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by Rick Winterson      Last week’s first ever Student Entrepreneur Workshop at Excel High School was an exciting, remarkable event.   It was sponsored by LaunchByte, an execution-focused investment firm and startup hub.  Hosted by Excel’s Headmaster Renee McCall, the Workshop challenged five groups of Excel students to develop their own original ideas for new, viable businesses.   The five groups were tasked with brainstorming and then designing new concepts for a marketable/saleable mobile application - which these five groups of (very) promising student entrepreneurs certainly did. LaunchByte is a highly interesting, comparatively new firm.  It was founded just over three years ago in 2015 by its CEO, Tan Kabra.  Unique in its own way, LaunchByte is a startup hub that focuses on many entrepreneurial steps [...]

By Richard Campbell A glittering evening brought 1,700 participants to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center this past Tuesday May 15th as business leaders of Boston met for the Annual Chamber of Commerce meeting entitled Now>Next. With a somewhat self-congratulatory emphasis upon the great business accomplishments of this past year, Boston’s global leadership, and a nod to the future of the city’s continued success in the international economy, the evening focus was what makes Boston a unique environment to do business, and Sweet Harmony an A cappella group sang the national anthem and popular ballads.  Before the event there was a brief cocktail meet and greet outside the main hall at the BCEC. After opening comments from Annual Meeting Co-chairs, Angus Leary and Kimberly Vaughn, [...]

By Richard Campbell Ethos Early Learning Center held a Grand Opening at their new West Broadway location on Saturday, May 12, and South Boston Online followed up on our earlier coverage from the company inception this past January, to see the early childhood learning center fully prepared for accepting children. The learning program is modeled on a hybrid Montessori / Reggio Emila / Steiner Method approach, and the staff at this new center showed excitement as their small school looked perfectly modeled for South Boston. Particularly for parents of small babies growing into toddler stages, many of whom have busy professional lives working in the city, this kind service is a most welcomed addition in the neighborhood. Having achieved all state and city inspections and [...]

by Rick Winterson   The Year 2018 A.D. is a historic year in South Boston.  It is the 100th Anniversary of the World War I Armistice (November 11, 1918).  Records show that 103 servicemen from South Boston lost their lives in “The War to End All Wars”. Equally as historic in a local sense is the 200th Anniversary of St. Augustine Chapel and Cemetery on Dorchester Street at the corner of Sixth.  It is a Chapel built in memory of Father Francis Anthony Matignon, who served as the parish priest for Boston and all of New England until his death on September 19, 1818, 200 years ago.  He was truly Boston’s “Pioneer Priest”; he is buried in the Chapel, which was begun in 1818 and [...]

By Richard Campbell Educational empowerment never seemed so fun as when One Hen, a division of Boston Scores, brought out students to pitch their projects to well-wishers and contributors during their charitable event held this past Thursday at District Hall in the Seaport.  The curriculum of One Hen focuses upon teaching student entrepreneurship fundamentals and giving back to the community. In practical terms students learn how to start a business, create and market a product, and turn their profits towards helping others in need. During the evening the student’s finished products were displayed as they demonstrated entrepreneurial and social skills in preparation for a life of service. Prominently on hand was Katie Smith Milway, author of the award-winning children’s book: “One Hen: How One Small [...]

By Richard Campbell This past Saturday the 17th Annual Boston Marine Corps 5K Honor Run was dedicated to Lance Corporal Alexander Scott Arredondo, USMC, of Randolph, MA. Arredondo was deployed several times with the 1st Battalion 4th Marines between 2003 and 2004 and was killed in action in the city of A Najaf, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom on August 25th, 2004. Although he was only 20 years old when he passed on, all accounts of this young soldier’s life revealed a person who touched many lives, was very athletic, and demonstrated significant leadership skills on and off the battle field.   Representatives for most of the Massachusetts military services and first responders from Boston were well in evidence, performing security and ceremonial duties before the [...]

Julie’s Family Learning Program is one of 33 local nonprofits awarded a total of $10 million from Cummings Foundation through its new Sustaining Grants program, which provides funding for up to 10 years.  Bob Monahan, Executive Director, and Carrie Coughlin, Director of Development, represented the nonprofit at a May 3 awards night at TradeCenter 128 in Woburn. Julie's high touch, long term engagement with individual mothers and their children provides a path to stability for families living in poverty. Currently, 50% are homeless, the rest live in public housing. Many struggle with childhood trauma, addiction, domestic violence, unemployment and poor health. Our intensive, holistic curriculum of adult basic education and life skills, combined with licensed, certified childcare, emergency supports and basic needs, and, most importantly, [...]

by Rick Winterson   Fr. Joseph M. White is well known in South Boston.  A few years ago, Fr. Joe was the Pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish at E and West Third Streets.  He’s now the Pastor of the West End’s St. Joseph Parish, but we are still fortunate to see a lot of him around here.  Last Thursday evening, April 26, the Laboure Center conferred their 2018 Jack Shaughnessy Service Award upon Fr. Joe at the Laboure’s 36th Annual Spring Reception.  He is a devoted parish priest, who willingly serves our community in a variety of ways. For a long time, Fr. Joe has worked on the problem of substance abuse, especially ministering to addicted people themselves and to their immediate families.  [...]