Friends of CRLS Community Meeting
“CLOSING THE OPPORTUNITY DIVIDE”

Wednesday, March 27 — 7:30-9 pm
Pearl K. Wise Library, 2nd floor – Rindge (Main) Bldg.

Gerald Chertavian, Year Up founder, CEO, and CRLS parent was the latest speaker in our guest series on March 27th at the community meeting at the Pearl K. Wise Library.  Gerald brought another guest with him, Akeem Raphael, a CRLS graduate who is currently at the Harvard Busness School working with IT through the Year Up Program.  It was a rich and thought-provoking evening, focused around the mismatch between the proliferation of high school (and even college) graduates without jobs, and a current workforce in which millions of jobs are going unfilled. Year Up is a national urban program addressing this “opportunity divide”.

Photos are posted on the FOCRLS Facebook page.

Thank you to all who joined us!

Wow, what an amazing community-building event at Flatbread Pizza in Davis Square last week, Tuesday, February 26, 2013!! From our benefit event, FOCRLS raised $1,000 from the pizza sales and raffle. We would not have been able to raise these funds without the support of our supporters and alumni. Check out the photos on Facebook here.

We must say the flatbread pizzas were delicious; our supporters, alumni, and guests were excited to participate in our first benefit night at Flatbread; and some of our guests chose to bowl, while others tried their luck with our raffle donated by several alumni and local businesses. The benefit night was truly an evening to remember.

FOCRLS would like to thank our generous raffle donors, supporters, and alumni for supporting us with our event. The funds raised from our benefit night will go towards furthering our current and future initiatives for students, faculty, and alumni.

Thanks again for everyone who stopped by for our benefit night at Flatbread Pizza in Davis Square!

Thank you to our raffle donors:

• Autographed Patriots’ Football by wide receiver, Brandon Lylod, donated by the New England Patriots
• Soul.Train. A Mind and Body Fitness Studio Gift Certificate donated by Jonathan Medeiros, CRLS Class of ‘98
• Falcons’ Pride Basket donated by CRLS teacher, Jacquie Cesario and senior class board
• Health Consultations donated by Noah McIntyre, CRLS Class of ‘98
• Express Facial at Salon Capri donated by Salon Capri in Newton Highlands
• Handmade Soap Basket donated by CRLS parent, Elisa Pepe
• Tommy Doyle’s Gift Cards donated by Garrett Tingle, CRLS Class of ’99 and Tommy Doyle’s
• Brunch Gift Basket donated by the Lima sisters: Lisa Lima-Soares, CRLS Class of ’92, Christina Lima, CRLS Class of ’96, and Sandra Lima, CRLS Class of’ 98
• Party Gift Basket donated by FOCRLS
• Henry Bear’s Park in Porter Square Gift Certificate donated by FOCRLS
• Framed Tribal Print donated by FOCRLS
• Spectacular Notecards donated by FOCRLS

The blizzard had just ended. The day was sunny, but Cantabrigians were still digging out, a Cambridge parking ban was on, and the T hadn’t yet started running! And yet the show went on thanks to our gracious and can-do hosts, Lindsay Frazier and Owen Dempsey, parents of two current CRLS students and another who recently graduated. A warm, wonderful, and well-attended afternoon it was.

Deans Allan Gehant (Science) and Jeffrey Gaglione (Math) and Principal Damon Smith were our special guests. They spoke about their work at the high school, and their visions for CRLS. They had trudged in from Cambridge, Somerville, and Framingham. We thank them for their work, especially for their “extracurricular” support of CRLS and FOCRLS on a Sunday. Jamie Sabino, Treasurer of FOCRLS, and Elaine Schear, President, spoke about the accomplishments of FOCRLS over the organization’s six years of developing new academic opportunities at the high school.

In attendance were a wonderful group of parents of current and prospective CRLS students. An array of wines, mulled cider, cheeses, desserts were enjoyed by all.

A unique and worthwhile afternoon!

We are thrilled to announce that Tuesday, February 26, 2013, from 5 pm to close (11:30 pm) is FOCRLS Benefit Night at Flatbread Pizza in Davis Square!

NEW! RAFFLE PRIZES LISTED BELOW. TICKETS ARE $2 EACH OR 6 for $10.

• Autographed football by Patriots’ wide receiver, Brandon Lloyd – donated by the New England Patriots.
• Falcon’s Pride Basket (an assortment of things including t-shirt, bag ornament, pens & lanyard) – donated by CRLS teacher and senior class advisor, Jacquie Cesario and the senior class board.
• Soul.Train A Mind and Body Fitness Studio Gift Card (includes a 5 pack of group exercise classes, 1 hour fitness consultation, and 1 hour personal training session (valued at $250.00) – donated by Jonathan Medeiros, CRLS Class of’98.
• Two Gift Cards for $50 for Tommy Doyle’s – donated by Garrett Tingle, CRLS Class of ’99 and Tommy Doyle’s.
• Brunch gift basket (includes Stonewall Kitchen Pancake and Waffle mix and Wild Maine Blueberry Spread, blueberry scone mix, maple syrup, coffee, and tea) donated by the Lima sisters: Lisa Lima-Soares, CRLS Class of ’92, Christina Lima, CRLS Class of ’96, and Sandra Lima, CRLS Class of ’98.
• Framed hand-painted tribal print from North India – donated by FOCRLS.
• Express Facial with Candyce at Salon Capri (valued at $65.00) – donated by Salon Capri in Newton Highlands.
• Health consultations – donated by Noah McIntyre, CRLS Class of ’99.
• Handmade Soap Basket – donated by CRLS parent Elisa Pepe.
• Party Gift Basket (includes wine, baked goods, and the like) – donated by FOCRLS.
• Henry Bear’s Park (Porter Square) $50 Gift Certificate – donated by FOCRLS.
• Spectacular nature photography note cards by anonymous donor – donated by FOCRLS.

Here is your chance to enjoy scrumptious, hearth-baked pizza from one of the pioneering restaurants in MA for the local and organic food movement. Whether you eat in or take out, the Flatbread Company will donate $1.75 for every small pizza sold and $3.50 for every large pizza sold to FOCRLS, which will support our various initiatives at the high school. There will also be a raffle that evening of exciting local prizes (need not be present to win).

Why not make it a night out with pizza and bowling? Bowling is available on site. There are ten bowling lanes: five lanes for reservations and five lanes for walk-ins (first come, first serve).  Bowling information can be found here.

ALUMS: There will be an alumni networking hour at the bar from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Connect with others!

GROUPS:  There is a call-ahead seating option available. Reservations are recommended for parties of 8 or more.

Check out Flatbread’s website here. Flatbread Pizza is located at Sacco’s Bowl Haven, 45 Day Street, Somerville, MA — steps away from the Davis Square T stop on the Red Line.

Read the article on the upcoming event in the Cambridge Chronicle, published on 2/18/2013.

Please help spread the word. Invite your friends and family.

See you there!

In news particularly meaningful for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we are extremely proud and honored to announce that Friends of CRLS is this year’s recipient of the coveted Education Award of the Cambridge NAACP! We were told that our work in trying to address the needs of all sectors of the CRLS population was a key factor in our selection.

New: Read an article on the award ceremony in the Cambridge Chronicle on 3/11/2013.

FOCRLS will be presented the award at the 28th Annual NAACP Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Breakfast on Saturday, February 23rd, at 9 am, at the Cambridge Marriott Hotel in Kendall Square. The keynote speaker is Professor Charles J. Ogletree Jr. The flyer for the event is available here.

To hear that we have earned this kind of acknowledgement from the NAACP is both humbling and deeply significant. This, we believe, is a moment in which to reflect on the steps we have taken and will continue to take, developing opportunities for all communities at the high school, with particular mindfulness toward ending academic, financial, and social divides and injustices.

Thank you to all of those – parents, teachers, administrators, Cambridge businesses and community members, and alumni – who have supported our work through volunteering, donating, or both! This award is your award!

We hope you will join us for this very meaningful celebration. Tickets can be purchased for $60 from the Cambridge Branch of the NAACP. For more information about the breakfast, please call (617) 895-7760 or email cambridgenaacp@gmail.com.

What says “home” better than Cambridge and Thanksgiving? The CRLS Alumni Association invites alums of CRLS, CHLS, Rindge Tech and their guests to attend the First Annual CRLS Alumni Homecoming Week, for a series of events beginning Friday, November 16th, through Friday, November 23rd, 2012. For tickets, visit crlshomecoming.eventbrite.com. We hope to see you there!

CRLS Alumni Week Events:

Fall Musical
Enjoy a special presentation of this year’s Fall Musical, Urinetown, written by Greg Kotis and composed by Mark Hollmann. Following the performance, CRLS Alumni Association will be hosting a meet & greet in the Media Cafe with fellow alumni, students, cast & crew.
Friday, November 16, at 7:00 pm in CRLS’ Fitzgerald Theater

Football Game & Tailgate – Cambridge CRLS vs. Somerville High School
For the first time in years, the Thanksgiving Day Football game will be played against Somerville! CRLS Alumni Association invites you to “Tailgate” with us before and during the game with hot coffee and doughnuts.
Thursday, November 22, at 10:00 am at Dilboy Stadium in Somerville

“Back to the Future” – The New CRLS Open House
Tours of the renovated CRLS (it’s fantastic!), meet and greet, alumni roundtable, refreshments.
Friday, November 23, from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Drop in anytime. FREE EVENT.

The CRLS Homecoming is enthusiastically sponsored by the Alumni Committees of Celebrate CRLS and Friends of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.

Bring your friends.  Pass the word.

FOCRLS is now accepting need-based applications from students for domestic and overseas school trips for the 2012-2013 academic year.

Students must have at least a B average and demonstrate financial need.

Here is the overview of the fellowship, and here is the application to apply for funding.

Travel funds are limited. Please make sure you see the faculty trip sponsor for details about the trip, and apply for a travel fellowship as early as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact Friends of CRLS at focrls@gmail.com, or call us at (617) 275-6338.

We look forward to hearing from you!

City officials and others in attendance:
-city council: Minka van Beuzekom, Tim Toomey
-school committee: Patty Nolan, Fred Fantini, Mark McGovern
-CRLS: Damon Smith (Principal), Rene Meshon (Tutoring Center Director), Angelica Brisk (Media Arts faculty), Larry Aaronson (CRLS/CPS Photographer), and students
-Whole Foods: Peter Sharon (Prospect St.), David Remillard (River St.), Claire Davies (Fresh Pond), Ivy Welch (Prospect St.)

At a lively little ceremony marked by excitement, enthusiasm, and goodwill, Whole Foods officials presented a Big Check for $15,287.91 to Friends of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (FOCRLS) on Thursday, October 18, 2012 at the high school. This check will contribute to funding programs at CRLS, in particular faculty and student grants in the areas of ecology, the environment, and nutrition. The donation represents five percent of Whole Foods’ sales from all three Cambridge Whole Foods stores on “5% Day” on September 12, 2012.

“The four key themes that frame the back story for this event are Investment, Mission, Community, and Partnership,” said Elaine Schear, FOCRLS President, thanking the Whole Foods marketing team, city officials, Principal Damon Smith, school staff, and FOCRLS and student volunteers for 5% day.

“Investment – community investment – in our CRLS high school youth is a core value of FOCRLS and its programs. More investment will make all of our programs more robust, in particular faculty grants for projects exploring environmental, health, nutritional, ecological ideas and issues,” she said.

“Secondly, our missions – CRLS/CPS/Whole Foods – mesh, reinforce, and echo each other: the health of our children – care for the environment, team work, diversity, opportunity and respect in workplace and schools.”

“Third – community – the teamwork at work behind today’s event – the Whole Foods marketing and design people, the FOCRLS volunteer parents, student shoppers, communications people, volunteers in the stores on September 12, student journalists on the CRLS school newspaper, other businesses supporting business and the school, like the Cambridge Trust Company.”

“And last not least, partnership – what doesn’t show on the surface – relationships developed over time with Whole Foods, and continuing into the future, based on our missions to invest in the community, our youth, to promote healthy eating and the whole health of our young people, to promote their stewardship within the school environment and outside, to encourage social responsibility while they’re here as our students and beyond.”

Photos from the event are posted here.