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Lincoln soccer players make national quarterfinals

Two Lincoln teens who recently competed in the MLS Next Cup national championship. Aaron Drew and Brenner Rosen play for New England Surf, a regional youth soccer organization in MLS Next’s Academy Division, the second-highest youth soccer league in the country. The Surf qualified for the MLS Next Cup by coming in second at the regional qualifiers in New Jersey and went to Utah for the national quarterfinals. The Surf won their first two matches in the 32-team tournament, qualifying for the Elite 8, though they lost their next match and did not advance to the semifinals.

Brenner is the second-highest scorer on the team and Aaron is the starting goalie. In the Round of 32 against Tucson, Aaron (the Surf’s starting goalie) saved three goals in the culmination of a tie game that ended in penalty kicks (Instagram video here). The boys have been playing soccer together since first grade through Lincoln Youth Soccer and are on the varsity teams at their high schools (LSRHS and Belmont Hill).

FELS grants announced

FELS, the Foundation for Educators at Lincoln-Sudbury, has awarded nine grants to Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School faculty and staff. The grant proposals are often for personal refreshment, long-held aspirations, course work or travel, all of which is undertaken during school vacation time and summer recess. Grants are funded from donations to the FELS annual appeals and proceeds from fundraisers including the annual FELS Thanksgiving Pie Sale and prom flower sales.

The 2026 FELS grant recipients, their proposals and destinations are as follows:

• Damian Attidore, English — FIFA World Cup (Boston)
• David Bloom, English — Exploring the History of Racism in America (Georgia and Alabama)
• Kayla DeWees, Excel Program — High Desert Watercolor (New Mexico)
• Alison Eichmann, Student Services — Reconnecting with Nature, Horses, and Self (New Hampshire)
• Sage Engberg, English — Traversing the Brooks Range (Alaska)
• Conor Hanover, History — Emerald Origins (Ireland)
• David Hosford, English — China: Then and Now (China)
• Doreen McCarthy, South House — Rings, Rings and More Rings (western Massachusetts)
• Brendan Sarles, Math — Learning Consistency through Ironman Triathlon Training (Texas)

FELS is celebrating its 26th year and in that time has awarded close to 160 grants totaling nearly $210,000.

Register for Youth Public Safety Academy

Registration closes on Monday, June 15 at noon for the 2026 Youth Public Safety Academy, YPSA), which is open to children ages 8-12 living in any of Middlesex County’s 54 cities and towns. Hosted at the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office Training Academy in Chelmsford, the program consists of five, one-week sessions where youngsters engage in hands-on activities alongside YPSA staff and area first responders. The academy includes focuses on public safety lessons, teamwork, and leadership. Register here.

Registration is $125 per child for each week and includes transportation to and from designated bus stops, breakfast, lunch, and snacks, as well as a graduation ceremony each Friday. YPSA bus stops will be in the following communities for the designated weeks. Participants are not required to reside in communities with a designated bus stop, but they will be picked up and dropped off at these locations.

• July 6-10 — Chelmsford, Lowell, Tewksbury & Wilmington
• July 13-17 — Lexington, Stoneham/Wakefield, Tyngsborough & Woburn
• July 20-24 — Bedford, Belmont/Watertown, Billerica & Newton/Waltham
• July 27- 31 — Acton/Boxborough/Maynard, Framingham/Natick, Hudson & Marlborough
• August 3-7 — Arlington, Burlington, Malden & Medford