The Digital Dragon




Student, Family & Community

Important Dates:

Senior Prom- Thursday, May 26 at 6pm at Lombardo's in Randolph Ma.

Graduation- Sunday, June 12 at Matthews Arena at Northeastern University

Graduation Stoles: BPS approved vendor, Motherland's Kente Cloth, will be visiting BLA for students to order stoles. Basic stoles are $22 and customized stoles are $28 with two flags/two pictures. Learn More About Braima HERE. You can email him at motherlandskentecloth@gmail.com

BMC will be hosting our Spring Vaccination clinic on Wednesday June 8th 1-4:30p in the lower cafeteria. This is open to the PUBLIC.


Dear Parents & Guardians of BPS High School Students,


I hope you are doing well. I am inviting you to participate in BPS' College, Career, and Life Readiness (CCLR) Family Focus Group. Participants in this focus group will provide input on BPS’ proposed work to strengthen partnerships with CCLR organizations that support BPS students in their post-graduate planning and transitions (e.g., College Advising Corps, Bottom Line, uAspire, and others). Your experience as a BPS high school parent/guardian will provide valuable insights to guide this process, particularly as we seek to ensure that our approach prioritizes racial equity and equitable access and opportunity for all students.


The opportunity: Based on your student and family’s experience in BPS, we’d like to get your input on how the district can better coordinate with partner organizations that provide valuable CCLR support to BPS students. The focus group session will be centered on ensuring that the strategies to strengthen CCLR partnership coordination are developed and implemented with racial equity and student experiences at the forefront.


The focus group will be facilitated by Root Cause, a nonprofit consulting group that BPS is partnering with to launch a set of strategies to strengthen CCLR partnership coordination in Boston Public Schools. This focus group will be made up of families of current and recently graduated BPS high school students.


Time Commitment: There will be one 60-minute Family Focus Group meeting on Tuesday, May 3rd from 6-7pm. The meeting will take place virtually on Zoom.


Next Steps: Please indicate your participation by completing this brief survey by Friday, 4/29. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or points of clarification if that will help you make your decision. Thank you for your consideration, and we hope to have you as a focus group member.


BLA Operations

BPS DAILY HOME HEALTH CHECKLIST

Please use the BPS daily checklist everyday. The checklist is available in many languages and found HERE


MORNING SAFETY

Please follow the signs posted near the school and watch your speed during school arrival times. Please avoid blocking traffic by stopping in the middle of the road, parking in the spots designated for buses, making U-turns and dropping students off in the teacher parking lots.

HAPGOOD MONTHLY LIBRARY NEWSLETTER

Please check out this month's library newsletter

COVID Protocol

If you test positive for COVID, fill out the google form (below) so we can correctly excuse this absence and record this illness. Please follow the directions for quarantine on the form, if you need further assistance, feel free to reach out to Nurse Conlin and Price

Google Form for reporting positive COVID case: HERE

Student Support

Academic Supports Available to Students:

The third academic quarter ends April 19. Please see below for a list of academic supports available to all students.

  • Math Center: Sign up for the math center during Support Block or go after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays in room 108 from 1:50-2:30.

  • Youth Virtual Learning Programs: Check out this spreadsheet which has over 200 programs available to students to support with academics in the virtual world.

  • Pie R Squared: Pie R Squared offers live math tutoring after school.

  • 826 Boston: 826 Boston’s after-school tutoring program operates Monday-Thursday for students ages 6-18. We serve the highest-need students in our community and give priority enrollment to students from low-income families and English Language Learners.

  • April Acceleration Academy Registration Form 7-10 GRADE


SCHOLARSHIP:

the MIT AgeLab has a 2022 OMEGA Scholarship for high school students engaging in intergenerational work.

The MIT AgeLab’s Opportunities for Multigenerational Exchange, Growth and Action (OMEGA) initiative is proud to offer five scholarships to recognize the efforts that teens are making to create multigenerational connections. Each award will include a $5000 college scholarship to the winning student and $1000 to the winning student’s intergenerational initiative to support its activities. High school juniors and seniors in the U.S. are eligible to apply. Both a completed application and a recommendation letter are required to apply for the scholarship. Applications are due May 15, 2022. Please visit https://agelab.mit.edu/omega-scholarship to learn more and apply!

Any questions can be directed to omegamit@mit.edu.


SENIORS: new scholarship!

The Girls’ High School Association (not the same as the GLS/BLA Association) offers scholarships of usually $500-1000. Female seniors are encouraged to apply. The GHS Association is a local organization that has been very generous to BLA students! See the application here: Deadline is May 1st.

Upcoming Events

MONDAY

  • Multicultural night Auditions

TUESDAY

  • Multicultural night Auditions

WEDNESDAY

  • Multicultural night Auditions

  • Covid Pool Testing

THURSDAY

  • 8th Grade Carnival 2pm-3pm

FRIDAY

  • last day to apply for successlink

  • New Beginnings: spring into teen night 6pm-9pm at the ICA, there will be performances, art making, tarot card readings, open mic and more

  • Powderpuff Games

Student vs Teacher Dodgeball Game and 9th Grade Spring Fling

The Thursday before April Break, Seniors, Juniors and BLA staff all came together to hit each other with balls... yes we played Dodgeball! It was crazy, hectic, all over the place but it's safe to say that everyone had their fair share of fun. The game ended in a Tie. While the upperclassmen and teachers battled it out, the 9th grade set up for a Spring Fling! It was quite fun, there was music, food and games.

Middle School Updates and Information

Opportunities for 7th graders:

  • Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship: The Cooke Young Scholars Program is a selective five-year, pre-college scholarship for high-performing 7th grade students with financial need. Educational advisers help Cooke Young Scholars maximize the high school experience and prepare to thrive at the nation’s top-performing colleges. For more information click here. DUE May 9

  • NEMPAC has a call for Middle and High School PAID Interns for Summer 2022! We're looking for students entering grades 7 - 12 to assist our youth summer workshops in music, theatre, and dance! Interns can express interest in just one, two, three, or even all eight weeks! Interns will run warm-ups, games, help with set up and break down, assist with staging, choreography, and music rehearsals, as well as prop making and more! Duties of each intern will vary based on their strengths and interests. They will also be considered a “mentor” to the students and are therefore expected to be a good example to them throughout the workshop.


Interns are an integral part in helping the workshop run smoothly, while building their leadership skills, and communication and organizational skills, while gaining experience working with young children!


Interested students must fill out the application by the deadline of JUNE 1st! After we receive all applications, we will send out intern assignments by June 10th.


NEMPAC Summer Youth Internship Application: https://forms.gle/6mLC8uufcTYHpSkM7


Intern Requirements & Details:

  • Student Intern must be entering 7th grade in for the 2022/2023 school year.

    • Exception for Broadway Bootcamp, where you must be 16 by the start of the program on August 12

    • Exception for PlayLab: Create, Produce Perform, where you must be 14 by the start of the program on August 22.

  • Students must be fully vaccinated in order to participate as an intern

  • There is a small stipend of $50/week for all workshop weeks

    • Exception for July 4th week of Kids Music Theatre/Dance, in which the stipend will be $40.

Summer Program Internship Workshop Descriptions, Dates & Shifts: Visit www.nempacboston.org/summerprograms

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Artward Bound Applications Open- due May 22

Artward Bound mission is simple: bring local voices of color to the forefront of the art industry. Artward Bound is a free 4-year program that prepares 9th - 12th-grade students interested in visual arts and design with the artistic and academic skills needed for admission to and success at an art/design college. Artward Bound is currently accepting applications for current 8th, 9th, and 10th grade students to start this summer. Apply by May 22nd at massart.edu/artwardboundapply.

Boston University’s Upward Bound Program

Are you a BLA freshman or sophomore who is Interested in taking classes at Boston University this summer? Are you also interested in getting paid to participate in a program during the school year that increases your preparedness for college and future years of high school? Please apply to BU’s Upward Bound program here. To be eligible you must live in one of the following neighborhoods: Roxbury, Mattapan, Dorchester or East Boston.

The Artemis Project is a five-week summer program that introduces girls to the creative thinking and problem-solving skills that are at the core of computer science. Artemis will be offered from July 5th to August 5th, 2022 weekdays from 9:30 AM -3:30PM on the BU campus. The program makes fundamental topics in computer science fun and engaging by incorporating both hands-on activities as well as real-world applications. Participants will learn how to code in Python, design their own websites, build robots, and program microbits. They also will learn about conceptual topics including search and sort algorithms, cryptography, and artificial intelligence. Lunch is provided each day.

Artemis is run by undergraduate women concentrating in Computer Science and Engineering who are passionate about what they do. Through interactions with the coordinators, as well as with faculty and industry guest speakers, the participants will meet many female role models in the fields of computer science and engineering.

Students accepted into the program are required to pay a $100 non-refundable registration fee.

The program is administered by the Learning Resource Network (LERNet), a BU center with a long history of coordinating science and engineering programs for K-12 students. Additional program information can be found on the website: http://www.bu.edu/lernet/artemis


Please send email to cab@bu.edu if you have any further questions.


sySTEMic Flow

sySTEMic flow is hosting a Future Steminist event for BIPOC girls in 6th-12th grade who want to explore the STEM world. We would love it if you could share this opportunity with your students, community, and school.


Youth will have the opportunity to work on various STEM activities while learning about the different college degrees and career fields in the industry. Participants who attend the event will be entered into raffles throughout the day to receive gift cards, prizes, and more!


Participants can register and review the event schedule using the link below: https://www.systemicflow.com/future-steminist.

More on event details:

Future Steminist is on Saturday, May 21, from 9 AM - 4:00 PM at Roxbury Community College. The cost per student is $25, though we will work with any families who are experiencing financial hardships. As per the location guidelines, we can only accommodate 80 students, and masks will be required.


NEMPAC has a call for Middle and High School PAID Interns for Summer 2022! We're looking for students entering grades 7 - 12 to assist our youth summer workshops in music, theatre, and dance! Interns can express interest in just one, two, three, or even all eight weeks! Interns will run warm-ups, games, help with set up and break down, assist with staging, choreography, and music rehearsals, as well as prop making and more! Duties of each intern will vary based on their strengths and interests. They will also be considered a “mentor” to the students and are therefore expected to be a good example to them throughout the workshop.


Interns are an integral part in helping the workshop run smoothly, while building their leadership skills, and communication and organizational skills, while gaining experience working with young children!


Interested students must fill out the application by the deadline of JUNE 1st! After we receive all applications, we will send out intern assignments by June 10th.


NEMPAC Summer Youth Internship Application: https://forms.gle/6mLC8uufcTYHpSkM7


Intern Requirements & Details:

  • Student Intern must be entering 7th grade in for the 2022/2023 school year.

    • Exception for Broadway Bootcamp, where you must be 16 by the start of the program on August 12

    • Exception for PlayLab: Create, Produce Perform, where you must be 14 by the start of the program on August 22.

  • Students must be fully vaccinated in order to participate as an intern

  • There is a small stipend of $50/week for all workshop weeks

    • Exception for July 4th week of Kids Music Theatre/Dance, in which the stipend will be $40.

Summer Program Internship Workshop Descriptions, Dates & Shifts: Visit www.nempacboston.org/summerprograms

Youth Action Team

The Y.A.T. is for incoming public high school juniors who seek to improve their leadership skills through creative producing. Applicants should be willing to engage in personal reflection and to respect others whose ideas and perspectives are different from their own, be able to follow through on goals and commitments, and have an interest in theater, although no theater experience is necessary. Up to twelve applicants will be selected from various Greater Boston Public Schools. Boston and Cambridge students are particularly encouraged to apply. DUE May 1

Link Here


Free COVID-19 Home Test Kits Available for City of Boston residents

Boston residents can now pick up free rapid at-home test kits at designated sites around the City, while supplies last. Each person will be able to pick up a kit for each member of their immediate household per visit. There are two tests in each kit. 


Please help us get the word out about these kits along with guidance on how to use them:

  • BPHC’s fact sheet provides guidance on how to use these home test kits, including what to do if you test positive. These are currently available in English and Spanish.

  • Mass DPH provides detailed instructions for using a home test kit, as well as graphic instructions available in several languages.

  • More detailed guidance on using the kits is available directly from the vendors, currently iHealth or QuickVue.

Summer Programs

  • Summer Stuff: The time to make your summer plans is now! BPS Summer Stuff has information on summer schools, camps, programs, activities & jobs! The website will be constantly updated, so check back often!

  • Thompson Island Outward Bound's Summer Learning Expedition: The Thompson Island Outward Bound Summer Learning Expedition is a 3-week overnight summer learning experience (July 3rd to 23rd) to help students grow as individuals, scientific thinkers, and stewards of the environment. Through backpacking, kayaking, camping, and hands-on field activities on the island, students will gain expertise living and learning in an outdoor environment and in community with one another. The program dates are July 3rd to July 23rd, 2022 and the program is FREE to rising 7th and 8th grade BPS students. Registration will open on April 1st with limited spots available! More information available at Summer Learning Expedition

  • Community Boat Building Summer Program: Summer programs feature different building projects, such as a Wooden Rowboat. In addition, participants spend time outside playing games and rowing on Fort Point Channel. For ages 7-18. Some financial aid is available. Programs start in July but fill up fast! Learn more and register here!

  • City Spotlights Summer Leadership Program is a summer youth employment program that will hire up to 30 Teen Leaders. City Spotlights is a 6-week program where Teen Leaders will work collaboratively developing skills to succeed as community leaders through advocacy, college and career readiness, and performing arts in acting, music, and dance. While earning minimum wage for up to 25 hours per week, teens design and facilitate interactive workshops for peers in the Boston community. Teens also work collaboratively to create an original Final Showcase performance to be presented at the end of the summer to the public.

WHEN: Teen Leaders will meet Monday-Friday 9:30 am-4:30 pm The program runs July 5-August 12

WHERE: Boch Center Shubert Theatre 270 Tremont Street, Boston


APPLY HERE AND SELECT YOUR AUDITION DATE


Interested in working in a hospital this summer? Are you in the 9th grade? Please read!


Project T.E.A.C.H (Teen Education About Careers in Health) is a summer program for rising 10th grade students. Students selected for Project T.E.A.C.H spend 6 weeks in July and August in the hospital setting as a paid Brigham and Women’s Hospital employee. While students are being exposed to the many possibilities of health or science related careers, it is our goal to further develop characteristics of responsibility, discipline, maturity, communication and work ethic.


Project TEACH is looking to recruit 9th grade boys from BLA for their summer internship program! If you are interested and would like to apply, please reach out to me ASAP through email (catie.sirois@bostonpic.org).


GROW (Greater Boston Research Opportunities for Young Women)


• Dates: June 29-30 (orientation) and July 5– August 12, 2022 M-F from 9:30-4:30

• Grade Level: Young women who attend greater Boston high schools and will be entering their senior year in fall 2022

• Must be 16 years old by July 1, 2022

• Must live within 30 miles of Boston and be able to commute to BU every day

• Deadline for Applications: April 15, 2022


GROW is a six-week paid research internship for young women who are seriously interested in STEM careers. Participants can earn a stipend of up to $1500 for completion of all program requirements. Accepted students will be placed in a biology, chemistry, physics, neuroscience or engineering lab where they will participate in cutting edge research in a collaborative group session. Participants will be part of a cohort that meets several times a week with a Program Manager who will coach them on how to reach their research goals and help prepare them to present their research at a summer symposium. Participants will also hear from guest speakers and learn about careers in STEM fields. Please note: Accepted Students must be able to attend all program dates. For more information and to apply, go to: www.bu.edu/lernet/grow.