Schools

Watertown Students Earn Student of the Term Honors at Minuteman

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Minuteman High School in Lexington announced the four outstanding students as Students of the Term for Term 3 of school year 2015-2016: freshman Fae Eisenheim of Arlington, sophomore Mia Ramos of Watertown, junior Alexander Gonzalez of Watertown and senior Andrew Battcock of Billerica. This honor is awarded to one student from each grade level based upon nominations from teachers. The criteria include academic achievement and good citizenship, according to Assistant Principal Brian Tildsley. All four attended a luncheon in their honor at the Fife & Drum Restaurant at Minuteman recently and were given certificates in recognition of their achievement. Fae Eisenheim “is an overall great student, teammate and friend,” said Nichole Devereaux, her math instructor and basketball coach.

Sports

Watertown Swimmers Make Waves at Boys & Girls Club Nationals

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Members of the Watertown Boys & Girls Club’s swim team, the Wavemakers, competed in the National Boys & Girls Club Championships in St. Petersburg, Fla., and were part of the team that placed third overall, according to the Club. Earlier this month. Watertown Boys & Girls Club attended the 3-day competition as a member of Team New England, the team that came in third place in the national competition! Nineteen swimmers from the Wavemakers attended and many moved on to finals where several swimmers had their personal-best times.

Government

Hear About Progress on the T’s Green Line at Meeting This Week

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MBTA Officials will present an update on Green Line service on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 in Brighton. State Sen. Will Brownsberger will host the meeting, which runs from 6-8 p.m. at the Brighton Elks Lodge, 326 Washington St., Brighton. MBTA General Manager Frank DePaola will present an update on Green Line service and the public will have an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. Also attending the meeting will be William McClellan, Assistant General Manager, Rail Operations; Trish Foley, Legislative Liaison, MBTA; Rep. Kevin Honan (D-Brighton); Rep. Michael Moran (D-Brighton); and Boston City Councilor Mark Ciommo (District 9).

Charity

Still Time to Sign Up for Watertown Community Foundation’s Volunteer Day

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The Watertown Community Foundation is preparing for the 2016 Watertown Helps Out day where people celebrate the town’s spirit by giving back. The foundation sent out the following announcement:

Join us on Saturday, May 7th for this year’s Watertown Helps Out: A Volunteer Day. Watertown Helps Out celebrates Watertown’s vibrant community spirit, and we encourage you to spend a few hours on May 7 giving back to our community. We hope to see you – come volunteer for a few hours with your family, a friend, or come and make new friends! Choose from many volunteer opportunities, such as:

Inventory library items and clean equipment at the Watertown Middle School
Clean up Whitney Hill, Fillipello Park and other public spaces
Garden, clean up and paint at the Watertown Boys & Girls Club
Spring clean at Gore Place
Plus options at Watertown Family Network, the Historical Society of Watertown, the Watertown Public Library and more…

Learn about all of the volunteer opportunities and register at: http://www.watertownfoundation.org/who2016

Before volunteering, come to the kickoff breakfast from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on May 7th at The Arsenal Project at 485 Arsenal Street (inside, in front of Old Navy and Dunkin’ Donuts) to pick up your T-shirt and connect with other volunteers.

Obituaries

OBIT: Bob Galante, 39, Director of Camp Pequossette, Coached Pop Warner

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Watertown Recreation Director Peter Centola sent out the following tribute to Bob Galante, director of the Camp Pequossette summer program, who died on April 19, 2016 at the age of 39. I realize many of you may have heard the tragic news of Bob Galante’s passing earlier this week, but I just wanted to make sure each of you knew about the services today and Saturday and a little more about his history with the Watertown Recreation Department and Camp Pequossette. Bob has led a life of service to our community since his early teen ages up until his passing. Those of you might know him from his coaching days at Pop Warner Football, others his Kids and Common program and of course his outstanding contributions to the Lowell School. Bob begin his service to the Watertown Community through the Recreation Department as early as 1989 when he was hired as a Counselor In Training for Camp Pequossette.

Business

Tufts Health Plan VP Honored for Her Devotion to Reading to Children

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During National Volunteer Week, Cambridge Mayor E. Denise Simmons recognized a long-time Morse Elementary School volunteer for her outstanding commitment to students as a lunch-time reading mentor through the national non-profit literacy and mentoring organization Read to a Child. Pamela Giannatsis, senior communications manager with Tufts Health Plan, a corporate sponsor of the program, has read to four consecutive students during nine years of volunteering, first in Waltham, and currently in Cambridge at the Morse Elementary School. Students are recommended for individual reading support by their teachers as early as first grade and the mentor-mentee relationship can continue through fourth grade. “I believe deeply that being able to read, and read well, should be considered a human right,” Pam explained during the 17th annual Cambridge Volunteer Awards Celebration Tuesday night, at the Cambridge Senior Center. “I am so grateful to Read to a Child for providing a model that allows employees like me to demonstrate our corporate citizenship values during work hours.

Arabic

Watertown Student a Winner in the National ‘I Speak Arabic’ Contest

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It was no easy assignment to complete – or language to learn – but after more than 90 online video submissions, and over 55,000 votes tallied, three American students have been named as winners of Qatar Foundation International’s (QFI) I Speak Arabic web contest, including one from Watertown! Qatar Foundation International sent out the following information:

Anderson Wang, from Roseland, New Jersey, and current student at New York University, who submitted a video expressing his love for the Arabic language and his excitement to study Arabic at NYU Abu Dhabi, won QFI’s grand prize, receiving a $500 award and QFI “I Speak Arabic” memorabilia. Teacher Georges Chahwan’s Arabic language students from Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut, and Sana Rafiq from Watertown, Massachusetts, also received second and third place prizes. In celebration of the diversity of languages across the globe, QFI announced the winners on April 16, World Languages Day. Maggie Mitchell Salem, QFI’s Executive Director said:

“We have been absolutely thrilled with the level of interest and number of submissions that we received since launching the I Speak Arabic web contest in December.

Around Town

Free Mental Health First Aid Training Offered for Residents 55 and Older

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A free Mental Health First Aid Training for Watertown residents age 55 and over will be held on April 30, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at The Joyce Munger Apartments, 100 Warren St., Watertown. Sometimes, first aid isn’t a bandage, or CPR. Sometimes, first aid is YOU! Someone you know could be experiencing a mental illness or crisis. You can help them. You are more likely to encounter someone — friend, family member, coworker, neighbor, or member of the community — in an emotional or mental crisis than someone having a heart Mental Health First Aid teaches a 5-step action plan to offer initial help to people with the signs and symptoms of a mental illness or in a crisis, and connect them with the appropriate professional, peer, social, or self help care.