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McDevitt School In The News: 2006-2007 School Year

The following articles featuring McDevitt Middle School were published in the Daily News Tribune during the 06-07 school year.

Classes aim at MCAS
By Matt Perkins, published in the Daily News Tribune, June 7, 2007
The city's middle school students are still struggling with math and science, but administrators hope some new courses next year will spur improvement on state achievement tests. Last night, the School Committee got an update on the improvements plans for the two middle schools and the high school. Those plans are required by state law to measure success on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System exams. The high school has seen significant improvement on MCAS tests, according to Principal John Graceffa. The school has received high performance in the 2006 Adequate Yearly Progress report, determined by the state Department of Education.

Both middle schools, though, showed a need for improvement in math and science. The schools' principals are optimistic about the subjects though, as students will receive extra help in both areas: All middle school students will take a math support class in the fall, and seventh- and eighth-graders will take an additional science class. Principals John Cawley of Kennedy Middle School, which also made the progress report in 2006, and Brad Morgan of McDevitt each gave separate presentations of their plans. They said while their students have shown a need for improvement with the subjects, the new classes, especially math support, should help strengthen students' skills while at the same time revealing areas for further improvement. "The primary focus of that class will be reinforcing what's already taught in math," Morgan said, adding that the class will also expose the students to more MCAS-like questions. The lesson plans for the class, Morgan said, will be developed by he and McDevitt faculty in the next few months. The results should help them pinpoint what weaknesses the students show and how they can be corrected, he said. "We know that an effective plan has to be developed over the summer...and that will be done," he said.

Committee members commended the principals for their improvement plans, and said they were impressed with the outlines of what needs to be done. "I want to compliment you on some of the work that you've been doing," McIvor told Morgan after his presentation. Graceffa was also praised for his work at the high school. His plan showed while the high school has shown great progress in MCAS, he would like to see a stronger curriculum for students who do not speak English as a first language. He said he would like to eventually have summer courses implemented at some point to give them additional help in learning the language. Still, Graceffa reinforced the improvement students have shown on the MCAS exams. "Our students have measurable skills, and are performing better each year," Graceffa said. "We've embraced MCAS, and I think that's a factor. We don't look at it as a burden." Committee member Harold "Jerry" Walker agreed with Graceffa, and said that while many districts look a the MCAS as a hurdle, standardized tests can very much be a great educational tool. "There's nothing wrong with having standards," Walker said. Walker said he would like to see an outline of what may be in store for graduating seniors provided to the committee at the next meeting. Graceffa added that while teachers are encouraged to use their own styles in educating the students at the high school, it's important that they come out at the end with the same knowledge. "In the long run, what we're trying to attain, is consistency in the delivery of that curriculum," Graceffa said.

Mall Mania program sparks creative thinking
By Matt Perkins, published in the Daily News Tribune, May 25, 2007
Last night seventh-grader Stormi Jellison showed a crowd how to drop an egg without breaking it. "First, we cover it in cotton, then we wrap it up with duct tape, then we put it inside a tissue box, and drop it and it doesn't break," Jellison said.

Yesterday, some 150 students, like Jellison, showed off what they've learned at Mall Mania, which features more than a dozen clubs or programs such as outdoor adventure activities and a hip-hop club to keep students occupied after school. Mall Mania, an after-school program at McDevitt Middle School, holds three sessions a year and more than 100 middle school students take part. About 15 display boards and posters sat on tables along a cafeteria wall for family night as parents, teachers and others visitors listened to students described what they had learned.

Marina Bartley, executive director for the Waltham Partnership for Youth, which helped start Mall Mania three years ago, explained what it's all about. "To celebrate, to inform the parents on what's going on and to celebrate the successes of the program," she said. Coordinator Patrick Daly said having the chance to show what the students have learned can attract their younger siblings or friends to join the program.

The Hip-Hop Club yesterday showcased the dance moves the students have learned from co-choreographer and high school senior Amanda Schubert. Jellison, a Hip-Hop Club member, said the event is a great way to get the word out about what the students are doing after school. "I think it shows how well kids have learned form this program, because I've learned a lot," she said. Jellison's mother, Joyce, agreed. "It makes me very proud because my child was participating in something positive," she said. "She's being productive, she's actively doing something."

Lending a hand are several community organizations such as the YMCA and Breaking Barriers, which helps immigrants learn English. The World Cafe program, which Breaking Barriers sponsored, enrolled more than 10 students in Mall Mania this year. "The program focuses on immigrants coming into the country and helping them to adjust with living in the United States," said facilitator Brenda Ortiz. The World Cafe displayed a poster that bore a sign with the word "hello" in nearly 20 languages and flags representing different countries. "We represented different countries like Guatemala, Mongolia, Brazil," said Nancy Barrera, 12. "This program has showed me a lot," she added, when asked how the program has helped her. "I can come here and get help with my homework and get it done." Siblings Cassandra and Jorge Lopez, originally from Puerto Rico, said they have benefited from meeting others, some of whom even speak a similar language. "We got to work as a team," Cassandra said. Added Jorge: "We got to actually meet other people, and now I have other friends who speak Portuguese. I really got trust in them."

Real-life experience with segregation
By Matt Perkins, published in the Daily News Tribune, May 2, 2007
Daily News Tribune photo
Segregation is something Elane Neddie knows all too well. Growing up just outside of New Orleans in the 1950s, she would have to sit at the back of a bus, go to an all-colored school, and drink from designated water fountains.
Still, Neddie, guidance counselor at McDevitt Middle School, admits she and her friends would occasionally look into all-white schools, hoping to see them drinking out of their own fountains.
``We were always curious to see what the white people had,'' she said Friday to a class of Kennedy eighth graders.
Neddie, who is actually the city's first black guidance counselor, was raised in Morgan City, La., just outside of New Orleans. She came to Waltham in 1987 with her ex-husband who worked at Raytheon. She became McDevitt's guidance counselor in 1994, after being a special education teacher.
Neddie discussed her life growing up in a segregated America with the students at Kennedy on Thursday and Friday, a visit she's made for the last three years.
With two signs, ``For Whites Only,'' and ``For Coloreds Only,'' resting on the white board in Meredith McLaughlin's eighth-grade English class, Neddie pointed to a collage of pictures on a double-sided poster, entitled ``The Struggle'' on one side, and ``Free At Last,'' on the other.
``This is my story, this is real, and I lived this,'' Neddie told McLaughlin's students.
Neddie spoke of such inspirational figures as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., whose pictures were displayed on the poster.
``Everybody thought he was our savior,'' Neddie said of King, confirming that he had, in fact, saved them with his non-violent protests that angered many whites. ``The white people didn't like him marching for equal rights,'' she said.
But she also talked about the Ku Klux Klan, a group of whites who did everything they could to scare colored people away from their homes.
``They came out at night and they would burn crosses in your front yard,'' said Neddie, who clarified that crosses were used as the South is a deeply religious state. ``They wanted to make people afraid so they would leave.''
Neddie explained that blacks would never look at people directly in the eyes, as it was considered disrespectful, and out of respect, they would refer to their superiors as Ma'am and Sir, which some pupils in Louisiana, she said, still use towards their teachers today.
Neddie shared the fear she would feel when leaving for school or church each day, as there were many threats by white people who were angry and willing to kill.
``You never knew if you were going to return,'' she said.
Neddie said she had also signed up to attend a white high school with 10 other colored students. The group was pulled into the principal's office for preparations before their first day. By her sophomore year in high school, schools were finally integrated. Still, Neddie chose to go to an all-black college a few year later, receiving undergraduate and graduate degrees in education from Grambling State University.
``I didn't have to,'' she said, ``but a lot of people thought you stood a better chance if you went to an all-black college.''
McLaughlin said Neddie's visit with the students was to help prepare them with historical information before starting their reading of Harper Lee's ``To Kill a Mockingbird,'' which touches upon segregation and life in the deep south in the 1930s, in order to get them to understand the time period better.
``There's something less powerful about a teacher telling them as opposed to someone who actually went through it,'' McLaughlin said. ``It's a powerful experience for them.''
Several students said Neddie's speech helped them put their own lives into perspective, looking the freedoms in life many may take for granted today.
``I can't imagine it today because it's so different today,'' said eighth-grader Sara Capello. ``And I'm very grateful that she shared her story with us.''
Eighth-grader Andrew Glaspy now appreciates what he has. ``Some people don't know how good they have it. I don't know what I'd do.''
And Neddie said she is always pleased that she can speak in a room with students of all races, as it wasn't something that would have taken place during her own childhood and young adulthood. She said she always enjoys the students' reactions, and the questions that they ask.
``The looks on their faces, it's unbelievable,'' she said. ``They can't believe that someone who went through this is still walking around.''
But she also told the students Friday that several areas of the country still practice segregation.
``Not because it's legal, people are more comfortable with it that way,'' she said. ``This is my life, and this is all I knew.''

A tree grows in Waltham
By Jeff Gilbride, published in the Daily News Tribune, April 27, 2007
Daily News Tribune photo
Yesterday at noon, the "Mustang Maple" was born. Standing outside on a sunny spring afternoon on the front lawn of the McDevitt Middle School on Church Street, Mayor Jeannette McCarthy gathered with city workers and a group of students and started to dig. "Mustang Maple ... your birthday is today," McCarthy said when the tree was planted on the school's lawn. She told the children. "It's now your tree officially."

The students, a group of seventh- and eighth-graders from the school, agreed to bear the responsibilities of caring for the maple, which they named after their school team, "The McDevitt Mustangs." "I basically walk home at the end of the school day. If I see any damage to it, I can definitely know who did it" said eighth-grader Matthew Bueno. According to Bueno, part of the school's seventh-grade curriculum involves the study of plants and trees like the maple. "You have to learn about the different characteristics of plants and trees," he said. "You learn about how plants create food for themselves."

Seventh-grader Lydia Burnes said she and her colleagues will take turns watering the plant before or after school. Stephen Golledge, a city arborist, said yesterday's tree planting has been a tradition in Waltham for 11 years. "Every year we do a tree planting for Arbor Day ... usually it's at a new school," he said. "For the last three years we've done them at schools."

According to Art Mullin, assistant superintendent of the city's Street Department, Waltham is part of the Tree City USA program. Sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, the Tree City USA program, provides direction, technical assistance, public attention, and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs in thousands of towns and cities. Mullin said that for Waltham to be part of the Tree City USA program, the city must contain a forest department, a certified arborist, an Arbor Day celebration and a resolution regarding the observance of Arbor Day in the city council. "We've been following all of those things and for 11 years now we've been named a Tree City in the state," Mullin said. "Now we're going for 12 (years).

Going Beyond Addition
By Christopher Rocchio, published in the Daily News Tribune, December 21, 2006
Daily News Tribune photo
Eighth-grader Andrew Cohen has been applying to different local private high schools, which requires him to take a standardized test to measure his learning skills. "The math part of the test is really hard, so I thought it would be good to gain some better skills in that area," Cohen said. Enter McDevitt's Math Olympiad team, which Cohen and more than a dozen other students at the Church Street middle school have been involved with since September. "It's a really good opportunity to help yourself if you're having trouble in math," Cohen said. "The Math Olympiad has definitely helped my math grade go up." McDevitt's Math Olympiad team meets once a week for an hour to explore mathematical strategies as well as creative problem solving methods. The squad also participates in practice tests in preparation for the five monthly tests held from November to March. Paul Perz, McDevitt math teacher and Olympiad coach, said all students in the program are honored with certificates of participation, and those who score well on the tests can earn awards for themselves and their school. "It challenges the students to really get involved in math, but also to enjoy it," Perz said. The Math Olympiad has students thinking outside the box when problem solving, according to Perz, who said it also allows team members to formulate strategies that can be used. He said the tips and tricks students learn also can be applied to the classroom. "It's interesting when I approach a problem, suddenly begin to think about it in a different way, and everything just falls into place like it's supposed to and I have an answer," Cohen said. "It's a really good feeling." McDevitt seventh-grader Lydia Burns said her math teacher suggested all students get involved with the Olympiad, which is why she joined the squad. "It's helped me get locked into math problems I'm trying to solve," Burns said. "I'm challenging my brain a little bit more, which is what I wanted to do." Perz said this is the fourth year he's coached the Olympiad team, which is not part of Waltham's middle school Mall Mania program. "It's challenging to find students for the team because it's competing with other after-school activities," he said. But seventh-grade student Brendan Fay, who has Perz as a math teacher, said he's glad he took the time to participate on the team. "I'm approaching problems differently and solving them using techniques I've learned through Math Olympiad," Fay said. "I recommend it to other students. It's really fun and you get to learn a lot of stuff about math." Perz said he thinks all of the students on the Math Olympiad team enjoy themselves, and while it requires a time and thought commitment, it teaches them to constantly try to achieve their best.

Hometown debut
By Christopher Rocchio, published in the Daily News Tribune, December 13, 2006
Daily News Tribune photo
It wasn't too long ago that Jesse Sinerate was performing onstage as a Waltham student. Now the McDevitt Middle School drama teacher is directing her first play in the city, and her students are appreciative of the work she's done. 'She makes sure we're all doing the very best we can,'' said eighth-grader Maria Santiago. 'She gets really excited when we do something right,'' added eighth-grade student Alan Pelaez, "which makes us feel really good about ourselves.''

Beginning tomorrow at 7 p.m., "Sideways Stories from Wayside School'' will open at McDevitt, with more than 60 sixth- through eighth-grade students participating. Based on the three "Wayside School'' books written by Louis Sachar, Sinerate described the show as light and funny, and said all of the students involved are having a good time with it. "It's a great show because there are a lot of parts, which ensured each student had the opportunity for a role,'' she said. "There's also no lead and it's an ensemble piece, so I've been telling the kids that their role is as important to the show as everyone else's.' Sinerate said she believes the students have responded well to working with each other. "Overall, (Sinerate) taught us all how to work together as a community,'' said eighth-grader Jen Bourque. Eighth-grade student Alysa Gladman said it was not uncommon during rehearsals for Sinerate to stop the entire production and instruct on different acting techniques to better the performance as well as enhance what was being learned. "She taught us to leave all of our drama outside the door before we got onstage,'' said Gladman. "That's one of the best parts,'' added Pelaez. ``It allows us to not be ourselves when we're acting.''

The play is set in Wayside School, which was supposed to be constructed with 30 classrooms in a one-story high building, but was instead built 30 stories straight-up to the sky. "Sideways Stories from Wayside School'' follows the strange and humorous happenings that occur with students and teachers inside the building. "It's definitely a crazy play,'' said Gladman. Pelaez and Gladman have roles of students in the play, but it's a bit different than their everyday role as McDevitt student. "We're fourth-grade students in the show, so it's like we got to go back in time four years and act like younger children,'' said Gladman. Santiago and Bourque each have roles as teachers in the play, which Santiago said was obviously different because they're so used to acting like students. "It's been unusual because acting like a teacher is something I've never done before,'' said Bourque. "But it also gives me a new perspective on teaching and helps me understand how teachers feel.''

Sinerate is also seeing things from a new point of view, as the 2002 Waltham High graduate is used to acting in city shows, not directing them. Her credits range from working with the Reagle Players and choreographing musicals at Kennedy Middle School to running the Waltham Boys & Girls Club theater program the last two summers. "I grew up in the theater world, so it's like second nature to me,'' she said. Currently working as a sixth-grade drama teacher at McDevitt, Sinerate said she is excited to see the curtain go up. "It's been a great experience since this is really the first show I've directed,'' she said. "The groups of kids I've been working with know it's my first show, so they've been good to me and wonderful to work with.''

"Sideways Stories at Wayside School'' will open in McDevitt Middle School's auditorium on Wednesday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. A second show is scheduled for Thursday, Dec, 14, 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the door.

Show ’no mercy’
By Christopher Rocchio, published in the Daily News Tribune, November 16, 2006
Daily News Tribune photo by Lisa Cassidy
It was a marquee dodgeball match-up of two undefeated teams. The Devil Dogs, a group of seventh-grade boys, versus Da Untouchablz, six McDevitt Middle School faculty members, including two physical education teachers and the principal. The odds were stacked against The Devil Dogs, until Brody Martin made an unbelievable catch while falling down, eliminating Da Untouchablz marquee player, physical education teacher Jeff Harpham. With time dwindling, principal Brad Morgan was hit in the leg by Daniel Maillet, and The Devil Dogs celebrated as if having just won the Super Bowl...of dodgeball. "Going in, I thought we were going to get killed," Maillet said. "But we psyched each other up in the locker room, so we were ready," Martin added. "It felt really good to win that match."

McDevitt students and faculty traded the three R’s for the five D’s of dodgeball (dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge again) yesterday afternoon, as the school hosted its first annual dodgeball tournament. More than 130 students and faculty members competed in the tournament, which was held to raise money for the school’s physical education department. "I’m having a blast," Morgan said. "The school’s three PE teachers worked hard to get the students and faculty involved in a fun after-school activity." Harpham and Morgan were joined on Da Untouchablz by PE teacher John MacIsaac, as well as sixth-grade teacher Rachel Turkington and seventh-grade teacher Christine Mulroney. The team even had its own red shirts printed, which featured a dark silhouette jumping in the air, preparing to launch a lethal throw. The back of Harpham’s shirt said "Sniper," while the back of MacIsaac’s said "Wrecking Ball." "Da Untouchablz have no mercy," said eighth-grade teacher Deb Gately, who was on the Rock ’em, Sock ’em, Dodge ’em team. "But it’s all in good fun."

Both Maillet and Martin said they signed up for the tournament because it sounded like fun, as did eighth-grader Pedro Saavedra, whose team had an opportunity to beat Da Untouchablz, but couldn’t. "Even though we lost against them, it felt good," he said. "I think I did a good job representing the students versus the teachers." Some teams were a mix of students and faculty, such as Rock ’em, Sock ’em, Dodge ’em. Sixth-grade drama teacher Jesse Sinerate was a member of that team, and she displayed some nimble moves as she dodged the throws of students early in the tournament. "I was a little scared at first because it looked like the other team had it in for us, but I’m a dancer so I move quick on my feet, which helped out," she said. "I’m having a good time and I think more schools should do stuff like this because it gets the kids together." Some students said they had a strategy going into the tournament, including eighth-grader Allan Galdamez, who displayed his cannon arm. "I had gym right before the tournament, so that gave me some time to practice," he said. "I just tried to throw the ball as hard as I could."

More than 200 McDevitt students packed the school’s bleachers for the tournament to cheer on friends as well as teachers. "Kids love to play dodgeball, and the tournament was electric," Harpham said. "The students are having fun, the teachers got involved and hopefully it will become annual." The tournament raised approximately $500 for the school’s PE department, which Harpham said he would like to use to purchase equipment for baseball, such as gloves and bats. "It’s the American pastime, so every kid should know how to play it," he said. Yesterday afternoon at McDevitt, you would have thought dodgeball was the nation’s pastime.

Students talk about abuse
By Christopher Rocchio, published in the Daily News Tribune, October 12, 2006
McDevitt Middle School students, still coming to grips with the arrest of a drama teacher on sex charges, yesterday learned how to watch out for sexual predators and to be alert for signs of those who may be victims. Experts from state and private organizations described how abusers work to win the trusts of their victims through favors, gifts and coercion. From young people growing dependent on the good feelings they receive from extra physical and emotional attention to abusers threatening their victims, there are many reasons why sexually abusive relationships remain secret, said Mark Bergeron-Naper of the state Department of Public Health. "There’s the grooming of children and family members, where the abuser builds a level of trust and comfort with a potential victim, which provides a cover," said Bergeron-Naper. "Eventually, that trust is broken in bigger and bigger ways." Ninety-three percent of the time abusers know their victim, and 34 percent of the time the victim and abuser are in the same family, said Megan Lewis Freedman of the Massachusetts Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Partnership. "This often makes the situation more difficult because the victim is being hurt by somebody they care about or trust," Freedman said.

Last month, Robert Dacey, a drama teacher at McDevitt and an athletic coach in the district, was indicted in Middlesex Superior Court on a litany of charges including eight counts of rape of a child. He is accused of assaulting two current students, both 15, several times between June and November 2005. Another victim was 14 when he was allegedly assaulted by Dacey in the 1990s, according to police. No specific mention of Dacey was made at yesterday’s presentation, which students needed a permission slip from parents to attend. Similar presentations are scheduled to be given at Waltham High today, and at Kennedy Middle School on Friday.

Freedman provided some behavior signs that an abuser might show, which included a lack of respect for a young person’s privacy, giving gifts for no reason at all, openly discussing sexual experiences or feelings and inappropriate kissing or hugging. Sexual abuse can take other forms, she said. "When you hear sexual abuse, you immediately think about contact, but it can also involve non-touching, such as sexually explicit jokes and questions," she said. "It can still have a harmful effect and lead to physical abuse." Discussing sexual abuse can be very emotional and scary for those involved, but there are still steps students can take if they know a friend is being abused, said Freedman. "You should always be supportive and assure the victim that you believe them," she said. "You should also work together to find an adult that can be trusted and discuss it with them." Friends who are sexually abused, may have dramatic changes in mood, behavior and appearance, appear depressed or withdrawn and take dangerous risks. "It’s good you communicate with each other if you have concerns that sexual abuse is taking place," Bergeron-Naper said. "I know it’s a really difficult subject to talk about, but it’s one of the most important conversations you can have."

A Friendly match
By Christopher Rocchio, published in the Daily News Tribune, October 6, 2006
Daily News Tribune photo by Erin Prawoko
The soccer match between McDevitt Middle School students and faculty at Lowell Field yesterday was advertised as a friendly. But as eighth-grader Edson Marques came off the field after repeatedly trying to score on music teacher Kevin Coyne, beads of sweat had formed on his brow. "I had him as a teacher, and I wish I would have scored on him," lamented Marques.

Yesterday afternoon was the second annual McDevitt student-faculty soccer match, which saw more than 40 sixth- through eighth-graders take turns facing off against less than a dozen teachers. "We always see the students in a structured classroom setting," said McDevitt physical education teacher Meg Johnson. "This is a chance for both students and faculty to get out there, play some soccer and have some fun." Johnson said the soccer match also provided faculty members an opportunity to relax with each other outside of the lunchroom and meetings. McDevitt physical education teacher Jeff Harpham said the event also builds community at the middle school. "It gets the students and faculty involved with some school spirit," said Harpham. "I’m very happy with the turnout."

As students walked from McDevitt to Lowell Field with several faculty members, mild trash talking had already begun, as taunts of "You’re going down!" could be heard on the early fall afternoon. After a brief warmup session, the game was under way. Despite being outnumbered and lacking substitutions, the faculty struck with the match’s first few goals. "It’s fun to play against the teachers, especially since I had most of them in class," said eighth-grade student Kristen Kohler. "I thought they’d go easier on us, but they’re playing really aggressive." Both Marques and Kohler said they frequently play soccer in the fall, and could not pass up the opportunity to test their skills against McDevitt faculty. "It’s great that the faculty came out and played with us," said Marques. "It helps us get to know them a little better." While students mostly supported their classmates, many couldn’t resist cheering on their teachers as well. "It’s definitely been a good experience," said Coyne, who played an admirable goal for the faculty. "We get to see the kids in a different light, and they see us in a different light as well."

IBM program gets girls excited about science
By Christopher Rocchio, published in the Daily News Tribune, July 24, 2006
Daily News Tribune photo by Mike Springer
McDevitt Middle School seventh-grader Courtney Kendall was diagnosed with pneumonia last week, but she didn’t let that stop her from launching rockets, constructing robots, making gum and building computers. Kendall was joined by 11 other McDevitt girls at last week’s Exploring Interests in Technology and Engineering (EXITE) program, which was hosted by IBM Cambridge. Now in its sixth summer, the weeklong program is held to get middle-school girls excited about careers in math, science and technology. "It was a blast," said Kendall. "I loved it so much, when I found out my pneumonia wasn’t contagious, I knew I couldn’t stay home." The 12 girls from Waltham were joined by 18 others from Cambridge and Boston for the program. Those enrolled learned about technology and engineering from more than 100 IBM employees through hands-on activities, including learning how to break down and rebuild computers, build Web sites, create functioning robots and dissect binary code. "We got to be creative and do everything ourselves rather than have other people constantly telling us what we needed to do," said Michelle Kudlate, a seventh-grader at McDevitt.

The EXITE program also included a trip to Biogen Idec, where the girls had an opportunity to use multimillion dollar biotechnology instruments to separate M&M colors. The exercise was done so the girls could understand the molecular structure of dyes, as well as the different colors that make up dyes in foods. "We’re impressed with the creativity of the girls and it’s amazing how they have such keen minds in terms of problem solving," said Cathleen Finn, community relations project manager at IBM Cambridge. "The fact that they’re learning while they are having a good time makes much more of an impression than just reading a book, and it really does open the girls’ eyes." She said another part of the program paired women that work for IBM Cambridge with the girls, forming a relationship that will last into the upcoming academic year. "The mentors become role models for the girls," said Finn. "Middle school is a critical age, and the mentors can provide some insight into the reality of what it is to work in the fields of technology and engineering."

Dovile Murray, a sixth-grade teacher at McDevitt, called the EXITE program "great," and said she wishes she could trade places with the girls enrolled in it. "What an opportunity to meet up with women in the workplace and see what it’s like," said Murray. "The mentors can keep them excited about science and math, and can also lend a hand if they’re having a problem with either of those subjects in the classroom." Anne Marie Carr-Reardon, director of student support services in Waltham, said all 12 girls from the city didn’t pay a dime, as transportation, food and the entirety of the program was funded by IBM. Although it’s summertime, she said EXITE is seen as an extension of Waltham’s 21st Century grant program, which funds Mall Mania during the academic year. "It really provides the girls with an opportunity to look at learning through a different lens," said Carr-Reardon. "It’s a tremendous benefit to enhance their learning and develop cooperative skills through project-based activities." IBM Cambridge’s EXITE program was one of 52 occurring around the world, and since its inception in 1999, approximately 5,000 girls have taken part in it. "We really want to reach talented young people, especially women and minorities," said Finn. "We feel those are two groups of people that are not well represented in the technology field, and it’s a significant part of the population." Murray said she saw the impact the EXITE program had on the girls that attended last year, as they showed more enthusiasm in the classroom for science, math and technology. "It’s a fabulous opportunity for them to develop skills for the 21st century," she said.

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