News
BUA Music Instructor Composes for US Air Force Band
Two commissioned compositions by BUA Music Instructor Dr. Brett Abigaña’s were released on the latest album by the United States Air Force Band of the Golden West, "American Tapestry." The first piece, entitled Through the Kármán Line, is about crossing the line between Earth’s atmosphere and space, and is dedicated to Col. Guion Bluford, the first African American in space. The piece attempts to place the listener inside the astronaut’s helmet as they cross the line and look back to see Earth in all its glorious imperfection for the first time. The piece is also written so that it can be played backwards, so that one can experience leaving the International Space Station and crossing through the line again, returning to the reality that is life “down below.” The second composition, Locrian Riffs, is written about and dedicated to the women collectively referred to and represented by “Rosie the Riveter.” The piece uses a... More
43% of BUA Senior Class Receives College Board Recognition
Twenty-three members of the Boston University Class of 2021 -- 43% of the senior class -- were commended by national recognition programs for their high school academic achievements. Four BUA students were honored through the College Board National Recognition Program (NRP) by scoring in the top 2.5% of PSAT/NMSQT test takers who identify as African American, Hispanic American or Latinx, or Indigenous. Nineteen BUA seniors were named National Merit Commended Scholars in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), “commended scholars place among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2021 competition by taking the 2019 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).” Out of BUA’s 19 commended National Merit scholars, five BUA seniors were named National Merit Semifinalists. In a press release, the NMSC announced: “Approximately 16,000 academically talented high school seniors have been named as Semifinalists in the... More
Reflection on the Election from Head of School Chris Kolovos
Reflecting on this week's uncertainty following the election, Head of School Chris Kolovos shared the following message with BUA students, parents, faculty, and staff on the morning of November 4: "I imagine that many of you stayed up late to watch election results come in; I was right there with you, and the morning came too early. We all find ourselves now in the unusual, but not unprecedented, position of a November 4 without clarity about who won the presidential election. We are all sitting in uncertainty, and I know that can be uncomfortable. Research shows what we know intuitively: sitting in uncertainty can lead to stress and anxiety, hampering focus and attention. If you find yourself a little distracted or tense today, you are not alone. At times like this, I take comfort in routine. At our house, like at yours, the sun came up. The cats let us know they... More
Preparing Students for the 2020 Election
Head of School Chris Kolovos shares how BUA is preparing its students -- and the broader school community -- for the 2020 election. On Wednesday, we held a virtual All School Meeting. Even though we could only see one other through individual boxes on a Zoom screen, it felt good to be together as a community -- something we have not done since our opening day. Our focus was preparing for the upcoming election, and the highlight was a debate on police funding at the state and local level between two of our seniors; the debate was moderated by alumna Abby Walsh ‘04, who works at the Council on Criminal Justice in Washington, DC. It was one of the most beautiful moments of the school year. Knowing that there are precious few examples of productive civil discourse in the political arena right now, we turned to our students to provide a model. More
A Day in the Life at BUA
Curious to know what it looks and feels like at BUA these days? Take a peek inside a day in the life at BUA, courtesy of our resident student videographer Rohan Biju '23. Enjoy!
Dr. James Davis Receives Outstanding Educator Award
Dr. James Davis, long-time BUA history and philosophy teacher beloved by generations of BUA students, has been selected as a recipient of this year's University of Chicago Outstanding Educator Award. This distinguished award has existed for more than three decades. Students accepted into the University of Chicago Class of 2024 were asked to nominate an educator whose guidance has helped them along the path toward intellectual growth. Responses were received from thousands of students in recognition of educators who have positively impacted their lives. An Outstanding Educator shapes young minds in meaningful ways—thoughtfully approaching instruction, sharing an infectious love for learning, and caring for students both inside and outside of the classroom. Each year, newly admitted UChicago students have the opportunity to reflect on their time in school and nominate an educator who played a significant role in their education, made a positive impact in their lives, and whose influence has brought... More
BUA Reopens for In-Person Teaching and Learning
On September 2, Boston University Academy officially kicked off the 2020-2021 academic year with a Virtual All-School Meeting for all students and faculty. In his opening remarks, Head of School Chris Kolovos reflected on the “chance that we all have collectively to be the national model that this country needs right now.” Mr. Kolovos challenged students and faculty to "be an upstander in this moment,” noting that “the hard part is actually not taking care of yourself, it's taking care of one another. That's what's going to keep us all safe, and that's the model this country needs right now." Boston University Academy is one of the only schools in the nation where all students and faculty will receive routine weekly asymptomatic COVID screening tests. Before the start of the school year, all members of the school community were asked to commit to a set of shared norms and expectations that... More
Art Instructor Elizabeth Cellucci Announces Retirement after 20 Years at BUA
Visual Arts Instructor Elizabeth Cellucci announced her retirement from Boston University Academy last month, after a 20-year career at the school. Beloved by generations of BUA students, Ms. Cellucci is known for her calm presence, encouraging guidance, and sharp eye for form and detail. Her many advisees and students over the years loved and respected Liz for her nurturing support, her kindness, and her empathy. Ms. Cellucci is also the mother of two BUA graduates: Mia ‘06 and Stephen ‘03. Assistant Head of School Dr. Rosemary White shared: “Liz is as artistically talented as she is kind. Her students and advisees rely on her for her patience and support. Her students produce amazing work under her guidance, year after year.” We are grateful for Liz’s two decades of service to Boston University Academy, and will miss her deeply. More information on Ms. Cellucci’s replacement (big shoes to fill, indeed!) will be shared with the... More
BUA Welcomes New Head of School
BUA officially welcomed Mr. Chris Kolovos as our new head of school on July 1. We are thrilled to officially welcome Mr. Kolovos to the BUA family, and are excited about the energy, vision, and leadership he brings to our school. Mr. Kolovos shared the following message with families on July 10. Dear BUA Families, As I wrap up my first full week at BUA, I wanted to reach out to say hello. My wife, Tracey, and I are settling into our new home outside of Boston. We are both Boston-area natives and are excited to return home. We have also just welcomed our first child, Charlie, to our family; our dog, Circe, is very excited to be a big sister! One of the great things about being appointed a full year before my start date has been the chance to get to know this community and hit the ground running. I am especially... More
In Response to George Floyd
On Monday, June 1, Interim Head of School Dr. Rosemary White sent the following communication to the BUA community: Families across the country, in our city, and within our very own community are grieving today. In the last several months, we have witnessed a spate of racially-motivated violence in America: the killings of Breonna Taylor in Kentucky, Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, and George Floyd in Minneapolis; and the false report made against Christian Cooper in New York City. Over the past few days, protests and riots have broken out in cities across the nation, including right here in Boston -- an eruption of anger, fear, and pain in response to prejudice and mistreatment at the hands of those in power. All this set to the backdrop of a pandemic disproportionately affecting people of color, at a time when tensions are already running high and nerves are frayed. These events highlight the injustices and... More