Greetings From Epiphany!
Dear Friends,
Epiphany punches above its weight. We are a small school with a disproportionate impact in the lives of so many children both here and in schools across the country, and with your help, we are able to sustain a wide range of high quality activities—e.g., building 3D spinners in our Maker Space, running mock trails at the Dorchester Court, and setting a food distribution center in the gym. Our graduates are publishing papers, and we are literally and figuratively breaking grounds at the Early Learning Center. (To learn about all this and more, please see below.)
This month, we are specifically highlighting Brookline Bank (a supporter since Day One) as well as Whitney White, Taffeta White at Naptura85, and our friends at RodmanForKids, but never forget that each of you reading this are critical to our school’s success. Thank YOU!!!
Your Grateful Fan,
The Rev. John H. Finley IV
Corporate Partner Spotlight: Brookline Bank
December’s Corporate Partner in the spotlight is Brookline Bank. Since our very inception, Brookline Bank has been an incredible champion for the children at Epiphany, and this year, they will join us again as a corporate sponsor for our 2020 Spring Gala: All Together. A recent report showed our students graduating college at twice the rate of their peers, and our friends at Brookline Bank have made that possible through their loyal support. Thank you!
If you would like to join Brookline Bank with an early sponsorship of our spring gala, please contact Samantha Lawson, Corporation & Foundation Relations Coordinator, at slawson@epiphanyschool.com. As Brookline Bank has shown, together we can make a real and lasting impact.
Epiphany Stars: Graduate Profile
Ngoc Vu ‘09
This month’s Epiphany star goes to...Ngoc Vu! After graduating from Epiphany in 2009, Ngoc Vu matriculated Noble & Greenough. While there, Ngoc played on the basketball, soccer, and tennis teams, participated in Sister 2 Sister (a group similar to Epiphany’s own Sista Sista), and spent her summers as a lead counselor at Epiphany’s at Summer Intensive at Groton School.
After Noble & Greenough, Ngoc set her sights on Connecticut College where she threw herself into student life. While working on her Bachelor’s degree with a major in Biology, Ngoc played an active role in her college community. She worked as a peer tutor and was involved with the Women in STEM organization. Furthermore, Ngoc was also a sports medicine student aide, providing medical assistance to the athletes, eventually becoming an EMT for the college.
Over her summers, Ngoc completed two internships. The first was with the Center for Surgery & Public Health in Boston, and the second was at the Depression Clinic & Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital. We were particularly impressed with her research on discussing religious and cultural differences within healthcare settings which was published and presented at the Conference on Medicine & Religion. After graduating from Connecticut College, Ngoc landed a job at Tufts Medical Center, in the Intensive Care unit, and has remained there ever since.
Ngoc’s continued success is a source of great pride for the entire Epiphany community, but for Mr. Penney in particular. She was “one of the brightest students I've ever had the pleasure to teach,” reflects Penney. “Ngoc was also one of the first students to truly welcome me and make me feel at home as a new Epiphany staff member. Her signature laugh is heartfelt, sincere, and incredibly contagious.” It was Ngoc’s work ethic that set her apart from her peers. Academically, she was consistently in a league of her own, excelling on all assignments and projects. This was particularly evident when her award winning science fair project earned first place honors at the Nativity Miguel Regional Science Fair held at UMass Boston.
Ngoc has always exemplified hard work and dedication. She is a true leader and example to all of her classmates and teachers, and we adore her. What an Epiphany star!
Learning is Cool: Epiphany Curriculum Highlights
3D Printer Wheels
During the 7th Grade math probability unit, Mr. Harvey developed a creative visual project to peak students’ interest in the subject. Each student created their own 3D spinner in our maker space using the 3D printer and colored and styled it any way they wanted. Then, each student created two probability questions to go along with their spinners, and other students had to try and solve them. For example, on an 8 sided spinner labelled A-G, “What is the probability of spinning the spinner twice and not landing on A?” The spinners are on display at Epiphany now so that all of us can benefit from their learning! (P.S. The answer is 49/64.)
7th Grade goes to Dorchester District Court for a Mock Trial
On October 25th, Mr. Joazard (English teacher & 2004 Epiphany graduate) took his 7th grade class on its annual field trip to the Dorchester District Court to conduct a mock trial based on Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Acting out the trial in a real courtroom invited deep reflection on the novel’s ambiguities and served as a civics lesson about the U.S. Justice System. Students met a judge and several clerks who work in the court, explored the courtroom, and, through their presentations, learned how a trial is conducted. This rich, immersive learning experience is a good example of how Epiphany’s teachers enhance learning and support academic achievement. (N.B The defense hoped Lenny would get off with manslaughter, but the prosecution convinced the jury to decide on murder in the 1st degree.)
Hammurabi Debate
The 6th grade rounded out their Mesopotamia unit with a debate! The students read and analyzed primary sources regarding Hammurabi’s Code – a record of 282 laws designed to establish peace and order in Babylonia in the mid 1700s BCE that is best known for the saying “an eye for an eye.” The students took a stand on whether or not the code was fair or unfair by participating in a formal debate where each team had to prepare oral arguments including opening statements, evidence, rebuttals, and closing statements. The students did an excellent job of establishing and articulating their position on the matter, and the rich debate helped students better understand the material.
Early Learning Center Corner
Outdoor Classroom Update
Together with studio MLA Architects and A Yard & A Half, we have begun construction of the outdoor classroom space at the Early Learning Center, with two separate areas, one for infants and toddlers and one for preschoolers. Each area will offer walkways and paths as well as climbing structures, slides, sandboxes and dramatic play spaces, integrated into the natural environment of the site. We can’t wait to see the children enjoy the space!
Halloween at ELC
The children at the ELC celebrated Halloween with a costume party!
Epiphany News
A Season Giving
Jack and Jill of America, Inc. is a membership organization of mothers with children ages 2 – 19 who are dedicated to nurturing future African American leaders by strengthening their children and those in their communities through leadership development, volunteer service, philanthropic giving, and civic duty, and, on November 2, the teen group of the Boston Chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc. donated 25 Thanksgiving baskets to Epiphany for our families who are most in need during the holiday season. Thank you!
In addition to the gift baskets from Jack and Jill, we also received Thanksgiving and Christmas donations from the Wahlberg Foundation, New Life Restoration Temple, the church in the neighborhood, Gordon Bither, and the Shilling Family, all long time supporters. Thank you to everyone for making the holidays special for our families and students.
Sneaker Giveaway!
On November 19th, Mr. Deleveaux hosted a group of entrepreneurs from the fashion industry to talk to his 7th grade class about their career paths. Then, they were given a wonderful surprise thanks to Nick from Bullet Kicks who donated two pairs of sneakers to each 7th grade student! Thank you to all panelists and to Bullet Kicks for your generosity!
Thank you Naptural85!
Our friends, Whitney and Taffeta from Naptural85, recently launched their own natural hair care line called Melanin Haircare. This year, they decided to donate a portion of the proceeds from all sales made between November 18-20 to Epiphany. The drive was very successful, and we are wildly grateful for Whitney and Taffeta’s continued support!
Brotherhood and Sista Sista Package Meals
Thanks to a very generous donation, Epiphany’s Brotherhood and Sista Sista groups joined forces to package meals to support Rise Against Hunger (RAH). The children’s hard work helped RAH get a little closer to their target of ending world hunger by 2030! Read more about the mission here: https://www.riseagainsthunger.org/
Lion King
On Tuesday October 15th, a group of students and faculty had the chance to attend The Lion King Broadway show at the Citizen’s Bank Boston Opera House. They had a great time seeing the lively adaptation of the Disney original. Thank you to @RodmanForKids for your generosity and which allowed Epiphany students to have such an amazing experience!
Boston Philharmonic Orchestra
On Thursday November 14th, Epiphany students attended Sanders Theatre to see Boston’s Philharmonic Orchestra perform work by Beethoven and Rachmaninoff. The performance of the violin solos by Dutch concertmaster, Liza Ferschtman, was amazing and left those in attendance gripped by the music. It was wonderful to see so many of our students enjoying the work of two of classical music’s greatest composers!
Upcoming Events
Please mark your calendars for our Annual Spring Gala on Friday, April 17, 2020 at the Westin Copley Place. We hope to see you there!
