (shown below) remain unchanged from recent years.
• Though the B.A.A. will e-mail registrants upon the completion of their registration form, runners are not officially entered into the race until their qualifying time is verified. The amount of time it takes for qualifying times to get verified varies for each individual athlete and can take up to several days (depending on the qualifying marathon).
• The qualification window for the 2019 Boston Marathon began on Saturday, September 16, 2017, and will remain open until the conclusion of registration for the 2019 Boston Marathon.
• The qualification window for the 2020 Boston Marathon will be announced following registration for the 2019 Boston Marathon.
• Registration dates and qualifying standards for the 2020 Boston Marathon have not yet been announced.
• The 2020 Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 20, 2020.

2019 BOSTON MARATHON QUALIFYING STANDARDS (Effective Saturday, September 16, 2017)

All standards below are based on official submitted net time.

Age Group	Men	Women
18-34	3hrs 05min 00sec	3hrs 35min 00sec
35-39	3hrs 10min 00sec	3hrs 40min 00sec
40-44	3hrs 15min 00sec	3hrs 45min 00sec
45-49	3hrs 25min 00sec	3hrs 55min 00sec
50-54	3hrs 30min 00sec	4hrs 00min 00sec
55-59	3hrs 40min 00sec	4hrs 10min 00sec
60-64	3hrs 55min 00sec	4hrs 25min 00sec
65-69	4hrs 10min 00sec	4hrs 40min 00sec
70-74	4hrs 25min 00sec	4hrs 55min 00sec
75-79	4hrs 40min 00sec	5hrs 10min 00sec
80 and over	4hrs 55min 00sec	5hrs 25min 00sec