News
Love of Learning
I recently had the pleasure of covering an 11th-grade English class for a teacher who was out for the day. The teacher had left behind a great lesson; in his absence, he asked students to discuss several questions he had prepared related to the chapters of The Scarlet Letter. The hour flew by. The students – with no guidance from this former history teacher except for a passing clarification about Calvinism – engaged in an non-stop energetic conversation around the oval table. They pointed to specific language in the text to support their arguments – refreshing in an age where facts don’t seem to matter. They built on one another’s points. They asked one another questions: “How did you all interpret the narrator’s description of . . . .” When they challenged one another, they did so with respect: “I didn’t see that. Where in the chapter did you pick... More
Why I Greet Students in the Morning
On most mornings, I stand outside the front entrance of the school and greet students by name and with a fistbump. A new student asked me why I do it. There are a lot of reasons, and I thought it might help to share them with all of you. For one, the morning can be stressful, particularly on days when the MBTA is cranky and traffic is bad. Students carry that stress with them, along with the anticipatory stress of whatever test or quiz or game or concert or might be coming that day. My hope is that a warm, personal human connection from an adult before walking through the door can bring the heart rate down and spirits up. There’s something psychologically important about being seen, called by name, and welcomed as an individual. And there’s something comforting in the consistency of the ritual at the start of the day. More
Putting Cell Phones in their Place
High school is a critical time to practice independence and learn responsibility, including the responsibility to use technology the right way. Our students deserve our trust. At the same time, we know that cell phones and associated apps are designed to keep attention and be addictive. The research about teens and cell phone use, recently summarized and popularized in Jonathan Haidt’s book The Anxious Generation, makes a compelling case that even the most mature, engaged, well-meaning young people can struggle to limit cell and social media use – potentially at a cost to their learning and social-emotional health. BUA classes have long been a place of deep, face-to-face engagement between peers and between students and teachers. To honor that tradition, we have created cell-phone-free classroom environments this year. Students now place their phones in a cell-phone caddy at the start of each class. Phones remain there for the duration... More
On Civil Discourse: Head of School Chris Kolovos Delivers Opening-of-Term Address
On Tuesday, September 3, 2024, Boston University Academy Head of School Chris Kolovos welcomed students, faculty, and staff back to school with opening remarks on the topic of civil discourse. Read the full text of his remarks below. Good morning. On behalf of the faculty and staff, welcome to the 32nd year of Boston University Academy. A special welcome to our new students. You are impressive individuals, but what binds you together and connects you to all of us is your kindness and your curiosity. You will make us better, and we are so glad you're here. To the Class of 2025, welcome back. We had some fun together at the senior retreat. You will set the tone for all of us this year, and we are excited about your leadership. Speaking of seniors, in a few moments I will have the pleasure of introducing Alex Furman, your Student Council President. Before... More
BUA Graduates its 30th Class
On Monday, May 20, 2024, Boston University Academy hosted its 30th commencement exercise at BU’s Tsai Performance Center. The BUA Class of 2024 crossed the stage to receive their diplomas from Head of School Chris Kolovos and Associate Head of School Rosemary White. Ibukun Owolabi '24 and Anais Kim '24 delivered the student addresses; Olga Meserman '24 and Elizabeth Brown '24 recited the Classics orations in Latin and Greek, respectively. Following the ceremony, graduates and their families celebrated with a reception on BU Beach. Boston University President ad interim Kenneth W. Freeman delivered this year's commencement keynote address. President Freeman drew on his 40-year career in business to impart some life lessons to our graduates, remarking: "I have three messages for you. If you adopt them as part of your toolkit, you'll make a difference in the world; you'll enjoy your life personally and professionally; and you can do so with a... More
The Power of Thank You
We had a great time celebrating the Class of 2024 at Monday’s Commencement ceremony. BU President ad interim Ken Freeman was our keynote speaker. He spoke powerfully about three lessons: just say “yes”; arrogance kills; and the power of “Thank you!”. He offered personal anecdotes from his forty-year career in business to illustrate the three lessons. In exploring the third, he asked, “When a person says ‘Thank you!’ to you, do you appreciate it? Do you know anyone that doesn’t appreciate receiving a heartfelt ‘Thank you!’ for their efforts?” In a touching moment, he asked our seniors, seated closely together in rows on the stage, to turn to a classmate and say “Thank you!” for their friendship and support during their time at BUA. At this time of year, I find myself grateful for many things, but particularly for my colleagues on the faculty and staff. I’d like to say... More
BUA Hosts First Annual Senior Thesis Symposium
This year, BUA introduced a new forum to showcase the high-level research of our seniors. On May 13, 2024, BUA hosted its first annual Senior Thesis Symposium. The 53 members of the senior class presented their work at a poster session in the GSU’s Metcalf Hall, followed by individual thesis presentations. The topics ranged from CRISPR to cowboys, Euripides to the universe, fashion to existential philosophy, white roofs to Elie Wiesel. The Symposium offered a stage on which to celebrate our seniors and their remarkable thesis research, the academic culmination of their BUA experience: identifying a question worth exploring, seeking out mentorship, researching deeply, applying a critical analytical lens, communicating conclusions to a non-expert audience, and fielding questions. Read the complete list of 2024 Senior Thesis titles below – and prepare to be amazed! Class of 2024 Senior Thesis Titles The History and Ethics of CRISPR The Ethical Dilemma of Busing in Massachusetts:... More
Teacher Appreciation
The coming days will be exciting ones for the whole school and include chances to celebrate the Class of 2024: Senior Thesis Symposium, Senior Dinner, Field Day, Senior Week events, Prom, and Commencement a week from Monday. While these goodbyes are bittersweet, we are looking forward to being together. This week, we marked Teacher Appreciation Week. Thank you to the parents who contributed the meals our teachers and staff enjoyed. Thanks to the students who offered their kudos. You might have seen the posts on social media where BUA students shared things they appreciate most in their teachers. Here’s some of what they wrote. “Their passion for learning brings me so much joy.” “They take the time to really listen to you and give you honest and helpful advice.” “They enable me to be excited to ask questions :)” “Their personalities” “Their incredible dedication and commitment to teaching” “They’re all show... More
Our Seniors
As the calendar flips to May, I’m thinking a lot about our seniors and everything they have brought to this community. We started together – they and I – in the height of the pandemic. Smiling behind masks and sitting six feet apart, they forged friendships that will last well beyond their time at BUA. They supported one another through the loss of a beloved teacher whom many of them carry in their hearts. The teams they played on brought trophies and, much more importantly, brought us all together. As seniors, they have made it their mission to deepen that community spirit. Part of their legacy will be a new tradition they, along with younger peers on Student Council, lovingly named the Federal Bureau of Intrepids (FBI) – a yearlong competition involving all students across the four grades; students are assigned to one of eight color teams, which vie for... More
Lobstah Bots Robotics Team Nets Honors at New England District Championships
BUA's robotics team, the Lobstah Bots, participated in the FIRST Robotics New England District Championships in Springfield, MA in early April 2024. Although the team fell short of qualifying for the world championships, it performed at a high level on the field: on the final day of competition, the Lobstah Bots won the FIRST Innovation in Control Award, which is given to a robot with an “innovative and unique” control scheme that is “integrated with the machine, human players, and strategy” in both concept and execution. Its practical and sleek mechanical design, paired with impressive auto-align and LED signaling in software, made the team's robot -- dubbed "The Woodpecker" -- stand out from the crowd. This has been one of the team's most competitive and successful seasons in its history. In February, the Lobstah Bots were invited to present their work and robot at the International Society for Laboratory and Automation... More