Weekly Bulletin March 18 - March 22, 2019 | Week 27 |
MESSAGE FROM BAA HEADMASTER, MS. CLARK |
I would like to thank all the members of the BAA community--families, friends, supporters, and alums--who have reached out this week to offer support after the UNH incident last weekend. As my letter on Friday stated, this is not considered a criminal case, according to UNH Police. A number of family members and BAA board members have asked why that is the case, and I wanted to communicate that BAA’s Board of Trustees is pursuing that question, and I will keep you updated. However, at a minimum, the leaders of the high school and school district where the students attend are adamant that consequences will be imposed on these students, along with broader education efforts around racism and cultural proficiency. On Friday we learned about the horrible attacks in New Zealand against the Muslim community, and we are reminded again that bigotry and racism are senseless, destructive, and unacceptable. BAA's values, "diversity with respect" and "community with social responsibility," express our commitment to work towards a more inclusive, more just world. Earlier this week, the music students and I met, and we constructed an editorial that we hope to have published (please see below). It's very important to me that the students' "vision with integrity" is represented in their own words. Here is our editorial: Last weekend, Boston Arts Academy (BAA) music students went to the Clark Terry Jazz Festival at the University of New Hampshire – an annual gathering of middle school and high school students throughout New England and New York - and were subjected to a disturbing incident of racism while sitting in a lunchroom waiting to perform. This week, at BAA we have been reflecting on the incident as a community, and our students have some thoughts they would like to share.
Boston Arts Academy is proud to be a very diverse school, one that includes students from all 26 Boston neighborhoods. Our students who participated in the festival last weekend are proud to be jazz musicians, a genre of music that is inclusive of many different cultures. The irony was not lost on our students who were sent racist images mocking Black History month at a jazz festival named for a prominent Black musician. Jazz, as one student told me, is about celebrating and combining all cultures, especially Black culture. The people who harassed them, this student said, clearly don't understand what jazz is about.
Despite the vile incident, our students chose to perform rather than leave in anger. When asked why, they emphasize they did so because their connection to music and to one another is stronger than any hateful act. Our young musicians arrived at the festival as the only diverse student group. “We already felt out of place before this happened,” another student told me, “like we had to be on guard and twice as good as anyone else.” They felt that the people harassing them were trying to provoke them, to get them to act like “a stereotype,” and they didn’t want to fulfill someone else’s negative expectations. Rather, they wanted to represent themselves, their families, and their school with pride. And they wanted to let the quality of their musicianship speak for itself. “We chose to respond from a place of passion and motivation,” one student said. “We wanted to show them we’ll respond in a mature way...we’ll respond through a great performance.”
Our students would like you to know that they are thinking about how they can be part of a positive change. They don’t want to be remembered as the student group that was harassed. They want to be remembered for their activism. Their focus now is on increasing access to the music they love, and they are actively planning outreach to elementary and middle schools. They would like to see more music programs in Boston and more students who look like them having the kinds of opportunities they experience at Boston Arts Academy. Our BAA musicians want to return to New Hampshire for the Clark Terry Jazz Festival, but next time they don’t want to be the only diverse group in the lunchroom.
At Boston Arts Academy, we teach our students that true artists are change makers. We are outraged by this incident, but we are by no means defeated by it. Our students continue to inspire us with their bravery, maturity, and integrity. And we have no doubt they will help make the change they want to see. |
CONGRATULATIONS AND SHOUT-OUTS |
Congratulations to Natalia Reyes, Junior, for designing the winning logo for Boston Public Schools Career and Technical Education division! In addition to having her logo on all CTE materials, Natalia will be awarded a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a personalized etched acrylic plaque. Congratulations to our Sophomore vocalists for a fantastic job on your Sophomore recitals! You showed your talent, hard work, and determination through inspiring and confident performances of classical song. Also, a shout-out to Ms. Lee for her wonderful piano accompaniment. I was so proud of each of you - Ms. Rivelli. Congratulations to the Sophomores of the String Department who have completed their Recitals and to the Freshman who performed in the performance as well. Congratulations to the following students on their college acceptances:
Have someone(s) to congratulate or shout out? Please email Ms. Booth --> tbooth@bostonartsacademy.org (be sure to include name and reason for the shout out) |
CALENDAR OF EVENTS |
MARCH Monday, March 25 - Senior Music Recitals: Music Tech, 6:00-8:00pm Tuesday, March 26 - Wednesday, March 27 - Computer-Based English MCAS for all 10th Graders Tuesday, March 26 - Admitted Students & Families Night, 6:00pm Wednesday, March 27 - Senior Music Recitals: Jazz, 6:00-8:00pm Thursday, March 28 - Senior Music Recitals: Classical, 6:00-8:00pm APRIL Monday, April 1 - Wednesday, April 10 - Tech Week for Senior Theatre Showcase Tuesday, April 2 - BAA Music Showcase @ home.stead bakery and cafe, 5:00-7:00pm Tuesday, April 2 - BAA Family Council Meeting, 6:00-7:30pm Thursday, April 4 - VA Sophomore Reviews (in class) Friday, April 5 - No Regular Classes; Teacher Work Day Wednesday, April 10 - College Visit Day *UPDATED* Wednesday, April 10 - Friday, April 12 - Senior Theatre Showcase Monday, April 15 - No School; Patriots’ Day Tuesday, April 16 - Friday, April 19 - No School; April Break Monday, April 22 - Students Return from April Break Thursday, April 25 - Family Conference Day For additional details, or for a listing of all events for the school year, please check our website calendar here. |
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS Please also see the appropriate section below for information specific to your art major |
*NEW* 22nd Annual Do It Your Damn Self!! National Youth Film Festival, March 21-23. The Do It Your Damn Self!! National Youth Film Festival (DIYDS!!) is the longest running youth-produced festival in the country, drawing over 800 youth and adults to screenings every year. Founded in 1996 by six Cambridge teens who felt misrepresented in the media and wanted to change it, the festival is a champion of social-justice and issue-focused youth filmmakers who want to see change and make it happen. Click here for more information and to register. *NEW* Seniors: We are very excited to share that we will be hosting a lunch and leadership workshop for the senior class this Friday, March 22, from 12:00-2:00pm at DotHouse Health (1353 Dorchester Avenue). This workshop will be led by artist Wyatt Jackson, whom many of you know. During the workshop we will be thinking and talking about "Legacy" - yours as an individual and yours as a senior class. Seniors who participate will also get ½ off of their Six Flags Ticket. (You will be able to “earn” the other half by attending another, upcoming senior workshop.) *NEW* Junior VAs will be hosting an opening reception for their collaborative show with the junior theater tech majors at JP Licks in South Bay on Wednesday, March 27 from 4:00-6:00pm. Please join us for light refreshments and art work created through a collaborative experience!! *NEW* SENIORS There’s things to do for the Yearbook! Check your email for yearbook information and your headshots! Please look for an email from TreeRing in order to insert pictures into your personal half-page of the yearbook. Follow the instructions to create your yearbook account, and email which headshot you’d like to use to Ms. Marz.Check with Ms. Marz if you have questions. All pictures must be in the pages by Friday, March 29. You should also VOTE for the senior superlatives HERE. Young Men of Color (YMOC) Conference. This year’s theme is Man Up! Maximize Your Resources So You Can Maximize Your Impact. Youth will connect with peers and mentors on topics including college accessibility, community violence, social media presence, romantic relationships, money, and more - and learn ways to make an impact towards positive systems change. Saturday, March 30, 9:00am-3:00pm at Roxbury Community College. This event is FREE. Breakfast and lunch provided. Click here for more information and to register. The City of Boston Youth Job and Resource Fair will be held on Saturday, March 30 at the Reggie Lewis Center from 10am-2pm. The fair will host 200+ youth employers and career development workshops and offer free food, music, games, and a raffle! Fill out this form if you plan to attend. National Endowment for the Arts Musical Theatre Songwriting Challenge. The National Endowment for the Arts and the American Theatre Wing are looking for emerging songwriting stars for the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge. This national competition is open to high school students who have a passion for writing songs that could be part of a musical theater production. Musical theater encompasses a wide range of musical styles including hip-hop, rock, R&B, country, jazz, and more. This year marks the second national competition with applications due by Tuesday, April 30. Click here to apply. The Resilient Sisterhood Project (RSP), a Boston-based non-profit whose mission is to educate and empower women of African descent concerning their reproductive health, will be holding a very special Mother’s Day celebration organized at Wellesley College on Saturday, May 11th from 5:00-7:30pm. This event will incorporate speakers from a variety of disciplines and dance performances, along with the music of Florence Price, the first African-American woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer. The event will conclude with a reception during which guests will be able to meet the invited speakers and performers. For more information, please click here or contact: Lilly Marcelin (Lmarcelin@rsphealth.org, 617-590-4003). Please click here for an important message about student T passes for the 2019-2020 school year. |
COLLEGE AND CAREER |
SOPHOMORES AND JUNIORS: Boston Public Library is holding *free* 4-week SAT classes this spring in various locations. View their events calendar for more information. JUNIORS: Do you have dreams of going to college? Do you want to increase your chances of earning scholarship dollars? BAA is offering 3 sessions of in-school SAT prep on Fridays in March, from 1pm to 3pm, in preparation for the May 4th test. Pizza will be provided! Participating students will also have the opportunity to take a full-length, in-school practice test. Interested students can pick up a registration form from the main office. *DEADLINE THIS WEEK* 2019 Yo Soy LOLA Scholarships | Amount: Three $3000 awards | Deadline: Monday, March 18. Founded in 2017, Yo Soy LOLA's annual production takes place in October, showcasing Latinas in the performing arts. Our net proceeds fund scholarships for Latina identifying artists seeking to make a direct impact in their communities. Scholarship Applicants must be:
Click here for more information and to apply. LULAC National Scholarship Fund | Amount: $250 to $2,000 | Deadline: Sunday, March 31. The LNSF offers three tiers of awards based on a student’s GPA and SAT scores. While LULAC is a Latin American organization, the scholarship application is open to graduating seniors of all races and ethnicities. View details and application here. Greater Boston Real Estate Board Scholarship | Amount: $500 to $5,000 | Deadline: Monday, April 1. UAspire presents the GBREB Scholarship for graduating seniors living in the Boston or Greater Boston Area. Applicants must demonstrate leadership experience, extracurricular involvement, and academic achievement. Requirements include a short answer and essay. Click here to apply. NAWAMA Visual Arts Scholarship | Amount: $1,500 | Deadline: Monday, April 1. The Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Women Artists, Inc. (www.nawama.org) fosters and promotes awareness and interest in visual art created by women in the United States. We strive to encourage contemporary and emerging artists through exhibitions, educational programs and scholarships. In keeping with its mission, NAWAMA is awarding two $1,500 scholarships to two 2019 graduates. Eligibility: Any female student who will be graduating from a Massachusetts High School. The candidate must be attending college in the fall of 2019 with a major in Fine Arts. Click here to apply or email Scholarship Chair Rosalie Cuticchia at rosaliec333@gmail.com for an application. University Club of Boston’s Future Leaders of Boston Scholarship | Amount: up to $20,000 | Deadline: Monday, April 8. Scholarships will be granted to five graduates of Boston’s district, pilot and charter schools. Applicants must submit strong leadership potential and financial need. The scholarship is renewable for all four years. More details and the application can be found here. City of Boston Scholarship | Amount: $2,500 per year for 4 years | Deadline: Friday, April 12. This need-based scholarship is open to all graduating seniors who have lived in Boston for two or more years. Fill out the application here. Ocean Awareness Contest | Amount: up to $1,500 | Deadline: Monday, June 17. This contest is a call for young artists, thinkers, and activists who are concerned about the future of our human and natural communities to use their creative voices to explore, express, and advocate for issues related to climate change and our oceans. Create a piece about a coastal/marine species, place, or system in 2019 that will be threatened, altered, or lost due to climate change. Submissions accepted in: Visual Art, Poetry, Prose, Music, Film. Click here for additional details and to apply. Scholarships: Going Merry is an awesome new scholarship website. It makes it simple to find and apply for scholarships, just like the Common App has done for college applications! Click here to check it out! MEFA Scholarships for the New Year: www.mefa.org/scholarships-for-the-new-year. Here’s an additional resource for scholarships: studentscholarships.org. |
SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES These announcements include summer jobs and arts enrichment opportunities |
*NEW* BAA Summer scholarship fund. Interested in intensive arts study this summer? 9th, 10th, and 11th graders are encouraged to consider applying to the BAA summer scholarship fund to help support their summer arts studies. The summer scholarship application, which is due on Friday, April 12, can be obtained from your arts chairs or by emailing Ms. Marsh at kmarsh@bostonartsacademy.org. All majors are encouraged to apply. *NEW* Applications for GRAMMY Camp Are Out Now! GRAMMY Camp® is a five-day, non-residential Summer Music Industry program for high school students interested in having a career in music. Hosted by the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music (USC), students from across the country apply for one of eight offered career tracks: Audio Engineering, Music Business, Video Production, Vocal Performance, Electronic Music Production, Music Journalism, Songwriting, Instrumental Performance. GRAMMY Camp faculty of music professionals, as well as guest industry professionals, provide valuable insight to give the campers the best chance at achieving success in their chosen career. SUMMER JOBS REGISTRATION IS HERE! Sign up to get a summer job working for the city of Boston. You can come to the library or the career office in order to get help with your applications. Check out the board on the main stairwell for information. Students and families, please click here to explore additional summer opportunities such as arts programs, academic programs, volunteer and paid positions, and internships. Deadlines vary, but the sooner you apply, the better. Note: this document will be updated as new opportunities become available, so be sure to check back frequently. |
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS, GUARDIANS, AND CAREGIVERS Please also see the “CALENDAR OF EVENTS” section above for upcoming events, and the appropriate art section below for information specific to your student's art major |
*NEW* SBIRT Screening. In March 2016, the Massachusetts Legislature passed House Bill #4056 which outlined requirements for public schools, including participation in a new program about the use of alcohol, marijuana, and other substances. In order to help prevent students from starting to use substances, or intervene with early use, Boston Public Schools will provide an interview-based screening for 7th and 10th grade students about the use of alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs. At BAA, this screening will take place on Thursday, April 11. Please click here for more information about the screening. You may also contact Nurse Jocelyne (jaboujaoude@bostonartsacademy.org) or the BPS Health Services Department (617-635-6788) for more information. Please click here for an important message about student T passes for the 2019-2020 school year. Do you subscribe to The Boston Globe? The Globe has re-launched their GRANT (Globe Readers And Non-profits Together) program. This community initiative allows subscribers to help non-profits (like the Boston Arts Academy Foundation) earn free advertising space in the Globe! To participate, go to https://manage.bostonglobe.com/grant/RedeemVoucher.aspx and enter your subscriber number and Boston Arts Academy Foundation. Please consider supporting Boston Arts Academy in this very generous and unique way! Nonprofits that receive a minimum of $1,000 in GRANT dollars will be awarded free advertising space in the Globe. The submission deadline is Tuesday, April 30. Do you shop at Amazon.com? Begin your visit at smile.amazon.com and AmazonSmile will donate to Boston Arts Academy! |
DANCE These announcements are specific to Dance majors; for performances, see “CALENDAR OF EVENTS” above |
*UPDATED* Wednesday, March 20 - Sunday, March 24 - Regional High School Dance Festival, Norfolk Virginia *NEW* Wednesday, April 3 - Thursday, April 4 - Sophomore Benchmark Summative Assessment Click here for additional dance dates. |
FASHION TECHNOLOGY These announcements are specific to Fashion majors; for exhibitions, see “CALENDAR OF EVENTS” above |
SENIORS: Allan Rohan Crite Scholarship | Amount: $1000 | Deadline: Friday, April 26. In memory of Allan Rohan Crite, the African American Women Appreciating Art by African Americans (AAWAAAA) are sponsoring the Allan Rohan Crite Scholarship for African American BAA students who plan to pursue higher education in the visual arts. Applications are available in the main office or can be downloaded from here. The selected students will be granted a $1000 scholarship to go toward their education. |
MUSIC These announcements are specific to Music majors; for performances, see “CALENDAR OF EVENTS” above |
Senior Recitals (at BAA)
Chameleon Arts Ensemble Chamber Music Series. On Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, the Chameleon Arts Ensemble will present their 4th concert of their Chamber Music Series. The program will include work by Haydn, Poulenc, Knussen, and Schubert. Click here for additional details. Students and families who are interested in attending can reserve free tickets by emailing info@chameleonarts.org. |
THEATRE These announcements are specific to Theatre majors; for performances, see “CALENDAR OF EVENTS” above |
No announcements. |
VISUAL ARTS These announcements are specific to VA majors; for exhibitions, see “CALENDAR OF EVENTS” above |
SENIORS: Allan Rohan Crite Scholarship | Amount: $1000 | Deadline: Friday, April 26. In memory of Allan Rohan Crite, the African American Women Appreciating Art by African Americans (AAWAAAA) are sponsoring the Allan Rohan Crite Scholarship for African American BAA students who plan to pursue higher education in the visual arts. Applications are available in the main office or can be downloaded from here. The selected students will be granted a $1000 scholarship to go toward their education. |
Questions or Concerns? For artistic concerns, contact Artistic Dean, Kathleen Marsh: kmarsh@bostonartsacademy.org For academic concerns, including special education and support for English language learners, contact Academic Dean, Joy Bautista: jbautista@bostonartsacademy.org For safety and school culture concerns, contact Dean of Students, Edgar Vasquez: evasquez@bostonartsacademy.org For health concerns, contact Nurse Jocelyne Aboujaoude: jaboujaoude@bostonartsacademy.org For admissions information, contact Admissions Manager, Christina Rodríguez: crodriguez@bostonartsacademy.org For any concerns, feel free to contact Headmaster, Anne Clark: aclark@bostonartsacademy.org Helpful Links: School Calendar, SIS Login, BAA Handbook for Students & Families |
Boston Arts Academy
11 Charles Street, Dorchester, MA 02122
bostonartsacademy.org | 617-635-6470
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