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“It’s an exemplar as to how a university should conduct themselves when it comes to outreach with the Boston Public Schools,” said Cory McCarthy, chief of student support at Boston Public Schools.
High-pitched screams greeted the Northeastern University women’s basketball players as they ran onto Solomon Court.
The cheers were delivered by more than 650 students attending the 15th annual Boston Public Schools Field Day at Northeastern. Their enthusiasm was expressed loudly throughout the Huskies’ game Wednesday morning against Stonehill College.
The students’ passion was sincere, said Cory McCarthy, chief of student support at Boston Public Schools.
“It’s an exemplar as to how a university should conduct themselves when it comes to outreach with the Boston Public Schools,” said McCarthy, noting that BPS Day connects academics, athletics and college life in a way that touches the students.
The second a student walks onto a college campus, their likelihood of pursuing a higher education goes up significantly, McCarthy said.
“So this is a true testament of making a commitment to having our kids feel a sense of belonging on the campus of Northeastern,” he said. “And at the same time they get a real-life experience by being treated to one of the best things in my world — a basketball game.
“The evolution of how we view school is more than the classroom learning experience. It’s experiential. I love the way Northeastern is able to connect the dots for our kids.”
The students from six schools arrived in the morning at the Cabot Physical Education Center, where they received Northeastern T-shirts and had fun chasing each other upon the cushioned artificial turf.
They were led upstairs to the basketball arena, picking up a boxed lunch along the way.
“They’re super excited,” said Nicole Parsons, a third-grade teacher at the Eliot School. “It’s a huge chance for them to see what they could do when they grow up, especially right around the corner.”
The timing of the field day was perfect, said Taushawn Tinsley, who teaches third- and fifth-grade science at the Richard J. Murphy School.
“They enjoy basketball games in general,” Tinsley said. “Getting the kids outside the classroom is pretty good for them right before Christmas break.”
The day has a long-lasting impact, Tinsley has found.
“I believe it’s been nine years that I’ve been coming to this event, and it’s been pretty cool,” Tinsley said. “I have kids that still come back to me and talk about the field trip to Northeastern. So definitely it’s awesome — and it’s not just for this event. We came here for a STEM activity and the kids absolutely loved it.”
Denise Sonnie, a fifth grade teacher at the Nathan Hale School, was making a return visit to BPS Field Day.
“Our kids really like it — they have a fun day,” Sonnie said. “They love the game. They love cheering. They love the music.”
“And they get to see a college,” added her colleague, fourth-grade teacher Jonathan Holden. “It’s just a mile and a half up the street.”
The annual event is an investment in the future, said John Tobin, vice president of city and community engagement at Northeastern.
“It’s our thank you to the community and to Boston Public School kids,” Tobin said. “We love having kids on our campus because it shows them what is possible and what’s available to them. Maybe it’s not Northeastern — maybe it’s another college somewhere else in the city or around the country — but it shows them college kids who are doing well in the classroom and also doing well on the court. It shows what is possible for them.”
The day may inspire young people to recognize that all things are possible, said Lisa Markland, Northeastern’s associate athletic director for leadership, diversity, equity and inclusion.
“It’s important for them to be able to experience being on a college campus, what that feels like, get that vibe and just dream about where they can get to,” Markland said. “We hope that all of them dream big and believe that they can do what they’re seeing some of our athletes are doing from different lived experiences and backgrounds.
“Academics is at the root of it — making sure that they’re doing their homework, getting good grades and tapping into the resources that are available to them to get them to that next level. We’re hoping that passes down to these young people, that they see the accomplishments that our athletes have and that something will spark in them.”