After growing up in New Hampshire, I moved to Boston right out of college. Knowing the strength of the Brookline public schools, my family and I moved to Brookline in 2016, as our oldest daughter was reaching school-age. We have three kids at Runkle, which has been a great experience. I learned about the BEF from a neighbor and former work colleague. In my time on the board, I have been impressed by the thoughtfulness of educator’s grant proposals, the time outside of school that the educators are willing to dedicate to continuing education, and their willingness to personally supplement costs of programs when above the level of the BEF grants. As a result of my time working with the BEF, I have gained a greater appreciation for the commitment of my teachers throughout my education, including those who introduced innovative teaching techniques to keep students engaged. And now, I am always excited to hear from my kids about the outcomes of funded grants and the impact the grants have on their classrooms.
I am grateful for the opportunity to support an organization that enables teachers to be inspired and expand their own horizons, and I believe this has a powerful positive influence on the quality of education in our kids’ schools.