Greetings from Renaissance Hall, the formal title of BB&N's curvilinear new wing, which houses classrooms, offices, and spectacular studio, rehearsal, and performance space for the arts department. The music department can finally boast of spacious rehearsal rooms with wooden floors, fifteen-foot ceilings, and undulating acoustical baffles, suspended from the ceiling, that reflect a warm resonant sound for our choral, chamber music, orchestral and jazz ensembles.

Apart from the fantastic acoustics and the chic geometric design, the immense "tea-cup" shaped windows of the second floor music spaces provide a sweeping view of the soccer field- we refer to it as our "club level seating"- from which a score of faculty and students viewed the boys' varsity soccer team defeat Northfield Mount Hermon and Nobles in successive rounds of the NEPSAC Class A tournament this fall. continued

Where: Nicholas Athletic Center at BB&N's Upper School Campus
When: Friday, April 11, 6pm
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Susan Hockfield, MIT President
Guest Speakers: BB&N Rhodes Scholars
                         John Simon '80 and Sarah Light '91
Tickets: $50 per person ($25 for alumni/ae in Classes 1998-2007)

Click here to RSVP.
Click here to see which current and former faculty members are joining us.

Why I joined my Reunion Committee...
I live in Cambridge and work about four blocks from the lower school - I would pretty much be embarrassed not to be on our Reunion Committee! The truth is: I'm excited to be part of it. In high school, the drama of being a teenager prevented me from being able to recognize how amazing my classmates were - and now are. Ten years later, it's fascinating to hear what my former BB&N classmates have been up to - from the exciting travels many have been lucky enough to experience to the stimulating careers so many have acquired. I think we're all old enough now to appreciate who and what we have all become; I am looking forward to reconnecting with colleagues and hearing about the paths they have chosen.

Last month, we had a Class of 1998 happy hour in Boston (a 'sneak peak' to Reunion) and I re-met Liz Clay. Even though I've known her since third grade, when I began BB&N, we existed in different social circles. continued

While most high school seniors keep themselves busy studying for APs, stressing over college choices or diligently updating their Facebook profiles, Vargas spends his nights and weekends either traveling to political rallies around the country or updating his popular political blog called "Vargas for President 2040" (www.lukevargas.com), that recounts his thoughts and observations as a young voter on the campaign trail.

"He is very politically minded," Keith Mercurio, whom Vargas helped out with his campaign commercial when he ran for State Representative, said recently to the Watertown Tab. "Luke has a really unique take on politics; more than so than any other young guy."

Using his "equipment"-his Dad's car, mom's camera, and his trusty laptop, Vargas has traveled to the Iowa caucus, met every presidential candidate (and has his picture with many of them), and has attended almost 50 debates, all with a homemade laminated press pass. continued

We welcome your contribution (notes, small momentoes, pictures, etc.) to be included.

Please send or bring to the
Middle School in care of Kathy Dorkin,
80 Sparks Street, Cambridge
by May 1, 2008.

Come play in a 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament at BB&N. This is the 12th year of the event, organized and hosted by James Vershbow '79. All proceeds go to FRAXA, a national non-profit organization. FRAXA's mission is to further scientific research to find effective treatments and hopefully a cure for fragile X syndrome.

For more information, please contact James Vershbow at 617.599.2641 or jversh@comcast.net.