Meet the mastermind behind the Rhett bench: Virgil Oertle – The Daily Free Press

As Commonwealth Avenue quietly buzzed with activity in preparation for returning Terriers in August, an installation crew stood eagerly on Bay State Road waiting for a shipment that embodied a year and a half of emails, design, labor and patience. The Rhett bench arrived enroute from Utah over the summer, according to Courtney Knauss, associate director of alumni relations in stewardship and donor relations at BU who was in charge of communicating with people to get funds for Rhett Bench. “Bef

Boston-based “Encore Apparel” hits the perfect chord of joy and healing – The Daily Free Press

Two Villanova University students met at a Bruce Springsteen concert in their early years of college, confident they would part ways for their corporate careers after graduation. But in 2014, after almost a decade in the corporate world, a mutual desire to follow passion over convention led them to launch a creative endeavor centered on the very thing that initially united them: music. Leading with passion, drive and heart, Casey Paton and Mark Lisavich crafted the brand Encore Apparel in 2013

Boston’s 20th Transgender Day of Remembrance event focuses on resilience in the face of tragedy – The Daily Free Press

The bright lights of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul in Downtown Crossing dimmed Sunday evening as Bostonians lit candles bearing the names of deceased transgender people. The collective glow of the candles shone through the darkness as the names of 368 victims were read aloud, casting a somber and unifying mood on the gathering. The vigil served as Boston’s celebration on the 20th anniversary of Gwendolyn Ann Smith’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, established in 1999 to honor the death of

Meet Annie Leonard: Activist-turned-entrepreneur preparing to share passion, innovation at IDEA Conference 2020 – The Daily Free Press

Every day, millions of people throw barely-used appliances away, carry garbage to the curb and pass overflowing trash cans on the street without thought. But not Annie Leonard. She stops and asks, “Why?” Annie Leonard, executive director of Greenpeace USA, will be the keynote speaker for the third annual “IDEA Conference 2020: Embrace Your Impact” hosted by [email protected] on Saturday, Feb. 15. Leonard was chosen because of her success in innovation focused on her unique passion: trash, Rouw

Despite Parent & Staff Concerns, BOE Approves Superintendent’s Recommendation for Hybrid Reopening

After the tropical storm twice delayed the long-awaited meeting to discuss school reopening, Wilton’s Board of Education unanimously approved Superintendent Dr. Kevin Smith‘s recommendation to reopen all schools in a hybrid reopening model. On Friday, Smith released his recommendation to reopen all four of Wilton’s schools under the hybrid model: students would be assigned to one of two cohorts alphabetically and attend school in-person twice a week and remotely for three. In his statement, Smi

Examining Wilton’s History: Racial Inequality, Justice, and Activism–Part 1: Slavery and Minstrel Shows

As part of our pledge to tell more diverse stories and better reflect all of Wilton, GOOD Morning Wilton has committed to take a deeper dive into looking at who we are as a community and where we’ve come from. Reporter Lily Kepner took on a project to start delving into Wilton’s history–the good, bad, and truthful. This is the first of many articles we plan to do on the subject of race in Wilton. We’re publishing a multi-part series to kick off this week, looking at “Racial Inequality, Justice,

“Happening in Your School, Affecting Your Kids”: 530+ Wilton Students, Alumni Sign Letter Pushing for More Racial Inclusion in WPS

Since the death of George Floyd and the ensuing protests and riots, Wilton has been reflecting on how to eradicate systemic and individual racism within its borders. Determined to turn this talk into definitive action, Wilton High School Class of 2019 graduates Elizabeth Yoon (above right) and Teena Moya (above left) wrote an open letter to the Wilton Public School administration, calling for a change in how race is taught, discussed and represented in the schools. [To read the letter, scroll d

Cider Mill Keeps the Community Connection–One Sign and Smile at a Time

The bond between a teacher and a student is sacred, built in 181 days or over 1,300 hours together of learning, breakthroughs, smiles, and memories. This year, although the in-person time may have been reduced, the connection was stronger than ever. On Wednesday, May 27, each of the over 300 Cider Mill fifth graders received a graduation lawn sign to celebrate their accomplishments, personally delivered by his or her teacher to each student’s surprise. The signs were an idea principal Dr. Jenni