第六屆CelebrASIANS時裝秀 四面八方支持

亞裔婦女健康會行政主任黃千姬(右)頒獎表揚塔芙茨醫療中心的癌症
項目經理Marybeth Singer(左)。(主辦單位提供)

司儀Audrey Paek(右)介紹亞裔婦女健康會行政主任黃千姬(左)。
(主辦單位提供)

(Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導)亞裔婦女健康會(AWFH)的第六屆”表揚亞裔(CelebrASIANS)籌款時裝秀”，10月13日晚在波士頓醫療中心，吸引逾百人共襄盛舉，比往年更盛大。

亞裔婦女健康會是從乳癌倖存者黃千姬所創辦的亞裔乳癌患者項目衍生出來的非牟利機構，經由黃千姬的辛苦經營，熱心人士的支持，已越來越有規模，許多癌症患者，身心遭受打擊的亞裔婦女，藉由這同儕扶助管道，生活品質大有改善。

今年的第六屆”表揚亞裔(CelebrASIANS)籌款時裝秀”，邀得三名服裝設計師，和10名曾患癌症或各種病痛的女士擔任模特兒，既為社區介紹亞裔圈內時裝人才，也達到提醒人們關注身體健康的目的。

三名時裝設計師。(主辦單位提供)

整個活動在曾任亞裔反家庭暴力小組(ATask)主席，自己創辦有”有遠見的步驟(Visionary Steps)慈善基金會的Audrey Paek擔任時裝秀司儀，新英格蘭台灣青年商會會長歐怡君聯絡各項活動細節，新英格蘭台灣商會會長歐陽露，紅流蘇(Red Tassel)策略公司創辦人譚秀婷，東方銀行的Thi Q. Tu等8人組成活動委員會和廿多名義工攜手籌辦下，場面氣氛十足。

癌症倖存者或病痛患者當模特兒。(主辦單位提供)

本身是多元藝術人，目前還主持每月一次，免費參加的”創意早晨/波士頓”早餐講座的Sophia Moon在開幕致詞中直指黃千姬的服務熱情感動了她。

模特兒中的Sharon Hsu也表示，她是乳癌三期倖存者，參加”CelebrASIANS”，走上伸展台，是為告訴其他亞裔婦女，”我能，你也能”。藉由亞裔婦女健康會提供的各種乳房，子宮頸健康教育工具，預防自殺工作坊，人們可以學到如何察覺問題，及早採取預防及治療行動。

波士頓市議員艾達華費林(Ed Flynn)(右三)特地出席支持。黃千姬(右二)
與陳寶萍(右一)，謝如鍵(右四起)，歐陽露等人在會中合影。
(主辦單位提供)

她說，亞裔婦女健康會不只幫助了她，還幫了她先生。在她治療期間，她先生為照顧她，承受著極大壓力。但亞裔婦女健康會的同儕聚會，讓她先生認識許多有類似狀況的人，並藉由經驗分享，學會如何更自在地和癌症病人相處。她為自己認識亞裔婦女健康會的創辦人黃千姬 ，感到很幸運。

                      當晚的活動，除了時裝秀，還表揚了塔芙茨醫療中心的癌症項目經理Marybeth Singer，其他環節包括拍賣，抽獎，舞會。

模特兒走秀。(周菊子攝)

模特兒走秀。(周菊子攝)

新英格蘭台灣商會會長歐陽露(左)應黃千姬(右)之邀，加入活動籌委會。
(周菊子攝)

波士頓龍舟節委員會主委劉忠凱也來擺攤，以示支持。(周菊子攝)

新英格蘭台灣商會會長歐陽露(左)和青商會會長歐怡君(右)都加入籌備
活動，支持同樣來自台灣的黃千姬。(周菊子攝)

波士頓成為全美第二任何居民走路十分鐘就可見公園城市

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES MAJOR MILESTONE ON PARK ACCESS IN BOSTON

All Boston residents have a park within a 10-minute walk of home

BOSTON - Friday, October 19, 2018 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh and The Trust for Public Land announced today the City of Boston reached a major milestone in ensuring that all Boston residents have a park within a 10-minute walk of home. The announcement stems from Boston's championing of the 10-Minute Walk to a Park Campaign, a joint effort by the Trust for Public Land, National Recreation and Park Association, and Urban Land Institute, working to bring easy and equitable access to green spaces to everyone in the United States. "In Boston, we are proud of our world-class park system and the investments that have been made," said Mayor Walsh. "Reaching this milestone is a big step for our city to ensure that every resident, no matter the neighborhood, has a high-quality park or open space within a 10-minute walk of home. There is still much work to be done, and we are working every day to make our park system the best in the world." "Everyone deserves a quality park within a 10-minute walk of home," said Diane Regas, President and CEO of the Trust for Public Land. "Today marks an enormous achievement based on years of dedicated and thoughtful planning by the City of Boston. Our research tells us that close-to-home access to parks are vital for public health, clean environments, and thriving, equitable communities." The Trust for Public Land has worked with Boston and cities across the country, park advocates and the public to determine exactly where parks are needed most. The Trust for Public Land's  ParkServe database is the first free, open access national data platform mapping park access in more than 14,000 cities and towns - home to more than 260 million Americans. Boston is the second major city in the United States, following San Francisco, to hit the milestone of ensuring all residents have a park within a 10-minute walk of home. "Our goal is to have high quality, safe, accessible parks for all Bostonians," said Christopher Cook, Chief of Environment, Energy and Open Space. "We are proud of this accomplishment and grateful to Mayor Walsh for his steadfast support and belief in the importance of parks and open spaces for the health and vitality of all who live in Boston." This week, Mayor Walsh rolled out a comprehensive and transformative vision that will invest in Boston's waterfront to protect the City's residents, homes, jobs, and infrastructure against the impacts of rising sea level and climate change. Resilient Boston Harbor lays out strategies along Boston's 47-mile shoreline that include elevated landscapes, enhanced waterfront parks, flood resilient buildings, and revitalized and increased connections and access to the waterfront. Mayor Walsh allocated over $230 million, the largest-ever capital funding for Boston parks, through Imagine Boston 2030. This series of investments include the construction of Noyes Playground in East Boston, Reservation Road Park in Hyde Park, Garvey Playground in Dorchester, and McConnell Playground in Dorchester. Investments also include renovations at Franklin Park, Harambee Park, and Smith Playground. The new Martin Richard Park in South Boston will be opened next spring. In addition, the capital budget invests in long-term planning for Boston's most iconic park -- the Boston Common. The capital plan sets aside $500,000 to develop a master plan to bring the nation's oldest public park to the level of excellence commensurate with its historical importance and use by the City's residents and visitors. The budget also invests $800,000 into Franklin Park, to develop a master plan that will enhance historic Franklin Park as a keystone park in the geographical heart of the City. The master plans will guide investments totaling $46 million over the next few years. ABOUT IMAGINE BOSTON 2030 Imagine Boston 2030 is Boston's first citywide plan in 50 years aimed at guiding growth to support Boston's dynamic economy and expand opportunity for all residents. The plan prioritizes inclusionary growth and puts forth a comprehensive vision to boost quality of life, equity and resilience in every neighborhood across the City. Shaped by the input of 15,000 residents who contributed their thoughts to the plan, Imagine Boston 2030 identifies five action areas to guide Boston's growth, enhancement and preservation, and is paired with a set of metrics that will evaluate progress and successes. To learn more visit, imagine.boston.gov. ABOUT THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Millions of people live within a 10-minute walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit www.tpl.org.

波士頓學校委員會委員席位11/13前接受申請

APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE

BOSTON - Friday, October 19, 2018 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced that applications are being accepted by the Citizens Nominating Panel, for two open positions on the Boston School Committee, opening in January 2019. The deadline to submit applications is November 13, 2018. The Boston School Committee is the governing body of the Boston Public Schools. The School Committee is responsible for: Defining the vision, mission and goals of the Boston Public Schools; Establishing and monitoring the annual operating budget; Hiring, managing and evaluating the Superintendent; and Setting and reviewing district policies and practices The seven members of the School Committee are Boston residents appointed by the Mayor to serve four-year staggered terms. The Mayor appoints members from a list of candidates recommended by a 13-member Citizens Nominating Panel composed of parents, teachers, principals and representatives of the business and higher education communities. The Committee also includes a non-voting student member of the Boston Student Advisory Council.   The School Committee meets approximately twice per month during the school year to adopt, review and modify policies and practices that support teaching, learning and improved student achievement. With the exception of executive sessions, Committee meetings are open to the public, feature public comment periods and are broadcasted on Boston City TV.   Applications for the Boston School Committee can be found online here. For more information on the Boston School Committee, please click here.

哈佛格林健保攜手三機構 教你如何為65歲以後做準備

左起，新英格蘭台商會副會長李苡惠，紐英倫客家鄉親會會長宋玉琴，
波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉，哈佛格林健保社區關係主任譚雯颯，
紐英崙昭倫公所主席謝如鍵，塔芙茨大學泌尿科助理教授莊立岩。
(周菊子攝)

(Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導)紐英崙客家鄉親會，新英格蘭台灣商會和紐英崙昭倫公所合作，日前舉辦健康講座，解析65歲以後該注意的醫療保險，”關於前列腺癌的那些事”，為父母或為自己的50餘名出席者，都說收穫很多。

哈佛格林健保的社區關係經理譚雯颯以”慶祝65歲”為主題，說明什麼是”醫療護理(Medicare)”，ABCD各自代表什麼，申報”醫療護理”時需要準備些什麼。她還指出，由於”醫療護理”並不會支付所有醫療相關開銷，人們往往還需要另外買醫療保險來補足差額。

為父母，為自己，關心65歲以後健保講座吸引許多人出席。

醫療護理(Medicare)是美國政府為65歲以上合法居民提供的聯邦健康保險計畫，分有ABCD四個部分。A是住院保險，B是醫療保險，D是處方藥保險，C則是允許私營公司把”醫療護理”的ABD部分結合成單一計畫來管理的計畫。

凡是符合資格的居民，可免費享有A部分，但B部分則須繳付保費。

譚雯颯指出，到2030年時，美國境內每四人中就會有一人年紀在65歲以上，及早知道如何為65歲以後做準備，因此越來越重要。

紐英崙客家鄉親會義工。左起，鄭玉春，鄭雪卿，曾正泉。(周菊子攝)

重要的另一個原因是，申報”醫療護理”需要注意時間，得以年滿65歲那一年的生日為準，在那天之前或之後的三個月之內，也是前後六個月之內，辦理申請。如果在符合申請”醫療護理”資格後，就不再繼續工作，必須在8個月之內申請B部分的醫療保險，否則就得等到下一次的公開申請期，也就是1月1日至3月31日之間。B部分的醫療保險，也要等到7月1日以後才生效。更糟糕的是，你可能會被罰款，B部分的保險費用得多付10%，而且每多等一年，就多增加一個10%。

由於個人狀況不同，會中有不少人提問。

塔芙茨醫療中心泌尿科主治醫師莊立岩接著講談”關於前列腺癌的那些事”。他指出，前列腺癌是美國男人中最常見的癌症，在最大死因中排第二位，大約每7人中就有1人被診斷出換了前列腺癌，每30人患病，就有1人死亡。不過由於醫藥研發的進步，現在治療前列腺癌的方法與藥物越來越多了。

三機構為照顧住在波士頓華埠民眾，10月14日還在紐英崙中華公所又舉辦了一場同樣內容的講座。(圖片已於10月15日發表)

醫療保險有時得買好幾份，才能有周全保障。(周菊子攝自現場幻燈片)

哈佛格林健保社區關係主任譚雯颯以"Five Wishes"，提醒人
及早規劃身後事。(周菊子攝)

新英格蘭地區中文教師協會第七屆年會 胡龍華、陳彤交接會長

新英格蘭地區中文教師協會會長胡龍華(中)和前會長王命全(左三)，何文潮(左二)，新會長陳彤與嘉賓們合影。(主辦單位提供)

(Boston Orange整理) 新英格蘭地區中文教師協會十月六日在麻州塔夫茨大學召開第七屆年會暨中文教學國際會議，邀得美國資深外交家傅立民大使 (Chas W. Freeman, Jr.)主講，共有來自40餘學府，機構的150餘名老師，學者參加，50餘場專題研討。

            協會會長胡龍華在會中總結了該會過去兩年的發展概況，並介紹下任會長為麻省理工學院的陳彤，副會長是達特茅斯大學的李愛民，以及三名新任理事。

            當天會議由塔夫茨大學孔子學院李丹演奏二胡，拉開序幕，接著由塔夫茨大學王命全主持開幕式，胡龍華和塔大教務長、第一副校長Prof. Deborah T. Kochevar致詞。

            大會主講人傅立民大使 (Chas W. Freeman, Jr.)曾任美國總統尼克松1972年訪華之行的首席翻譯，並從70年代起，先後擔任美國國務院中國科科長、美國駐華公使、駐泰國公使、國防部國際安全事務部部長助理、美國駐沙特阿拉伯大使。

傅立民在分享學習漢語經驗時表示，只要“活到老，學到老，還有三分不知道”的態度，中文並不難學。他認為要讓學生把中文這把鑰匙用到正確的地方上。

傅立民大使。(主辦單位提供)

談到外交問題時，傅立民認為將來的世界，在很大程度上會受中美關係影響。從長遠看，中國不應該關閉與美來往的大門。他認為中美貿易戰不會很快結束，一旦造成分裂局面，將對雙方，甚至世界造成不良影響。雙方應重視如何避免動武的戰爭，特別是避免核戰爭，雙方都需要有自控機制。

開幕式後，美國中小學中文教育專家林遊嵐、北京師範大學教授孫立峰、塔夫茨大學資深漢語教授李金玉，分別就怎樣編選主題教材，體驗式教學在漢語文化課程中的應用研究，以及漢語教師培訓及漢語教學法的探討做了專題演講。

                    林遊嵐認為，主題教材要選用重量級有深度話題，以問題方式整理編排。孫立峰指文化課程可輔助語言教學。李金玉強調漢語教學是專業學科，如果缺乏語法知識和教學法培訓，很難勝任。有些學生的語法錯誤，明顯來自老師的教導不當。

大會的分組研討，主要內容包括：中文寫作與閱讀能力的提高，中國文化與語言教學，中小學漢語教學發展，漢語語法教學研究，課堂活動設計及科技手段的研發，教材研究和反饋， 漢字教學，語音教學，文化活動與漢語教學的結合等。

各單元的評議人有陳彤、李愛民、嚴蕾、崔頌人、何文潮、孫鴻運、李慧敏、黃偉嘉、周康、郭旭、Jie Zhao、劉帆、秦莉傑、楊春生等。

接任陳彤會長也在會中感謝了歷屆前任會長，何文潮、王命全、胡龍華，以及包括卸任理事崔頌人，何寶璋的歷任理事，稱許他們領導出色，理事辛勤。

 (供稿：郭旭 攝影：夏耘)

亞裔反家庭暴力小組10/27辦絲路嘉年華會

The Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence (ATASK) celebrates another year

of providing domestic violence services for Pan-Asian families

and communities in Massachusetts and New England

September 28, 2018 − Boston, MA: The Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence (ATASK), a Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent domestic violence in Asian families and communities and to provide hope to survivors, hosts its annual benefit, the Silk Road Gala, on the evening of Saturday, October 27, at the Marriott Boston Downtown in Boston’s Theatre District.

This is the 25th year that the Silk Road Gala is being held to raise funds for ATASK, the only provider of linguistically and culturally competent services for Pan-Asian survivors of domestic violence.  Programs include a 24-hour multilingual hotline, emergency shelter, case management and advocacy services, legal program, and ESOL classes.

Since 1992, ATASK's multilingual and multicultural staff have been providing life-saving services and hope to survivors.  Today, ATASK assists over 800 survivors throughout 10 counties in Massachusetts, and provides a safe haven for 50 survivors and children in the 24/7/365 emergency shelter.  Services are provided in 20 Asian languages and dialects.

ATASK offers HOPE:

Housing in our emergency shelter

Outreach to Asian communities and a 24-hour multilingual helpline

Programs and services that support clients and their children and empower them to live independent lives.

Education, training and outreach for providers and the general public.

The 2018 Silk Road Gala Co-Chairs are:

·        Francis E. Chin, Senior Counsel, Chin & Curtis, LLP

·        Grace H. Lee, FVP/Regional Director of Government Banking, People's United Bank

Our Keynote Speaker is Bill Cummings, Founder of Cummings Properties and Cummings Foundation.  He is also the author of "Starting Small and Making It Big: An Entrepreneur's Journey to Billion Dollar Philanthropy.”

Janet Wu, TV Personality & Journalist and a long-standing supporter of ATASK, will once again be the emcee.

This year’s event begins with a Reception with appetizers and drinks, a silent auction, a survivor who will share her powerful story about her journey to independence, and an opportunity to listen to and speak with Bill Cummings.  Guests will then “travel” to different regions of Asia, each having its own food station, bar, and set of cultural performances.

400 supporters, comprised of community leaders and professionals, attend ATASK’s annual Silk Road Gala each year. The Silk Road Gala generates critical funds for ATASK’s programs and services to support survivors of domestic violence. For more event details and ticket information, visit https://501auctions.com/atasksilkroadgala. For more information about ATASK, visit www.atask.org. 

波士頓5所公校各獲1萬元"如果我能夠"獎助金

The Beker Foundation Awards $50,000 Grant to Boston Public Schools

Five Schools Receive 'If I Would I Could' Grant for Strong Teacher Leadership

BOSTON — Friday, October 19, 2018— The Beker Foundation is awarding five Boston public schools an allocation from the $50,000 ‘If I Would I Could’ grant for displaying strong leadership in teaching and learning.   The five $10,000 awards will support teachers to invest in their classrooms to enhance learning experiences of students. The funds could be used to implement educational programs and supplemental materials, such as books, technology, and furniture. The schools chosen to receive the award are Oliver W. Holmes Elementary School in Dorchester, William M. Trotter K-8 School in Dorchester, McKinley Elementary School in the South End, Margarita Muniz Academy in Jamaica Plain, and New Mission High School in Hyde Park. “The ‘If I Would I Could’ grant helps our educators expand student learning to help keep up with 21st century learning needs,” said Boston School Committee Chairperson Michael Loconto. “We would like to thank the Beker Foundation for having a positive impact on our students.” "The Beker Foundation is delighted to support Boston Public Schools’ dedicated teachers with the ‘If I Could, I Would’ grant,” said Jayne Beker of the Becker Foundation. “Our goal is to empower teachers to think creatively about enhancing their students’ classroom experience and to enable them to fulfill their visions. We hope teachers will feel inspired by their participation in this grant, and that their entire school community will benefit from the process.” Educators from the chosen schools will have the opportunity to write a brief proposal for a portion of the funds to be used in their classroom. Proposals will be reviewed by a selection committee of their peers and the educators chosen will receive the funds to implement the investment in the 2018-19 school year. “Our educators work hard to provide our students with robust learning experiences and this investment gives them the opportunity to expand that,” said Boston Public Schools (BPS) Interim Superintendent Laura Perille. “We are grateful for the Beker Foundation for providing these five schools a greater opportunity to grow effective teaching and learning.” At the end of the year, participating educators are to write an impact statement, describing the outcomes of the investment in their classroom. The Beker Foundation hopes that this grant program will serve as a pilot that can be expanded across the district in the future. “As the district continues to focus on preparing students for college, career, and life, it is important that educators get the resources they need to help our students reach those goals,” said BPS Managing Director and Senior Advisor of External Affairs Makeeba McCreary. “Investments such as these are a catalyst for the district’s focus on providing teaching and learning at high standards for all students.” The grant is being provided to the Boston Educational Development Fund, a non-profit organization that supports BPS through the facilitation of funds raised through donations or philanthropic efforts.

TREASURER GOLDBERG VISITS PITTSFIELD TO HOST TOWN HALL ON COLLEGE ACCESS

TREASURER GOLDBERG VISITS PITTSFIELD TO HOST TOWN HALL ON COLLEGE ACCESS

SoarMA pilot benefits seventh and eighth grade students in five Gateway Cities

PITTSFIELD - On Friday, October 19th, Treasurer Deb Goldberg hosted a town hall discussion on college access and affordability with Reid Middle School students, speaking about the pilot college savings program SoarMA. Launched last December, SoarMA is the State’s first college savings account program that provides seeded 529 accounts as well as savings workshops to low-income middle schoolers and their families in Gateway Cities. The two-year pilot includes the cities of Haverhill, Lowell, Pittsfield, Springfield, and Worcester.

“Access to affordable higher education is critical to the economic future of many families and communities in Massachusetts,” said Treasurer Deb Goldberg. “It was a pleasure to join these incredible kids and discuss ways we can maintain and build upon the growing college-going culture in Pittsfield.”

The initiative, funded through public-private partnerships, provides an initial seed deposit of $50 and a matched savings of up to $400. Monthly college savings workshops will be offered in all five communities. The 529 college savings accounts are offered through the Office of the Massachusetts State Treasurer and Receiver General, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) and Inversant.

"At MEFA we understand how saving for college can help students reach their dreams, and middle school is an excellent time for families to start saving if they haven't already,” said Tom Graf, Executive Director of MEFA. “Planning early will provide students and families more options when it comes time to pursue that college degree.”

Treasurer Goldberg was joined by community leaders during her conversation with Pittsfield students and their families. Through impactful community partnerships, SoarMA aims to increase the percentage of families saving for higher education while also boosting post-secondary enrollment and graduation rates for participating cities.

“In the City of Pittsfield, we are proud to be a community that readily supports the aspirations of our young people. Many of our students are able to move forward along their desired path, but for some, financial barriers impede their dreams of attending college,” said Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer. The 529 accounts will help to lessen some of those challenges and allow our young learners to achieve their highest potential.”

Additionally, SoarMA seeks to deliver high-quality financial education programming to families, building a culture centered on saving for the future and sustainable budget management. Inversant, a Boston-based non-profit organization, will support SoarMA with its existing curriculum model. Inversant's mission is to ensure that through parental engagement, every low-to-moderate income family has the resources and understanding they need to achieve their goals for higher education.

“Children with savings accounts develop a strong sense of their future possibilities, including college, career, home ownership, and economic stability,” said Robert Hildreth, Founder and Board Chair of Inversant. “By partnering with the Massachusetts State Treasurer’s Office, even more, families across the state will be able to access a higher education, and more importantly, better the entire family’s prospects.”

For more information about Treasurer Goldberg’s college savings pilot program please visit https://www.soarma529.org/

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES 'GRADUATE READY TO ACHIEVE DEGREE' (GRAD) LAST MILE SCHOLARSHIP FUND

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES 'GRADUATE READY TO ACHIEVE DEGREE' (GRAD) LAST MILE SCHOLARSHIP FUND

BOSTON - Friday, October 19, 2018 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh, in partnership with the Frieze Family Foundation, today announced the launch of the GRAD Last Mile Fund, an innovative scholarship program designed to provide financial support to students nearing college graduation. The fund will provide resources to students for whom financial hardships are a barrier to completing a higher education degree program. "The GRAD Last Mile Fund will enable more Boston students to realize their dream of graduating from college," said Mayor Walsh. "Financial hardship should not prevent any student from completing the 'last mile' on their journey toward earning a college degree, and I am proud that through this new fund, we will be able to help more students cross the finish line and earn their degree." "We are excited to support students that are in their last semester to cover non-academic costs that are not traditionally covered by other scholarship programs such as transportation, rent, child care, medical care and other unexpected life expenses," said a statement from the Frieze Family Foundation. "We are pleased to seed this program of 'last mile support' with the hope that other funders will join us so even more students can reach their goal of graduation." The Frieze Family Foundation committed to fund the pilot year of the GRAD Last Mile Fund, and funds will be distributed to five schools that are highly attended by Boston students: Bunker Hill Community College, MassBay Community College, Roxbury Community College, Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology and UMass Boston. The GRAD Last Mile Fund awards will vary based upon need, with a maximum grantamount of $2,500 per student. "This award helps me achieve my goal of graduating from nursing school by aiding me in paying for transportation, books, and allowing me to take more days off of work to study for exams," said Taressa Jones, a senior at UMass Boston. "I am so happy to have been chosen as a recipient of this award and I plan to use my education to give back to the City of Boston that has so graciously helped me. I plan to engage in community nursing in and around Boston communities." "As a Success Boston partner, we work to help students get ready, get in and get through college and connected to a successful career," said Pam Eddinger, president of Bunker Hill Community College. "The GRAD Fund is a welcome addition to the many comprehensive programs that focus on increasing college completion rates in Boston.  It will help to ensure that more Boston students are able to reach the finish line and receive their degrees." "At UMass Boston,we have a number of students who are very close to completing their degrees but experience insurmountable financial challenges such as food and housing insecurity, family medical issues, childcare, and employment challenges that make it impossible for them to finish," said Joan Becker, vice provost for Academic Support Services at the University of Massachusetts Boston. "The GRAD Last Mile Scholarship will make it possible for these students to walk across the stage with their degree proudly in hand." For many people, higher education is a key driver for their success and research has shown that there are fewer pathways to a steady career for those who have some college experience, but no degree. Mayor Walsh's Education Cabinet works to create coordinated birth-to-career education systems that provide students with high-quality learning opportunities, get them College, Career and Life Ready and, increasingly, guarantee them a post-secondary education.    "In June, when we honored City Scholarship recipients, we talked about working toward establishing a social contract with Boston's young people that guarantees them a post-secondary education," said Chief of Education Turahn Dorsey. "The establishment of the GRAD Last Mile Fund helps us take an important step toward delivering on that guarantee. We expect that helping students complete the last mile of their college educations will directly onramp them to gainful careers and productive lives." The City of Boston offers many resources for residents pursuing higher education. On the Mayor's Education Cabinet's Higher Education Resource page, residents can find the resources most appropriate for their educational goals in one place, including the Tuition-Free Community College program, The Boston Bridge and an inventory of local scholarships. In addition, the City of Boston's Scholarship Fund disburses almost $300,000 in scholarship aid every year for Boston residents. These programs combine to create a multi-pronged approach to higher education access and completion in the city. Candidates for GRAD Last Mile Fund scholarships must be Boston residents that are on track academically to graduate in the next semester and have a demonstrated financial need. Priority will be given to students who have not registered for their final semester or paid tuition by a pre-established cutoff date, have exhausted other sources of aid available, are undocumented and/or DACA students with limited options for financial assistance, and/or are parents and/or veterans.  For more information on the GRAD Last Mile Fund, or how to contribute, please visit www.boston.gov/departments/education-cabinet/grad-last-mile-fund-pilot.

麻州香港日跨入第五屆 香港新任總經貿專員麥德偉到賀

"香港日"嘉賓祝酒。(黃子安提供)

左起，麻州眾議員黃子安，麻州香港協會會長葉俊年，香港駐美國
總經濟貿易專員麥德偉，香港駐紐約經濟貿易辦事處處長朱瑞雯，
副處長關可臨在會中合影。(周菊子攝)

(Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導)麻州香港協會和香港經貿辦事處，麻州眾議會亞裔核心小組合作，10月17日在麻州州政府大樓內舉辦”香港日”活動，一年一度的慶祝香港與麻州關係友好，並介紹新到任的香港駐美國總經濟貿易專員麥德偉。

麻州香港協會會長葉俊年，副會長周榮亞，麻州眾議會亞裔核心小組的麻州眾議員黃子安，陳德基，Rady Mom，和香港駐美國總經濟貿易專員麥德偉、香港駐紐約經濟貿易辦事處處長朱瑞雯在會場歡迎逾百名出席同慶者。

麻州財政廳廳長高伯珂(Deb Goldberg)，正在競選麻州財政廳廳長席位的麻州眾議員Keiko Orrall，以及多名麻州議員都特地出席致意。

率先踏入麻州眾議會的亞裔，麻州眾議員黃子安(右)，陳德基(左)也是
麻州眾議會亞裔核心小組發起人。(周菊子攝)

麻州國際貿易及投資辦公室(MOITI)主任蘇利文(Mark Sullivan)代表麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)出席，送上表揚狀，宣佈當天為麻州”香港日”。

原為香港公務員事務局副秘書長的麥德偉，今年七月才調為香港駐美國總經濟貿易專員，到華府上任後，這是第二次來麻州。

麻州眾議會的眾議員們為香港日送上表揚狀，香港總經貿專員麥德偉
(中)代表接受。(黃子安提供)

麥德偉在”香港日”中闡述香港近年經濟大好，與中國連接更緊密，推動科技發展的力度尤其大，正陸續斥資6到10億美元，做各項相關基礎建設，並獎勵創新創業。

香港和麻州之間的往來，也有麻州出口到香港增長47%，總值達到13億美元的佳績。兩地在科技，金融，生物醫藥上都有密切合作。財富500強公司中在麻州的12家公司，有10家也在香港設有分部。  香港和麻州的關係從2015年開通飛機直航後，更是緊密。
在交通上，香港與中國的連接，越來越近，不僅9月23日廣深港高鐵香港段通車，從香港可直達中國44個城市。10月19日，香港政府也剛宣佈，造價逾千億港元的港珠澳大橋，將於10月24日早上9點通車。從香港到廣東珠海的交通時間將從四小時縮減到45分鐘。

左起，麻州香港協會副會長周榮亞，會長葉俊年和麻州眾議員
Keiko Orrall，香港駐美國總經濟貿易專員麥德偉，香港駐紐約
經濟貿易辦事處處長朱瑞雯。(黃子安提供)

根據中國科技部，財政部今年5月14日發表的"關於鼓勵香港特別行政區，澳門特別行政區等院校和科研機構餐與中央財政科技計畫(專項、基金等)組織實施的若干規定(試行)，中國的國家經費將投入香港的科技研發，以充分利用香港現有43名兩院院士，16個國家重點夥伴實驗室，6個國家工程技術研究中心香港分中心等資源。

香港特區行政首長林鄭月娥也在2017年10月上任時指出，香港將大力發展創新科技，創意產業，本地研發總開支提升至每年450億港元，令啟動20億港元的”創科創投基金”。
麥德偉還透露，明年夏天，香港中樂團將到麻州的探戈塢(Tanglewood)表演。

麻州財政廳廳長高伯珂(Deb Goldberg)在香港日中致詞。(黃子安提供)

麻州眾議員黃子安(左)和波士頓龍舟節執委會主席劉忠凱(右)。(周菊子攝)

香港駐紐約經濟貿易辦事處處長朱瑞雯表示，香港和麻州的關係，在兩地熱心人士協助下，勢必越來越好。