20 Sep 2023

CRLS Teachers Honored with 2023 Faculty Distinction Awards

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For the 17th consecutive year FOCRLS sponsored the Faculty Distinction Awards, with the 2023 recipients bringing the total since 2007 to 68 CRLS staff members honored by students. Members of the graduating class nominated the awardees for having remarkably positive influences over their high school years. FOCRLS produced framed certificates, which Principal Damon Smith presented at the graduation ceremony on June 8 to these beloved teachers:

Ms. Natasha Labaze, who has been an English teacher at CRLS since 2001, earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Tufts University. Students describe Ms. Labaze as “an extremely thorough, thoughtful and, most of all, caring person” who “brightens up my day every single time I walk into her classroom.” One student wrote, “Ms.Labaze helped me believe in myself. She helped me realize I was smart and I was capable of many things.”

Mr. Tony Porreca, who has taught at CRLS for 14 years, is a special education teacher within the English and history departments. He is known for being supportive, collaborative, and dedicated. He has a caring approach to working with and relating to his students as well as their families. By having compassion for all learners and developing authentic relationships with his students, he helps them rise to high expectations.

Mr. Drew Kreuser has been an English teacher at CRLS for nine years. He holds a graduate degree from
Lesley University in special education as well as three degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison: a graduate degree in curriculum & instruction/literacy and undergraduate degrees in history and secondary English education. He works closely with his teaching team to create an inclusive community where all students’ voices are heard and he works to provide relevant and engaging content to honor student voice and choice.

Ms. Rickteyzia Simmons has been an educator at CRLS for six years. In addition to teaching world history, she has created and taught her own course, History of Fashion, utilizing her bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising from Lasell University. Rickteyzia, who recognizes the transformative impact a good teacher can have on a student’s educational experience, devotes her time at CRLS to fostering meaningful connections with her students.

Congratulations and thank you to these educators for making substantial contributions to the personal growth, social development, and academic success of CRLS students!

23 Jul 2023

FOCRLS Summer Update

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Friends of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School (FOCRLS) would like to share some recent highlights and feature a few of our 2023 awardees. (This is also a reminder that we’re busy year round.)

Thanks to your support and the generosity of all of our donors, sponsors, grantors, and volunteers, we’ve been able to present the following:

Forty-eight Scholarships totaling $86,250 to deeply deserving students pursuing education beyond CRLS. The awardees have impressed us not only academically with their A and A+ grades but also with their abilities, aspirations, and achievements across adversity. Thanks to our sponsors and donors, we’re able to support these determined students as they pursue their goals in the fields of medicine, science, computer science, education, engineering, and the arts, to name a few.

Awardees, please be sure to contact info.focrls@gmail.com about claiming your scholarship checks!

See more about our 2023 scholarship awardees and sponsors>>

Nine Student Travel Fellowships totaling $19,940 for the CRLS trip in April to Puerto Rico. Thanks to our donors, we were able to provide resources to students who were earning, raising, and saving funds for their adventures. By being able to participate in this trip, they broadened their horizons, became immersed in culture, explored the environment, experienced the tropics, built their confidence, and created memories.

Four Faculty Distinction Awards, sponsored by Friends of CRLS and presented by Principal Smith during the graduation ceremony on June 8.We assisted the Class of 2023 in thanking four notable educators among the many who were positive influences during their years at CRLS. History teacher Ms. Rickteyzia Simmons was honored along with three teachers from the English Language Arts department: Ms. Natasha Labaze, Mr. Drew Kreuser, and Mr. Tony Porreca. Dedication, inspiration, kindness, communication, community building, and humor are but a few of these honorees’ qualities appreciated by their grateful students.

Thank you to all of our donors, sponsors, grantors, volunteers, and awardees!

Donate to FOCRLS

9 Jun 2023

Congratulations to our 2023 Scholarship Awardees and Thank You to our Sponsors!

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Friends of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School (FOCRLS) is delighted and honored to be awarding a total of $86,250 in scholarships this year! Scholarship sponsors and reviewers pored over several hundred applications and after careful consideration selected the students who best met the various criteria for each scholarship. The deserving, determined, dynamic recipients include 40 college-bound members of the Class of 2023. Awardees were selected for their academic achievements, educational goals, professional aspirations, essays, and financial need. Reviewers also considered awardees’ extracurriculars, employment, internships, personal growth, and perseverance. Generous contributors made the 48 scholarships possible, with Bristol Myers Squibb being the newest addition to FOCRLS’s roster of sponsors. We are deeply grateful to our sponsors, donors, reviewers, and awardees.

See the list of our 2023 scholarships, sponsors, and awardees here.>>


All photos by Janis Navikas


Learn more about our scholarships, donate, or inquire about sponsoring a scholarship on our Scholarships and Awards Program page here>>

24 May 2023

Alumni Awardees’ Achievements

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Friends of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School (FOCRLS) recently reached out to some of our alumni scholarship awardees asking them for college and career updates. We also asked them how the scholarships we presented them were meaningful and helpful. We are impressed with their achievements and happy we have been able to support their goals, thanks to our sponsors and donors.

Congratulations to all of our awardees who have already or are about to graduate from college!

Katya, the 2019 awardee of the Mary Frances Monti Scholarship, is working on her master of social work at the Columbia School of Social Work online advanced standing program on a clinical track with a focus on children, adolescents, and families.

A 2023 graduate of Simmons University, Katya is already a Case Manager at Reimagine Counseling. “This started as an internship for one of my classes, but I stayed on as an employee. They are a counseling clinic based in Quincy, Massachusetts, and specialise in individual, couples, family, and group therapy. I have been with Reimagine for almost a year and a half,” she told us.

“The scholarship I received via FOCRLS has made it so I am able to pursue my master’s and work towards licensure in my field. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to further my education and am excited to continue to work with and serve those in need.”

Photo courtesy of Katya.

Gassendina, the 2019 awardee of the Elaine Schear “Voice of the First Generation” Creative Writing Scholarship, is about to graduate from UMass Amherst with a degree in political science & journalism with plans to pursue a career in journalism now and a law degree in the future. 

 “The FOCRLS scholarship helped me pay for school. Coming from a low-income household, I knew that it would be hard for me and my family to pay for college. Since I had the scholarship support, I was able to have more time for my studies and other career-related opportunities. The scholarship essentially enabled me to obtain and afford higher education.”

Photo courtesy of Gassendina.

Sagyan, the 2019 awardee of the CambridgeSeven STEAM Award, is a 2023 UMass Amherst graduate with a degree in computer science. “After graduation, I am working as a full-time Software Engineer at TD Securities, the investment banking side of TD bank. I had initially interned there last summer and have taken the return offer.” 

“The financial support provided by the FOCRLS scholarship has relieved the burden of tuition fees, textbooks, and other expenses. Moreover, it has given me the flexibility to focus on my studies and explore opportunities such as internships, which have been very meaningful in giving me hands-on experience in my field of computer science.”

The annual CambridgeSeven STEAM award is sponsored by CambridgeSeven, the world-renowned architecture and design firm headquartered in Cambridge.

Photo courtesy of Sagyan.

Nellisha, a 2019 awardee of a CRLS Core Values Scholarship, is a 2023 graduate of Howard University. She has accepted a job at CBRE, a global leader in commercial real estate services and investments.

“My FOCRLS scholarship contributed heavily to my freshman year funds. Because of the scholarship, I was able to minimize my debt as a first-year student at Howard and not burden my parents with taking additional loans during my freshman year. I’m very grateful for FOCRLS, and I hope the next scholarship recipient(s) are able to similarly benefit.”

Photo courtesy of Nellisha.

Alex, a 2018 recipient of the CRLS Core Values Scholarship, graduated from Wellesley College in 2022 and is a 2023 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellow at Johns Hopkins University, studying for a career with the U.S. Foreign Service.

“The Core Values scholarship helped me with my first year of tuition at Wellesley College but it also had an impact on me intrapersonally. I transitioned from high school to college with greater confidence in myself because I knew that someone believed in me by awarding me the scholarship. That little bit of hope goes a long way when making a major life change into uncharted territory.”

Photo courtesy of Alex.


We’d love to hear from more of our scholarship awardees! Please send your updates and photos to info@focrls.org.

Donate

14 Mar 2023

Friends of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School Presents Faculty Innovation Grants

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Friends of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School (FOCRLS)’s 2023 Faculty Innovation Grantees
(l-r) Leah Gordon (with PASCO cart), Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah (with FOCRLS mascot Friendly the Falcon), Drake King, Nicholas Yeh, Brenda Divelbliss, Margaret Hans, Allison Wade, Josh Marden, and (front) Brendon Snyder

Friends of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School (FOCRLS) recently awarded their 2023 Faculty Innovation Grants to energize learning and expand services for students at the city’s public high school. Seventeen teachers, club advisors, social workers, and administrators received grants up to $1,000 per proposal, with a total of $9,296 for twelve individually-led and collaborative projects. The grantees, who were notified of their awards on February 1, will implement ideas across an array of courses and programs at Cambridge Rindge & Latin School (CRLS), the Rindge School of Technical Arts (RSTA), and the High School Extension Program (HSEP). See the list of Faculty Innovation Grantees here.

Academic subjects include calculus and AP African American History while events include a poetry festival and a modern dance performance featuring interactive projections. Also among the recipients’ plans are community-building gatherings, social skills development, and prizes for students who submit the top designs for a math department logo.

Physics teachers Leah Gordon, Joel Tenenbaum, and Afrah Farrah will purchase PASCO equipment for students to experiment with gravity and velocity. “Since all 9th-graders take the same course, this grant has the potential to benefit almost 500 students per year,” wrote Ms. Gordon in the collaborators’ proposal. “The material is reusable indefinitely, so it will benefit students every year going forward.”

English Language Arts teacher Brendon Snyder will establish a classroom library for his Comic Studies elective. “Students of different cultural, linguistic, and economic backgrounds are able to converse about, debate on, share an enthusiasm for, and bond over the world of comics,” wrote Mr. Snyder in his proposal. “It’s exciting to see students who are academically high achievers connect with students that have traditionally struggled academically and see them hear and respect each other’s opinions.”

FOCRLS has been awarding Faculty Innovation Grants since 2007, with the recent grantees bringing the total number of recipients to 248. FOCRLS estimates that Faculty Innovation Grants have enhanced the educations of more than 10,000 students over the past decade and a half.

Faculty Innovation Grants as well as the College Scholarships, Student Travel Fellowships, and other awards FOCRLS presents are made possible by contributions from donors, sponsors, and grantors. For more information about FOCRLS, visit focrls.org, email info@focrls.org, or call 857-235-9290.

29 Nov 2022

Helping Students Achieve Their Academic Hopes & Dreams

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Dear Friends, Families, Alumni, and Neighbors of CRLS,

In this season of thanks and celebration, we also look forward to the new year, with hopes that it will bring happiness and fulfillment. This is particularly true of our CRLS seniors who are applying for college. They look forward to the new year seeking to have their academic hopes and dreams fulfilled. I am writing to ask for your help in nurturing those hopes and dreams.

If you need to be convinced that these students are worthy of your support, you need only to look at the words of this past year’s FOCRLS scholarship recipients. While they clearly have admirable academic and career aspirations, what is particularly impressive and inspiring is how many also want to use the education they are seeking to make the world a better place. 

My academic interests, computer science and social justice, may appear disconnected…. My theory is that social change comes from political action, and coding can influence political action, such as expanding voting access.”

Kaliab, CRLS ’22, Swarthmore College ’26,
and awardee of three scholarships presented by FOCRLS

On the homepage of our website, you can read about Mikaëla whose passion for becoming a lawyer comes from a desire to help people “fight for their freedom, innocence or citizenship,” Michael who wants a career in medicine to treat patients in underfunded and underdeveloped communities, Isabella who is seeking a career in education to work to close achievement gaps, Fanuel who wants to become a financial advisor to help those who struggle with poverty and racism, and Kaliab who, as you can see above, is hoping to use computer coding skills to bring about social change. These are only a few of the inspiring awardees you can read about in our Scholar Spotlights on focrls.org.

We have seen what a critical difference our support has made for our impressive CRLS seniors pursuing their aspirations. We know about the struggles and sacrifices that their families have made in order for them to succeed academically, and we know how great their need for financial assistance is, with the increased economic challenges that our high rate of inflation is creating.

FOCRLS is so proud, because of the generosity of so many of you, of what we have provided for CRLS students this year. We awarded 57 scholarships totaling $81,750 this year, an increase of $10,000 (14%) over 2021. We are pleased to have provided Market Basket gift cards to approximately 300 families struggling to put food on their tables, at a cost of $15,406. We also are currently preparing to make awards totaling approximately $20,000 to help students to participate in the upcoming school trips and to faculty and staff to offer innovative educational projects. Visit our website focrls.org for more info.

With your generous support, we can do even better this year! You can enjoy this holiday season and look forward to the new year with the wonderful feeling of knowing that you have helped CRLS seniors to realize their goals of obtaining a good education, achieving a successful career, and making the world a better place. I ask that you give more generously than ever! 

Please donate here>> (automatic recurring monthly gifts are especially appreciated) or mail your check payable to Friends of CRLS to: FOCRLS, P.O. Box 391541, Cambridge MA 02139.

I thank you in advance for your generous contribution to help make it possible for our CRLS students with limited financial resources to realize their academic and social justice hopes and dreams.

Wishing you a joyous holiday season and a fulfilling and healthy new year.

Gratefully,

Jamie Sabino
President, FOCRLS Board of Directors

You might be able to double your donation!
Please look here to see if your employer will match your gift.>>

To learn more about Friends of CRLS,
our programs, volunteering, donating,
sponsoring a scholarship, or involving your business,
please visit focrls.org, email info@focrls.org, or call 857-235-9290.

17 Oct 2022

FOCRLS is accepting proposals for Faculty Innovation Grants!

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Attention CRLS teachers, advisors, administrators, social workers, specialists, librarians, liaisons . . . FOCRLS is accepting proposals for Faculty Innovation Grants!

Energize learning beyond the classroom curriculum by enhancing academic exploration, community building, social development, and appreciation of the many arts and cultures at CRLS.

Visits from accomplished guests, class field trips, special events, group creations, performances, and service learning are among the kinds of projects Faculty Innovation Grants can fund. Requests for small non-capital items are also eligible, with some past examples being books to build a classroom library, graphing calculators, and audio recording equipment.

Grants are for up to $1,000 each. We’re looking to sponsor projects, experiences, and resources that CRLS/CPS or other sources are unable to fund.

Proposals will be accepted through Tuesday, November 15 at 11:59 p.m.

To learn more, please see your cpsd.us email or email info@focrls.org.

21 Jun 2022

Cambridge Rindge & Latin School Teachers Honored by the CRLS Class of 2022

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2022 Cambridge Rindge & Latin School (CRLS) Faculty Distinction Awardees (left to right):
Ms. Jessica Hatlen (with award sponsor Friends of CRLS’s mascot Friendly the Falcon), Mr. Evan Milstein-Greengart, and
Dr. Benji Cohen. The fourth awardee, Mr. Ramazan Nigdelioglu, was not available for the photograph.

Four of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School’s most esteemed educators were honored with Faculty Distinction Awards at CRLS’s graduation on Thursday, June 9. Members of the Class of 2022 nominated the teachers for having notably positive influences over their high school years. CRLS Principal Damon Smith announced the recipients’ names, read their bios and wishes for the graduates, added quotations from students, and presented framed certificates to the teachers as they took the stage during the ceremony at Russell Field. 

In the weeks leading up to the presentation, CRLS deans collected nominations and comments from students, who praised the educators not only for their engaging teaching styles and regard for students’ academic growth, but also for their dedication, encouragement, and caring for students as individuals.

Ms. Jessica Hatlen has been a Special Educator at CRLS for five years and has been an educator for 16 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston University (2002) and a master’s degree from Wagner College (2005). Students describe Ms. Hatlen as an “understanding,” “comforting,” and “really compassionate teacher who makes learning interesting” and “cares about your wellbeing.”

Mr. Evan Milstein-Greengart has taught English Language Arts at CRLS for five years and has been a teacher for seven. He has bachelors’ degrees in English and Psychology, a master’s degree in Secondary Education, and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Educational Leadership. Students describe Mr. M-G as a “joyful” educator who “cares about each student as a whole person and puts effort into communication,” “will go out of his way to make sure you are doing your best,” and “is an angel disguised as an English teacher.”

Dr. Benji Cohen graduated from CRLS in 2007 and returned in 2018 to teach History. In the interim, he received degrees from Tufts University (2011) and the University of Virginia (2017). Students describe Dr. Cohen as “the most wonderful teacher, with an amazing, sharp sense of humor and a very welcoming classroom” who is “always willing to help students with any issue even if it is not related to his class,” “goes above and beyond to help you achieve,” and is “always in a good mood.”

Mr. Ramazan Nigdelioglu has taught Freshman Physics and AP Physics at CRLS since 2008. He is also the faculty advisor to the Muslim Cultural Club. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Physics, and two masters’ degrees, one in Business Administration, and another in School Leadership. As a Turkish native, he first came to Boston in 2002 as a Fulbright Exchange Teacher. Students describe Mr. N as an “incredibly supportive and kind” teacher whose “love of the subject and teaching show” in the way he “makes physics really fun to learn.”

Friends of CRLS has sponsored the Faculty Distinction Awards for 16 consecutive years, since 2007. This year’s quartet puts the total number of awardees at 64. See full list of awardees here>>.

Friends of CRLS is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to supporting opportunities for the public high school’s students, staff, and graduates. The Faculty Distinction Awards program is one of the organization’s five programs, with the most substantial being College Scholarships, through which Friends of CRLS is presenting $80,000 to members of the CRLS Class of 2022. For more information, please visit focrls.org.

6 Jun 2022

Congratulations to Our 2022 Scholarship Awardees!

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Help CRLS Students Blossom to Their Full Potential! *** Donate Here ***

When I was choosing a college, I thought about how it will benefit me academically but also my contribution to the community. Growing up as a black child, I always knew that I wanted to go to a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) and become a greater black representative for others and the world. With moving out of state and knowing that HBCUs don’t get a lot of money for their students, my out of pocket cost would put me in distress. This scholarship will help so much financially for my college costs, a new chapter of my life, and becoming a better leader. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

Lisa, CRLS Class of ‘22,
Xavier University of Louisiana
Class of ’26, and FOCRLS awardee of both the Earl M. Gardner Scholarship and the Scholarship for Equity & Social Justice

Friends of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School (FOCRLS) is presenting 57 scholarships totaling $81,750 in 2022. This is an increase of $10,000 over last year.

With one exception being awarded to a young musician who is a member of the CRLS Class of 2025, the scholarships will help CRLS grads (including three alumni receiving multi-year scholarship installments) pursue their goals of attaining college degrees or other post-secondary credentials.

The 2022 awardees — listed below — have demonstrated determination to overcome financial obstacles and other challenges as they focus on developing the knowledge and skills they need to bring about positive changes in the world. Having achieved in academics, extracurriculars, and community service while at CRLS, these students look forward to bright futures in professional fields including healthcare, science, research, technology, engineering, mathematics, media, music, education, law, advocacy, and environment.

All of these scholarships are made possible by our generous donors and sponsors who are investing in student success. (Sponsors are listed below.)


I am very thankful to donors in the Cambridge business community for awarding me this generous scholarship. Mathematics has captivated me from a young age and continues to do so to this day, so I am especially grateful to be recognized in this area of study. I look forward to continuing my studies in mathematics and computer science in college.

Pratyush, CRLS Class of 2022,
MIT Class of 2026, and
FOCRLS awardee of the “100 by 100” Cambridge Business Community STEAM Scholarship for Mathematics

Congratulations to our 2022 Awardees and Thank You to Our Sponsors!

“100 by 100” Cambridge Community STEAM Scholarships
(Sponsored by members of the Cambridge business community and FOCRLS):
Md Sakib (Science)
Kaliab Tale (Technology)
Jake Laskaris (Engineering)
Eva Kaufman (Arts)
Pratyush Venkatakrishnan (Mathematics)

A Scholarship to Honor Drs. Finn and Espinosa
(Sponsored by Anonymous):
Horus Williams

Aurora M. (Ciccariello) Leydon Memorial Scholarship
(Sponsored by Jack Leydon & family):
Sharon Bosco

AVID Award
(sponsored by Gail Stein):
Laila Nunes

Calvin Hicks Memorial Award for the Study of Music
(Sponsored by family, friends, and colleagues of Calvin Hicks):
Demetrios Kotsopoulos (Class of ‘25)

Cambridge Day Sue Reinert Scholarship
(Sponsored by Marc Levy):
Esther Cull-Kahn

CambridgeSeven STEAM Scholarship
(Sponsored by CambridgeSeven):
Emie Gerard

Charlene Holmes Memorial Awards
(Sponsored by FOCRLS):
Abdiwahab Muhumed
Jahime Son
Lwam Mahari
Sarah Berhanu

Cheri Kamen Memorial Scholarship in the Humanities
(Sponsored by Ramie Targoff & Stephen Greenblatt):
Mikaëla Lavandero

Colonel & Mrs. Henry Bayard McCoy Memorial Scholarships
(Sponsored by New York Community Trust):
Bennett Gillig
Matthias Lamb
Nurial Vera-Degraff
Thomas Anthony Whelan

CRLS Core Values Scholarships
(Sponsored by FOCRLS):
Abyan Shire
Aya Boulouah
Keefer Glenshaw
Ymari Blackmon

Dr. Christopher Saheed Future Educators Scholarship
(Sponsored by friends, family, and colleagues of Dr. Christopher Saheed):
Isabella Lozada

Dr. David A. Link Scholarships for Health Professions
(Sponsored by friends, family, colleagues, and patients of Dr. David A. Link):
Aarmin Shaikh
Michael Herrick

Earl M. Gardner Scholarships
(Sponsored by the Gardner family):
Brandy Altidor
Lisa Jones

Elaine Schear “Voice of the First Generation” Scholarships for Creative Writing
(Sponsored by Elaine Schear and FOCRLS):
Tiaja Williams
Yuni Gerzon

Elizabeth Vernon Scholarship for Volunteerism & Community Service
(Sponsored by FOCRLS):
Kaliab Tale

Fresh Start Contracting Corp. Award for Carpentry
(Sponsored sponsored by Ben O’Sullivan Pierce and Nick Stamos, co-founders of Fresh Start Contracting Corp. and CRLS alumni):
Juan David Calixto Tenorio

Friends of CRLS First Scholars Awards
(Sponsored by FOCRLS):
Aaliya Shaikh
Emie Gerard
Lwam Mahari

Friends of CRLS First Scholars Awards Sponsored by Cambridge Trust Company
(Sponsored by Cambridge Trust Company):
Humaira Africawala
Marwa Dissa

“It Takes a Village” Multi-Year Scholarship
(Sponsored by FOCRLS):
Dachenie Ganthier

John D. Zagarella, Sr. Memorial Scholarships
(Sponsored by the Zagarella family):
Alem Abraham
Shanira Begum

Juliette Kayyem & David Barron Scholarship for Children of First Responders
(Sponsored by Juliette Kayyem & David Barron):
Anna Wendelin

Maria J. Tavares Memorial Scholarship
(Sponsored by Mary Tavares Sutula & family):
Yuni Gerzon

Mary Francis Monti Memorial Scholarship
(Sponsored by Neil Rosenburg, CHLS ’76 & Kathleen Rosenburg):
Fanuel Ayele

N Rahman Scholarship
(Sponsored by Naveed Rahman & Caroline Butler-Rahman):
Faria Amin

Patrick Ewing Scholarship
(Sponsored by Patrick Ewing):
Sherley Maurice

Richard S. Gilreath Memorial Scholarships for the CRLS Track & Cross Country Community
(Sponsored by Richard G. Gilreath):
Emma Randall-Jarrard
Matthias Lamb

Rose & Victor Rifkin Family Scholarship
(Sponsored by friends, family, and descendants of Rose & Victor Rifkin):
Aaliya Shaikh

Scholarships for Equity & Social Justice
(Sponsored by Eileen Taxe Levine & Irving Lee Levine):
Kaliab Tale
Lisa Jones

Tutoring Plus Scholarship
(Sponsored by Tutoring Plus):
Jeanny Fede

We wish our awardees much happiness and and many more achievements!

Awardees, for information on claiming your funds, please email info@focrls.org.

Contribute to our general scholarship fund where most needed>>

Involve your business in the “100 by 100”>>

Learn more about sponsoring or establishing a scholarship>>

For more information about FOCRLS, please visit focrls.org, email info@focrls.org, call 857-235-9290, or visit CRLS Room 2136.

8 Apr 2022

Update: FOCRLS is Presenting $80K in Scholarships this Year!

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By Janis Navikas

Friends of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School, Inc. (FOCRLS), an independent nonprofit in its 15th year of broadening opportunities at the city’s public high school, is preparing to present scholarships totaling $80,000 in 2022. Hundreds of sponsors and donors − individuals, families, organizations, and businesses − fund the 56 scholarships FOCRLS is distributing to CRLS seniors and past graduates in support of their higher education.

New sponsors Ramie Targoff & Stephen Greenblatt recently established the Cheri Kamen Memorial Scholarship in the Humanities. Professor Targoff said, “This scholarship is in memory of my beloved mother, who studied American History, both as an undergraduate and as a graduate student before going on to become a lawyer. I wanted to honor her commitment to the study of the past by encouraging female students graduating from CRLS to pursue the humanities at the university level.”

Eileen Taxe Levine & Irving Lee Levine, also new sponsors, launched the Scholarship for Equity & Social Justice as a way, the Levines said, “to recognize the commitment and dedication of CRLS students who have been working towards equity and social justice in the Cambridge community. We want to honor the power of their voices, courageous actions, and hopefulness. We support and thank them as they enter this next chapter of their lives.”

Naveed Rahman & Caroline Butler-Rahman joined as scholarship sponsors this year to honor students of South Asian descent. Continuing scholarship sponsors include Patrick Ewing, Juliette Kayyem & David Barron, Jack Leydon & family, Neil B. Rosenburg, Elaine Schear, Gail Stein, Mary Tavares Sutula & family, Richard G. Gilreath, the Gardner family, and the Zagarella family. Collectively funding scholarships are family and friends of Rose & Victor Rifkin, Dr. Christopher Saheed, Dr. David A. Link, and Calvin Hicks.

Cambridge Day, CambridgeSeven Associates, Fresh Start Contracting, and Tutoring Plus are local organizations that partner with FOCRLS annually to provide scholarships, as is Cambridge Trust, which increased its sponsorship and then doubled up for two scholarships this year.

FOCRLS thanks all of its scholarship sponsors for their generosity and support for the students and graduates of Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School, as well as the Class of 2022 applicants for their inspirational determination and contributions to the community.

CRLS Class of 2022 awardees will take the stage of CRLS’s Fitzgerald Theater for the Scholarship Night ceremony on Thursday, May 5. FOCRLS members will present certificates to the approximately 50 awardees they selected, most of whom will later need to submit college enrollment verification before receiving their checks.

To learn more about Friends of CRLS’s scholarship program or establish a scholarship, please visit focrls.org or email scholarships@focrls.org. FOCRLS is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.