昆士市興國亞當斯廣場公園今日揭幕啟用

Mayor Koch gives us a taste of the Hancock Adams Common. Park dedication on Saturday, September 8th, 10:30 AM. Special Guests include Governor Charlie Baker & 2Time Pulitzer Prize Winner, David McCulough. An exceptional line up of entertainment will follow the ceremony with free giveaways for the kids, food trucks and a fireworks display at Quincy Bay that evening. Don’t miss it!
https://www.facebook.com/CityofQuincy/videos/670267546693519/

(Boston Orange 周菊子整理報導)麻州昆士市今日(9月8日)早上，將為耗資一千五百餘萬元建成的昆市中心公園，舉行隆重揭幕式，藉以慶祝”總統之鄉”的市中心，已打造出一片美好綠地，市民生活品質將大幅提高。

               昆士市長柯奇(Tom Koch)邀請了麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker) 和普立茲獎得主的歷史家David McCullough，來為當年都住在昆士市，曾任麻州第一及第三任州長的John Hancock，以及美國第二任總統John Adams的雕像，主持揭幕儀式。昆士交響樂團，昆士合唱協會都將為此盛典表演。

這佔地3英畝的公園，座落在舊昆士市政府和聯合第一教堂(United First Parish Church)中間，以前是四線道的馬路，現在成為種有30棵樹，舖有大理石人行道，有著會隨聲音升降噴水池，以及兩座銅雕像的美麗公園。將會是昆士居民休憩的好地方。

銅像是由製作華府艾森豪紀念銅像的Sergey Eylanbeko製作。

慶祝活動將持續一整天，現場將有啤酒園，食物卡車，晚上八點還會放煙花。

為方便民眾參加慶祝活動，昆士府安排了總統之家(President’s Place，1250 Hancock St)，以及羅斯停車場(Ross Lot, 85 Parkingwayt)，一整天都讓人免費停車。

興國街(Hancock)從Dimmock街到Coddington街這一段路，除了進出總統之家停車場的路之外，將暫時封街。

Communication and Wellbeing in a Multicultural Society Call for Submissions

Communication and Wellbeing in a Multicultural Society

Call for Submissions

This special section of China Media Research invites scholars from different disciplines to

submit manuscripts on the theme of “Communication and Wellbeing in a Multicultural

Society.” In an increasingly globalized world that brings members of diverse backgrounds

into contact with each other in various relational, organizational, health, and mediated

contexts, conflicts, tensions, and stress inevitably compromise the quality of life. Although

mental illness has been a major public health threat in many countries, there have been low

levels of mental health literacy, e.g., in China, that contributed to lack of support at

interpersonal, institutional, and societal levels. This special section aims to explore how

communication scholarship contributes to our understanding of psychological, socio-cultural,

organizational, occupational, technological, or generational factors that impede or enhance

our wellbeing, whether individually or as a group.

Following these considerations, scholars are invited to submit their original manuscripts that

address the following topics, among others, from the perspective of communication and

wellbeing:

 Migrant identities and adaptation

 Occupational stress

 Intergroup or intercultural conflicts

 Culture and communication styles

 Socialization and organizational culture

 Online and offline supportive communication

 Intergenerational gap

 Marginalized communities

Submissions must not have been previously published nor be under consideration by another

publication. An extended abstract (up to 1,000 words) or a complete paper at the first stage

of the reviewing process will be accepted. All the submissions must be received by October

15, 2018. If the extended abstract is accepted, the complete manuscript must be received by

January 15, 2019. Manuscripts should be prepared in accordance with the APA publication

manual (6th edition) and should not exceed 8,000 words including tables and references. All

manuscripts will be peer reviewed, and the authors will be notified of the final

acceptance/rejection decision. Please visit www.chinamediaresearch.net for more

information about the quarterly journal of China Media Research, which publishes both print

and online versions.

Please direct questions and submissions to the CMR special section guest editor Meina Liu

at meinaliu@gwu.edu

 Paradoxes as Sources of Creative Tensions

Call for Submissions

This special section of China Media Research invites scholars from various disciplines to submit manuscripts on the theme of “Paradoxes as Sources of Creative Tensions.” Scholars are increasingly adopting a paradox lens as a new way of approaching the growing complexity of the “messy, apparently unexplainable, and often seemingly irrational contemporary world” (Smith, Erez, Jarvenpaa, Lewis, & Tracey, 2017, p. 304). Paradoxes have been acknowledged as a source of creative tensions and energy that can support learning, change and development. Notwithstanding the potential of a paradox lens to inform the increasingly equivocal reality, paradox research remains confined to organizational behavior and strategic management, while its application in other fields of research remains limited at best.

This special section invites scholars from a wide range of academic disciplines to explore how to apply a paradox lens across academic fields. In addition to the research applying paradoxical approaches, scholars are invited to submit their original manuscripts that address the following questions, among others:

• What are some of the persistent paradoxical tensions inherent in academic research in general, or in your research field?

• What are the current and recommended strategies for dealing with these tensions?

• What are the most common research methods applied to study these tensions?

• How can the findings from your research field contribute towards addressing long-standing tensions in other fields of science?

• How can scholars move past the oversimplified or polarized notions in science and embrace complexity, diversity, and ambiguity?

• How can a paradox lens enrich academic research and help to navigate complexity and ambiguity in the contemporary world?

Submissions must not have been previously published nor be under consideration by another publication. An extended abstract (up to 1,000 words) or a complete paper at the first stage of the reviewing process will be accepted. All the submissions must be received by November 30, 2018. If the extended abstract is accepted, the complete manuscript must be received by March 31, 2019. Manuscripts should be prepared in accordance with the APA publication manual (6th edition) and should not exceed 8,000 words including tables and references. All manuscripts will be peer reviewed, and the authors will be notified of the final acceptance/rejection decision. Please visit www.chinamediaresearch.net for more information about the quarterly journal of China Media Research, which publishes both print and online versions.

Please direct questions and submissions to the CMR special section guest editor, Dr. Ivana Beveridge, at Ivana.beveridge@sunrise-education.com

羅德島州與台灣駕照 即起免試互換

Add caption

        (Boston Orange)駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處徐佑典處長本(6)日下午代表中華民國（臺灣）交通部與美國羅德島州財政廳監理處處長Walter Craddock簽署完成免試相互承認駕照協議，羅州成為美國第28個州及新英格蘭地區第2個與我簽署此類互惠協定的州政府，我成為羅州政府第1個簽署駕照免試互換之外國政府。未來我國人倘赴羅州工作、求學或定居，均將因此項互惠措施而更加便利。

        駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處在我交通部全力配合協助下，基於平等互惠原則及各自交通法規規定，與羅州政府就前述協議經過3年多之密集磋商，終促成此項協議之簽署。本處對於羅州政府及州議會在本案推動過程中的鼎力協助，均表達誠摯謝意。

簽約。

        我國自從102年推動與美國各州簽署駕照免試互換協議以來，至去年底為止，已有超過11,000位我國民眾受惠。其中新英格蘭地區自麻州於2016年與我國簽署免試相互承認駕照協議以來，迄今已有1,250位國人於麻州申換當地駕照，羅德島州現成為美國新英格蘭地區第2個與我簽署此類協議的州政府，本處未來將持續與此區其他各州推動此項便民措施，以使更多國人受惠。

    該協議簽署後將立即生效，凡年滿18歲持我國有效普通小型汽車或普通重型機車駕照，目前居住於羅州且具美國半永久性身分（非短期持B-1、B-2觀光或商務停留）之國人，將可備齊相關文件及費用，至位於克蘭斯敦市監理總局（地址:600 New London Avenue, Cranston, RI 02920）直接申請換發羅州駕照，免除筆試及路試。另基於互惠原則，入境我國且具有居（停）留6個月以上居（停）留身分證件之羅州有效小型汽車（10類）或機車（M類）駕照持有人，亦可檢附相關文件免試申領臺灣相同類別駕照。(圖與文:波士頓經文處提供)

TREASURER GOLDBERG AND ABCC LAUNCH “OPERATION SAFE CAMPUS”

TREASURER GOLDBERG AND ABCC LAUNCH “OPERATION SAFE CAMPUS”

An Effort to Keep Students Safe from Alcohol-Related Harm

BOSTON — The Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (ABCC), under the direction of state Treasurer Deb Goldberg, has launched Operation Safe Campus.The annual program is designed to target underage drinking on college campuses and prevent tragedies by keeping alcoholic beverages out of the hands of underage students. This initiative begins each year when students return to colleges and universities throughout the Commonwealth.

“Increased enforcement efforts save lives and prevent tragedies before they happen,” said Treasurer Deb Goldberg, who oversees the ABCC. “Operation Safe Campus helps to control underage drinking and acts as an effective deterrent to serving and selling to minors.”

The initiative primarily consists of enforcement in the parking lots and surrounding streets of specific liquor stores and bars that have historically had severe problems with underage individuals purchasing alcoholic beverages through false identification or through adults buying alcoholic beverages for them.

The program focuses on front-line prevention, with investigators calling a teen’s parents when violations occur. ABCC officials say that most parents are unaware that their children are involved in the use of alcohol, and that the intervention is a powerful tool toward family involvement in addressing the problem of underage drinking.

"We want to draw attention to the dangers of alcohol abuse and underage drinking," said Jean Lorizio, chairperson of the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission. "We are making people aware that underage drinking can have devastating consequences on them and the individuals they love."

In 2017, ABCC enhanced enforcement found 826 minors in possession or transporting alcoholic beverages, 115 adults procuring alcohol for minors, 226 individuals in possession of false identification, and 336 cases of beer and 441 bottles of alcohol were confiscated by Investigators, preventing delivery to approximately 5754 underage individuals. In addition, 133 bars and liquor stores were charged with 223 counts of sale to underage persons.

Approximately 1,825 college students between the aged 18–24 die each year from alcohol-related injuries, including motor vehicle crashes; 696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking and 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 report experiencing alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape. In Massachusetts alone, the overall cost of alcohol abuse by youth is estimated at $1.4 billion.

波士頓劍虹體育會奪第74屆北美排球賽銅牌

波士頓劍虹隊和教練阮浩鑾(前右二)。

           (Boston Orange )波士頓劍虹體育會(The Boston Knights Athletic Club)在勞工節期間於加拿大蒙特婁舉行的第74屆北美華人排球邀請賽，奪得銅牌。

波士頓劍虹隊。

這每年舉行的九人排球賽，是由波士頓華埠的華人移民所創辦，傳承至今。當年的主辦城市僅有三個，波士頓，紐約，華府，在舊金山，洛杉磯，蒙特婁，多倫多相繼加入後，主辦城市如今已擴增至七個。

今年男女各有69隊參賽，還首度有來自渥太華(Ottawa)，溫哥華( Vancouver)，以及芝加哥(Chicago)的隊伍參賽。

波士頓劍虹隊一連三日力戰群雄，分別和多倫多飛虎隊，紐約洪青，舊金山天龍等隊過招，一路奮勇打進半決賽，在最後一場比賽中敗給贏得冠軍的舊金山Smash Volleyball俱樂部，才屈居季軍。

一向都很神勇的多倫多Connex A隊，奪得亞軍。

波士頓劍虹隊和啦啦隊。

               今年七月時，波士頓劍虹隊在紐約舉行的迷你賽中，贏得第二名，在波士頓的中秋節聯歡會黃述沾紀念排球賽中，奪得第一名。

               黃述沾是波士頓劍虹體育會的創辦人。他在1961年時創辦此會，其後成為波士頓及全美的排球活動領導人。

               波士頓劍虹隊是由一群還在波士頓拉丁學校，拉丁學院，北昆士高中，牛頓高中等學校就讀學生所組成的球隊。其中許多人上大學後，還進了校隊。他們的父母，有許多都是在華埠長大的，還特地到蒙特婁為比賽加油。

               波士頓劍虹體育會教練是從1970年代就開始打排球，參與排球賽活動的阮浩鑾牙醫師。(所有圖片均由波士頓劍虹體育會提供)

(Boston Orange)The Boston Knights Athletic Club won Third Place for a Bronze Medal Finish in the 74^th Annual North American Chinese Invitational Volleyball Tournament, held in the City of Montreal in Canada over the Labor Day Weekend.  This yearly Nine-Man Volleyball tournament was started in Boston’s Chinatown by its original Chinese immigrants and continues to this day. It has grown from the original three host cities (Boston, New York, Washington, DC) to seven from the United States and Canada (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Montreal and Toronto).  However, this year also for the first time, teams from Ottawa, Vancouver, and Chicago participated, and there were 69 Men and 69 women’s teams entered.

The Boston Knights played through three days of intense competition against the Toronto Flying Tigers, New York Freemasons, San Francisco Tien Lung, and others.  They were defeated in the Semi Final Game against the eventual champions, The San Francisco Smash Volleyball Club.  The always powerful Toronto Connex A came in second place.

This year, the Boston Knights also placed second place in the New York Mini Tournament in July, and won the championship of Boston August Moon Festival’s Reggie Wong Memorial Volleyball Tournament.  Reggie Wong was the founder of the Knights in 1961 and was the leader of the sport in Boston as well as the Country.

The Boston Knights Volleyball Team is made up of players who attended High Schools like Boston Latin, Latin Academy, North Quincy, and Newton. They also went on to universities  where many played for their college level teams. Many of their parents grew up in Chinatown, and several of them comprised a large cheerleading contingent in Montreal for the event. The Head Coach is Dr. Robert Guen, who has been involved with the Chinese Volleyball since 1970.  (From Boston Knights Athletic Club)

Bunker Hill Community College Receives $2.4M in Private Grant Funding for Early College Programs

Bunker Hill Community College Receives $2.4M in Private Grant Funding for Early College Programs

BOSTON, September 6, 2018— The Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation awarded $2.4 million to Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) to establish the Early College program at BHCC, marking the largest private grant awarded in the College’s history. 

The announcement was made in Chelsea Wednesday afternoon at an event celebrating the early college designation to Chelsea High School’s Early College program by the Baker-Polito Administration. Board Members from The Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation joined Governor Baker to see firsthand the impact of Early College. At the event, Governor Baker and the legislators in attendance heard from four Chelsea High School students who shared how their experiences in the program influenced their decision to pursue a college-level program.

Transformation to a Consolidated Early College Model

The funding from The Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation allows BHCC to consolidate its Early College efforts into a core model that anticipates growth in scale and performance, as well as distillation and dissemination of its promising practices to the field. The $2.4 million grant covers a three-year project horizon and will serve more than 500 high school students, coming from a portfolio of partnerships with high school and community-based organizations in Greater Boston.  

“We are so thankful to The Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation for this extraordinary grant. It allows us to consolidate and scale our early work, to gather data and evidence of success and to make a strong case to the leaders of the Commonwealth that Early College is a viable and scalable solution to talent and economic development,” said BHCC President Pam Eddinger.

An early adopter of Early College, BHCC currently collaborates with seven high schools and community-based organizations, serving nearly 500 early college students in addition to almost 400 participants in dual enrollment. Increasing demand and initial successes with traditionally underserved students and the potential for greater educational equity and student achievement pressed the College to consolidate the Early College efforts into a core model and make it central to the College’s Mission. The grant supports the Early College effort exactly at this important inflection point and gives the College the financial and structural lift to reach the next level of success.

“The Foundation’s Board of Trustees is pleased to be partnering with one of the Commonwealth’s leading community colleges to bring a transformative model proven in other states to Greater Boston. By bridging high school and college experiences, Early College will help many students graduate from high school ready to succeed in college and enjoy the benefits of the Commonwealth’s strong economy,” said Lynne Doblin, Executive Director of The Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation.

Early College: A Cross-Segment Convergence in Education Strategy

This important work signals a convergence of new thinking from education leaders and policymakers around the State.  

“An important goal of the Early College program is exposing students to college-level work while they are still in high school so they can envision themselves on a track toward a college degree,” said Governor Baker at Wednesday’s event. “The college-level experience, combined with the credits they earn in the courses, sets many students up for success by the time they arrive on a campus.”

The Secretary of Education, the Board of Higher Education and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education all support the effort to recognize Early College work by awarding designations to strong partnerships around the Commonwealth, with the promise of sustainable funding in the near future. These designations, of which BHCC is a part, will stimulate experimentation, document effective practice and demonstrate impact. 

The standard-setting work of BHCC’s Early College will be a powerful proof point, and the data to be gathered over the next three years will provide strong evidence as to the efficacy of Early College as a way to increase high school graduation and college completion and broaden career exploration.

TREASURER GOLDBERG ANNOUNCES OVER $7.5 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR 17 MUNICIPAL WATER PROJECTS

TREASURER GOLDBERG ANNOUNCES OVER $7.5 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR 17 MUNICIPAL WATER PROJECTS

Funds will help cities and towns pay for improvements to drinking water and wastewater infrastructure

BOSTON – State Treasurer Deb Goldberg, Chair of the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust, announced more than $7.5 million in loan principal forgiveness for 17projects in nine communities statewide. The principle forgiveness funds are administered on a competitive basis to cities and towns most in need of financial assistance to help pay for improvements to drinking water and infrastructure.

“Providing these funds to local communities will save the ratepayers money and protect the health of the citizens and the environment,” said Treasurer Goldberg. “This $7.5 million is another example of the excellent work the Trust does saving our local communities money.”

The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust improves the water quality in the Commonwealth through the provision of low-cost capital financing to cities, towns and other eligible entities. Due to the reduction of loan principal funded by this program, impacted communities will see their bi-annual loan repayments reduced, freeing up capital for other local needs. The loans were originated to pay for municipal water projects such as upgrades to water treatment facilities and stormwater and sewer improvement projects.

The communities that earned loan principal forgiveness are: Brockton, Fall River, Gardner, Gloucester, New Bedford, Revere, Wareham, Webster, and West Springfield.

“The challenges to maintain and operate water infrastructure are significant for communities in Massachusetts,” said Commissioner Martin Suuberg of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), which is a member of the Clean Water Trust. “The Baker-Polito Administration is pleased to be able to direct some additional financial assistance to maintaining and improving water infrastructure and protecting the health of residents in these communities.”

The $7.5 million in loan forgiveness funds is associated with a total original loan amount of more than $109 million. The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust lends financial assistance to the Commonwealth under the State Revolving Fund program which offers subsidized loans to cities, towns, and regional agencies to help protect their water resources and drinking water.

Since its establishment in 1989, the Trust has loaned nearly $7.3 billion to improve and maintain the quality of water in the Commonwealth. An estimated 97 percent of Massachusetts’ residents have benefited from the financial assistance of the Clean Water Trust.

Governor Baker Proposes Reforms To Protect Public From Dangerous Individuals

Governor Baker Proposes Reforms To Protect Public From Dangerous Individuals

BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker today filed legislation that will provide law enforcement and prosecutors with additional tools to prosecute people who repeatedly break the law. The reforms put forth in today’s legislation include expanding the list of offenses that can provide grounds for a dangerousness hearing and closing certain loopholes at the start and end of the criminal process that currently limit or prevent effective action to address legitimate safety concerns.

“Recent tragedies have demonstrated the tremendous damage that can occur when our criminal justice system fails to identify and detain dangerous people charged with serious crimes,” said Governor Baker. “The alarming frequency of these events confirmed for us that we need to fix a broken law, so we worked closely with law enforcement, district attorneys and victims advocacy groups across the Commonwealth and consulted with the courts to develop this proposal to do a better job of protecting Massachusetts communities from dangerous defendants.”

The governor’s legislation strengthens the ability of judges to enforce the conditions of pre-trial release by empowering police to detain people who they observe violating court-ordered release conditions; current law does not allow this, and instead requires a court to first issue a warrant. 

“Far too often, there are few consequences for defendants who violate the conditions of a court issued release,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.“This legislation will empower police officers with the tools they need to protect their communities and hold until trial defendants who pose a continuing danger to our communities.”

This legislation empowers judges to revoke a person’s release when the offender has violated a court-ordered condition, such as an order to stay away from a victim, or from a public playground. Current law requires an additional finding of dangerousness before release may be revoked.

“A person who is so dangerous that his or her release threatens the safety of a specific victim or of the community at large does not become safe to release merely because three or four months have passed since the time of their arrest,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Security Daniel Bennett. “This legislation would ensure that a person who a court determines is a danger or who violates his or her conditions of release is held until the time of trial or other disposition of the case, rather than being released after a defined period.”

“I’m very pleased with the governor’s proposed bail reform legislation,” said Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III. “This will make it more difficult for the court to release dangerous defendants.  Dangerous criminals should be held without bail until their cases are resolved. The public and law enforcement have a right to be protected from dangerous criminals. This legislation goes a long way towards doing that.  I have long advocated for changes to the bail system, and I appreciate the governor’s leadership on this very important issue.”

“It is encouraging to see that the call for action to keep dangerous and repeat criminals off the streets that began as a result of Sgt. Gannon’s murder is being taken seriously,” said Yarmouth Police Chief Frank Frederickson. “In July the Governor signed the MPTC Training Bill and now the announcement of this proposal is another significant move that will provide needed protection for our citizens from violent criminals.” 

"Regardless of whether their cases can be prosecuted, survivors of sexual violence who are respected and believed throughout the process have better health and wellness outcomes,” said Katia Santiago-Taylor, advocacy and legislative affairs manager at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. “The first and most powerful way to do this is to ensure that survivors are informed about what is happening with their case, including timely notification when an offender is released from custody."

The legislation expands the list of offenses which can provide grounds for a dangerousness hearing and follows the long-standing federal model in including a defendant’s history of serious criminal convictions as grounds that may warrant a dangerousness hearing. Current law requires courts to focus only on the crime charged and ignore a defendant’s criminal history when determining whether the defendant may be the subject of this sort of hearing.

Additional provisions of this legislation:

·       Improves the system for notifying victims of crimes of abuse and other dangerous crimes when a defendant is going to be released by creating clear lines of responsibility among police, prosecutors and corrections personnel to notify victims about an offender’s imminent release from custody, and create a six-hour window for authorities to inform a victim before an offender is allowed to be released.

·       Creates a new felony offense for cutting off a court-ordered GPS device.

·       Requires that the courts develop a text message service to remind defendants of upcoming court dates, reducing the chance they will forget and have a warrant issued for their arrest.

·       Allows dangerousness hearings at any point during a criminal proceeding, rather than requiring a prosecutor to either seek a hearing immediately or forfeit that ability entirely, even if circumstances later arise indicating that the defendant poses a serious risk to the community.

·       Requires that the probation department, bail commissioners and bail magistrates notify authorities who can take remedial action when a person who is on pre-trial release commits a new offense anywhere in the Commonwealth or elsewhere.

·       Creates a level playing field for appeals of district court release decisions to the superior court by allowing appeals by prosecutors, in addition to defendants, and giving more deference to determinations made in the first instance by our district court judges.

·       Creates a task force to recommend adding information to criminal records so that prosecutors and judges can make more informed recommendations and decisions about conditions of release and possible detention on grounds of dangerousness.

The legislation also closes loopholes at the start and end of the criminal process that currently limit or prevent effective action to address legitimate safety concerns. It extends the requirement that police take the fingerprints of people arrested for felonies to all people arrested, regardless of the charge, to ensure that decisions about release can be made with knowledge of a person’s true identity and full criminal history. It also allows, for the first time, bail commissioners and bail magistrates to consider dangerousness in deciding whether to release an arrestee from a police station when court is out of session. 

Governor Baker Highlights Early College Program in Chelsea

Governor Baker Highlights Early College Program in Chelsea

For more photos and high resolution, click here

CHELSEA– Governor Charlie Baker visited Chelsea High School today to see students taking early college classes, which gives high school students an opportunity to learn in college-level courses while earning credits, at no cost. The Baker-Polito Administration is working to significantly increase the number of early college seats in the Commonwealth to better prepare students for college-level work, boost college completion rates and provide opportunities for students to earn credits as a way to ease their financial burden.

Early college programs combine traditional high school courses with college-level courses taught by faculty at a local community college or state university, typically in a particular career pathway such as STEM. Successful programs boost college completion rates for low-income students, minorities and first-generation college-goers.

At Chelsea High School, the Governor was joined by Education Secretary James Peyser, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Jeff Riley, Board of Higher Education Chairman Chris Gabrieli, Chelsea Superintendent Mary Bourque, Bunker Hill Community College President Pam Eddinger and Chelsea City Manager Tom Ambrosino.

“An important goal of the early college program is exposing students to college-level work while they are still in high school so they can envision themselves on a track toward a college degree,”Governor Charlie Baker said. “The college-level experience, combined with the credits they earn in the courses, sets many students up for success by the time they arrive on a campus.”

“Early College also provides many students with experience and knowledge in a field of study, often in STEM, that gives them some insight to make future decisions about majors and careers,”Lt. Governor Karyn Polito said. “When they get to college, students who took early college courses have a pretty good idea about what they want to study.” 

   

Since its inception six years ago, Chelsea High has grown its early college program from 20 students to 300 taking classes this year. Students can earn from 3 to 24+ college credits during their junior and senior years. Chelsea High School students can attend early college classes regardless of GPA, past academic performance or language acquisition, ensuring all students feel they can pursue college. Chelsea High was among the first to receive official designation status from the state this spring.

During the 2017-2018 school year, 294 Chelsea High School students participated in early college. Of those, 180 seniors earned a total of 1,374 college credits. One student earned 33 credits, the equivalent to a full year of college. The average number of college credits earned per graduate was eight.

“Early College is a critical way for students to become ready for college-level coursework, while at the same time earning transferrable credits that help to lighten the financial stresses many families face with college costs,” Education Secretary James Peyser said.

This past spring, the Baker-Polito Administration awarded official designation status and grant funding to nine early college programs across the state giving thousands of students the opportunity to better prepare for college. Programs that receive designation meet certain criteria, including equitable access for all students, rigorous coursework, a guided academic pathway, connection to careers, enhanced support for students and strong partnerships between high schools, community colleges and state universities.