The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

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Talk on Lincoln’s Black residents in the 1700s

Last spring, the Lincoln Historical Society began to explore Lincoln’s past as a town that included enslaved people with a talk by Elise Lemire (co-sponsored by the Bemis Free Lecture Series) on “Slavery in Lincoln, Massachusetts: Reckoning with Our Past, Planning for a More Honest and Inclusive Future” (click here to watch video). The LHS will dig deeper on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. with a talk on “Entangled Lives, Black and White: Lincoln and Its African American Residents in the 18th Century” by LHS board member Donald Hafner, a retired vice provost and professor of political science at Boston College. Click here for the Zoom link (meeting ID: 936 3276 0035, passcode: 177417).

The event is co-sponsored by the First Parish in Lincoln’s Racial Justice Journey, which began this fall with a focus on national, local, and church history and the ways in which that history has involved us in questions of race. The aim is to offer access to a variety of sources of information and perspectives that will let participants reconsider these questions together, in preparation for the next stages of the journey, focused on issues (winter) and action (spring). Every Thursday evening at 7 p.m. this fall, there will be Zoom meetings with talks, documentaries, book discussions, or movies. Field trips are also offered as part of the program. Everyone is invited. To learn more, contact Mary Helen Lorenz at mhelen808385@gmail.com.

Fall Fest this Saturday

The Parks and Recreation Department will host the first-ever Fall Fest at Pierce Park on Saturday, Oct. 30 from noon–3 p.m. The event will feature the popular Trunk-or-Treat along with activities such as caramel apple decorating, bounce house, hayrides, an apple pie contest, pony rides, a petting zoo, and more. This event requires online registration and a $5 per person entry fee ($20 maximum per family).

Learn how to restore apple trees

Want to learn how to restore an apple tree? Or a whole orchard? Join the Lincoln Garden Club on Wednesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. for a presentation by Matt Kaminsky, aka “Gnarly Pippins.” Matt is an arborist, author, and expert in the production of cider. Click here to register in advance for this meeting; you will then receive a confirmation email with your Zoom link.

Enter work for the Lincoln Arts Show

Lincoln-affiliated artists and artisans of all ages are invited to submit their work for the Lincoln Arts Show from Friday to Sunday, Nov. 5–7 from noon–5 p.m. at the Pierce House. Show the town your two- and three-dimensional creations for display or sale. Click here to register (entry fees start at $10, though the fee is waived for students). Once you’ve registered, a form for the artist statement and labels will be sent to you. Entry forms, artist statements, and art labels must be received by Monday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. Any late entries will be accepted on a space-available basis.

There is no commission; artists are responsible for collecting sales tax. All work must be ready to hang or present. Hanging/displaying times are Thursday, Nov. 4 from 4–6 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 5 from 9 a.m.–noon. Take-down time is Sunday, Nov. 7 from 5–6 p.m. Artists or their designees will be responsible for hanging/displaying and removing their own works. Hanging materials and tools are provided. The opening reception is Friday, Nov. 5 from 5–7 p.m. Questions? Contact Sarah Chester at schester636@gmail.com.

Lincoln residents in area performances

John Lynch

Lincoln resident Sammy Andonian will be the featured artist in Massachusetts Peace Action’s Music for Peace series opening concert on Saturday, Oct. 30 at the Harvard-Epworth Methodist Church (1555 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge) from 7:30–9 p.m. Limited tickets are available for in-person seating; the event will also be live streamed. Support a worthy cause while enjoying beautiful classical music for solo and accompanied violin.

Lincoln’s John Lynch will be on stage of Lovers and Other Strangers, a comedy of 1970s love lives in five one-act vignettes, on November 5, 6, 12, and 13 at 8 p.m. and November 7 at 2 pm. at Theater III (250 Central St., West Acton). Vaccination and masks are required. For details, see theatre3.org or email lsminkoff@theatre3.org.

Public form on use of Lincoln ‘s conservation trails

The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT) and the Lincoln Conservation Commission (LCC) are hosting a virtual Trail Use Public Forum on Wednesday, Nov. 17 from 7–8:30 p.m. LLCT and LCC have begun a comprehensive review of the multiple uses of Lincoln trails and how best to manage them for the protection of open space and overall public benefit. Trail uses have changed over time, and we are seeking a current community understanding of the appropriate way to use and enjoy our open spaces and trails.

The forum will start with a brief slide show reviewing the goals of Lincoln’s 2017 Open Space and Recreation Plan and a summary of previous and current trail uses, with the goal of developing a trail use vision that is appropriate for Lincoln today. After the presentation, attendees are encouraged to provide feedback and comments. Click here for the Zoom link (meeting ID 927 0523 1109, passcode: 971375). If you’re unable to attend the public forum, please submit any comments you’d like to share regarding the use of Lincoln’s trails to the Conservation Department (conservation@lincolntown.org or 781-259-2612) by November 30. 

State to conduct triennial special ed/civil rights review of schools

During the week of November 15, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of the Lincoln Public Schools. The PSM visits each district and charter school every three years to monitor compliance with federal and state special education and civil rights regulations. Areas of review related to special education include student assessments, determination of eligibility, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team process, and IEP development and implementation. Areas of review related to civil rights will include bullying, student discipline, physical restraint, and equal access to school programs for all students. 

In addition to the onsite visit, parent/guardian outreach is an important part of the review process. The review chairperson from PSM will send all parents of students with disabilities an online survey that focuses on key areas of their child’s special education program. Survey results will contribute to the development of a report. During the onsite review, PSM will interview the chair(s) of the district’s Interim Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Other onsite activities may include interviews of district staff and administrators, reviews of student records, and onsite observations.

Parents/guardians and others may email PSM chair Erin VandeVeer at erin.vandeveer@mass.gov or call 781-338-3735 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an accommodation such as translation, to participate in an interview, the Department will make the necessary arrangements.

Within approximately 60 business days after the onsite visit, the review chair will provide the district with a report with information about areas in which it meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which it requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The public will be able to access the report here.

Register for State of the Town online meetings

Lincolnites can now register to attend the Zoom-based Sate of the Town meeting on November 1-2 from 7–9 p.m. on both nights.

SOTT #1 (Monday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.)

  • Public Health Update
  • School Building Project Update
  • Finance Committee Update
  • Community Center Discussion
  • Open Forum

Zoom advance registration link (night 1)

SOTT #2 (Tuesday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m.)

  • Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Anti-Racism (IDEA) Initiative Update
  • South Lincoln Planning Update
  • Climate Action Planning Committee
  • Open Forum

Zoom advance registration link (night 2)

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. For more information on the issues, see the Selectmen’s Fall 2021 Newsletter.

Smithsonian is streaming Hanscom student film on Ida B. Wells

“Ida B. Wells: The Princess of the Press” (click image to play video).

A short film made by two Hanscom Middle School students Sophie Hrad and Morgan Gibson will premiere nationally as part of a National History Day (NHD) online showcase.

“Ida B. Wells: The Princess of the Press” is one of 33 films produced by middle school and high school students that was competing in the 2021 NHD National Contest and selected by National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) staff. The films will be available to stream online via the Smithsonian Learning Lab through Wednesday, June 23.

NHD students whose films were selected for the showcase grappled with topics consistent with the mission of the museum. Their documentaries address topics of African American history, civil and human rights, and the experiences of historically underrepresented, marginalized, or subjugated peoples. These 10-minute films also reflect the 2021 NHD theme, “Communication in History: The Key to Understanding.”

The Hanscom students will have a similar honor next week as the Massachusetts Historical Society will include their project as part of its Juneteenth recognition, according to their teacher, Jason Peledge.

Sophie and Morgan’s documentary highlights Ida B. Wells, her dual fight against racism and sexism, and how she never stopped fighting for what she believed in and giving a voice to the voiceless. Through the power of the press, she shed light on the inhumane treatment of Black Americans during the late 19th century and early 20th century. Knowing the power of her communication, Wells advocated for women’s suffrage, racial justice, and much more, which has paved the way for people of color in the field of investigative journalism. Click here to watch their video.

The films would normally be shown in person in the NMAAHC’s Oprah Winfrey Theater but are being screened online due to the pandemic. “Despite the ongoing public health emergency, the virtual nature of this showcase allows us to leverage modern technology to share student work that addresses important movements and advancements in communications history,” said NHD Executive Director Cathy Gorn. “These students have recognized, researched, and refined powerful stories of communication breakthroughs and pioneers of the past. We are so grateful to our partners at the Smithsonian’s NMAAHC and the Smithsonian Learning Lab for making this showcase accessible to millions of people around the world.”

Civic Action Project

Peledge also teaches the seven-week Civic Action Project at Hanscom Middle School, part of the curriculum for all Massachusetts public school eight-graders. Students begin by identifying an issue of importance to them, and in groups based on shared interests, they research the history of the issue and how people have tried to solve it before, as well as identifying the community influencers and decision-makers. They conduct interviews with community experts and create a step-by-step action plans involving the community or legislators to try to resolve their issue.

Peledge’s students chose public awareness campaigns as their action plan. One group created a reusable bag infographic (see below), while another worked on this article about opposition to products are tested on animals.

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”149″ gal_title=”Animal testing infographic”]

My Turn: Work continues on creating a more just and equitable society

By Tara Mitchell
Lincoln School Committee chair

As we mark the anniversary of moving to remote learning one year ago this month, it is difficult to process all that we have been through as a school district, as a community, and as a country. We can all be grateful and proud of the ingenuity, perseverance, and dedication that the Lincoln School District administration, faculty, staff, and students have shown this past year.

While there certainly are bright spots on the horizon with more vaccines coming, violent events continue to shed light on the hate and injustice that exists in our country, the most recent of which was the killings in Atlanta and the mass shooting in Boulder. We stand in solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Island communities and acknowledge the fear, anger, and anxiety that these crimes of hate produce.

The Lincoln School Committee has made a commitment to honor and respect human differences and to work toward being an anti-racist district. Hate has no place in school, in our community, or in our country and we will continue to support the work being done in the school district that we hope will lead to a more just and equitable society.

”My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Cowap asks for your vote for L-S School Committee

By Heather Cowap

I am excited to announce my candidacy for the Lincoln Sudbury Regional School Committee. I hope to replace Carole Kasper (who is stepping down) as one of the Lincoln representatives on this committee.

I have been on all sides of this table. I’m currently a curriculum consultant working with an international STEM company, but I have both taught, and raised kids, in two different regional school districts. I spent 15 years as a high school science teacher in Groton-Dunstable and raised two daughters through the Acton Boxborough schools before the K-12 regionalization. 

I have a deep commitment to community service, and like many of you have served as a volunteer. When my kids were younger, I volunteered with the Boxborough Library, both the elementary and regional school PTAs, and as a coach for community basketball and lacrosse. I also served as a board member of A-B Girls Youth Lacrosse.

I am a passionate about public education, and my desire to participate in the L-S Regional School Committee is driven by my desire to give back to public education. I loved my years in the classroom that provided me with extensive experience in the complex needs of high schools. I have also participated in multiple NEASC site visits, exposing me to many of the shared challenges public schools are expected to meet and the creative ways many schools are addressing these challenges. As a parent I am aware of the need for respectful ongoing communication between schools and community. I plan to establish regular opportunities for the community by hosting zoom gatherings throughout the year.

I look forward to supporting many of the ongoing initiatives of the regional school committee, in particular the transition programs for Lincoln students entering the high school developed by Carole Kasper in collaboration with the Lincoln Public Schools. The school committee’s ongoing work on equity, in ensuring that all student needs are being met, and supporting the success of every L-S student are further areas of interest for me.

I will be hosting drop-in Zoom coffee chats for members of the community to come meet with me (see below for dates, times and Zoom links). I look forward to having the opportunity to listen and learn about parents’ and students’ experiences with the high school, both wins and challenges, as well as hearing your hopes for the school district as we move ahead.

  • Wednesday, March 10 at 10 a.m. — Zoom link (Meeting ID: 856 2643 0759, Passcode: 759563)
  • Wednesday, March 17 at 10 a.m. — Zoom link (Meeting ID: 840 8037 2413, Passcode: 558395)
  • Wednesday, March 24 at 10 a.m. — Zoom link (Meeting ID: 868 1721 0216, Passcode: 767171)

”My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Support Heather Cowap for L-S School Committee

By Carole Kasper

Many thanks for the opportunity to serve on the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee since my election in 2018. I am writing to express gratitude for this role, while also letting you know that I have decided not to seek re-election during this 2021 election cycle. I would like to introduce an exciting candidate for the L-S School Committee seat that I will be vacating later this spring.

Her name is Heather Cowap, settled in Lincoln following a move from Boxborough in recent years. Her now-adult children attended Boxborough public schools K-8 before attending Acton-Boxborough Regional High School. Along the way, she developed a deep understanding of the “smaller town sharing a regional high school with a larger town” dynamic — she also spent 15 years as a teacher in the Science Department of Groton-Dunstable Regional High School.

During her career, Heather she has also served on multiple accreditation committees on behalf of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Now retired, she says she is seeking a large volunteer role, one in which she can continue to apply her skills as an education professional while also contributing significantly to her local community. I strongly support Heather’s candidacy, and I invite you to join in this support.

For me, it has been an honor to serve and work diligently for L-S students and families. I supported the work of the Racial Climate Task Force, while also serving on both School Start Time Subcommittees, the Safety Review Subcommittee, the L-S Safety Council, the OPEB Trust Committee, the Strategic Planning Subcommittee, and the Strategic Planning Steering Committee. I had the opportunity to shepherd the L-S annual budget each of the past three years, serving as L-S liaison to Lincoln’s Select Board, Finance Committee, and Capital Planning Committee.

I enjoyed collaborating with administrators at both L-S and the Lincoln Public Schools to innovate a middle-school-to-high-school transition-planning process for Lincoln students and families who are heading into their L-S years. The “Life at L-S” 8th-to-9th-grade program is now in its fifth year, consistently garnering positive and appreciative feedback. The “Intro to L-S” program, an information session and tour opportunity for Lincoln middle school families wanting to see and learn about L-S offerings early on in their family high school planning process, is also well established and will continue in future years.

Thank you for the community trust you placed in me as a member of the L-S School Committee for these past three years. Please join me now in electing Heather Cowap to the L-S School Committee on town Election Day — Monday, March 29th!

”My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Schools begin pool testing for Covid-19; one positive case last week

One school employee on the Lincoln preK-8 campus tested positive for Covid-19 last week after the town’s schools began pool testing of some students and staff.

Under the voluntary six-week program that began shortly after the end of February school vacation, participating Lincoln Public School (LPS) students and staff provide a weekly sample via a quick, noninvasive lower nasal swab. The samples from each classroom are tested as a pool using the common PCR test. If a pool returns a positive result, the members of that pool are immediately tested individually using the BinaxNow rapid test.  

In the first week of testing, 578 school community members in 74 pools underwent pool testing. This included 52% of eligible students (72% of the Lincoln campus students and 33% of the Hanscom campus students) as well as 73% of eligible staff. Students and staff who are on campus full time and who have not tested positive for Covid-19 in the past 90 days are eligible for testing after they sign a consent form.

The person who tested positive was asymptomatic, but all of their close contacts were identified and notified that they must quarantine at home for 14 days dating from their last exposure with the positive individual. As a result, two classroom cohorts of students and staff as well as two additional individuals were moved to remote learning for their quarantine period, according to Superintendent of Schools Becky McFall.

If someone in a child’s pool tests positive, parents will receive a direct notification and information about the follow-up testing. A general notification will be made each week when all test results have been received and no further results are outstanding.

“While it is never good to learn of someone in our community testing positive, it is helpful to know that the pooled testing process worked and identified an asymptomatic positive person who was unaware that they had contracted the virus,” McFall said in a statement to families and staff. “That is exactly what pooled testing should do to help us ensure that viral spread is minimized. Pooled testing is most effective when everyone who is able to participate gets tested.”

Eligible students and staff who have not yet signed a consent form can participate in future testing if they submit a consent form by noon on Thursday to be included in the following week’s testing pools. Consent forms and details on the program are available on the LPS Pooled Testing web page.

The testing program was launched after the schools saw increased numbers of positive cases and close contacts in the weeks following the Thanksgiving recess and December vacation period. Last week, the school nurse on the Lincoln campus recorded 70 students who traveled out of state over the February vacation. Only 15 of these were known in advance. On the Hanscom campus, administrators know of 24 students who traveled; 18 were known in advance.

“We appreciate that many families provided the necessary test result documentation upon return to school. Students who came to school without travel notification or test results were sent home from school when information about their travel became known,” McFall wrote.

The testing program is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and supported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Student/staff survey reveals mixed feelings

In a mid-year survey of staff and students, 84% of families and 54% of faculty and staff reported feeling “extremely safe” or “quite safe” at school from Covid-19 with the current safety protocols. Asked how their children are feeling about school this year, 75–90% families reported that their kids have felt “safe,” “engaged,” “happy,” “excited,” and/or “hopeful” — though only 59% of remote students felt excited about school, vs. 80% of in-person students.

Faculty were also asked how they felt about work, whether in-school or remote, and a majority (62–94%) reporting feeling exhausted, stressed out, and/or overwhelmed. More than 80% of faculty and staff said their work felt “extremely or quite meaningful,” though only 56% said they felt extremely or quite effective at their job.

“When you are teaching in an entirely new model, and you are teaching students who are remote and not in front of you, and you teach with masks on and can’t see each others’ faces, it’s hard to gauge your impact,” said LPS Director of Technology Rob Ford, who announced the survey results at the School Committee’s January 28 meeting.

LPS is among only 3% of Massachusetts school districts that are providing a full-day, full-week in-person option along with a remote learning option. In both models, students are grouped in small cohorts with one learning coach and receive additional real-time instruction via technology. As of January 7, 273 students (26%) are learning remotely and 795 students (74%) are at school, the School Committee reported.

School mulls going temporarily all remote for some grades

At a special meeting on January 5 attended online by more than 250 residents, administrators, and teachers, the School Committee discussed the idea of having part of the Lincoln School go fully remote for two weeks but decided to stay the course. However, the panel will update and expand the criteria for determining if or when schools should switch to remote learning, and they’ll also look into the possibility of testing for faculty and students.

At virtual meetings on January 2 and 4 with school administrators (one of which also included Public Health Nurse Tricia McGean), teachers expressed concern about the rising number of Covid-19 cases in Lincoln seen after the Thanksgiving break.

The Lincoln School’s Smith building (grades K-4) had eight students and five staff members test positive in December, compared to just one each in the preschool, Brooks (grades 5-8), and the two Hanscom schools. Half of the 14 cases were reported after the winter recess began just before Christmas, according to Superintendent of Schools Becky McFall. Follow-up found that most of the positive cases were contracted at home, but a few infection sources are unknown.

“What we are really seeing is household spread. Once it gets into a household, [the virus] is pretty rampant and goes right through a family,” said McGean, adding that over 50% of Lincoln’s cases have been asymptomatic.

Given the numbers, Smith teachers asked for their grades go fully remote for two weeks to try to control the rate of increase. Several other Massachusetts school districts reverted to remote-only learning this week after seeing cases go up in their towns and statewide. Cambridge and Lexington have moved from a hybrid model to remote until January 11 and January 19, respectively, and Weston High School has gone to fully remote for an unspecified period, according to Superintendent of Schools Becky McFall.

Kim Mack, the METCO representative to the School Committee, said the school (or at least the Smith portion) should have begun January remotely. “Are we going to wait until, God forbid, someone dies of Covid in the [school] community? When are we going to be more proactive about how we approach these decisions?” she said.

Teacher Colleen Pearce said that while school’s safety measures and isolation protocols for symptomatic students have worked thus far, “it’s now a different environment than it was in September.” More people are testing positive with no symptoms, and if the December cases had all occurred when school was in session, there would have been substantially more spread, she added.

“The stress of what you continue to ask even as circumstances change needs to be considered,” Pearce said, adding that 92% of Smith said they wanted to go remote for two weeks at the start of this term.

“I’ve been struggling with this as well. I see the headlines on contagion and the new [virus] variant, and just speaking for myself, they’re scary,” said committee member Peter Borden. “How do you balance fear with a rational point of view and the evidence we have in front of us?”

“For me the data, still support” continuing to offer full-time in-school instruction, said committee member Trintje Gnazzo. “What causes me to pause more is grappling with the cost of putting faculty into the building day after day.” Teachers were exhausted heading into the winter break, “and I really worry about the toll this is taking on our faculty. These guys are on the front lines.”

“It’s in the best interests of the kids to keep the schools open,” committee member Adam Hogue said. “We’re looking at the data every single day, and we can pull the trigger pretty quickly” if certain criteria are met and the schools need to close.

“I trust [McFall and McGean] and the numbers still seem OK to me, but I certainly think it’s a good idea to have a meeting like his and review the protocol and the factors that would cause us to change course. It’s really benefiting the kids to be in school.

“I grapple with the same things everyone is grappling with,” committee chair Tara Mitchell said while noting that having the school open is very important to parents and children. “Going remote brings tears to people’s eyes — they just feel they would crumble.”

The infection rate may rise at the same rate even if the school were to go fully remote because many students would likely wind up in child care and playdate situations that are less safe than those a school, some noted. Once the doors close, “I fear that we won’t come back,” McFall said.

Regular Covid-19 testing of the school population would be quite expensive and would also involve town procurement laws requiring bids. “I don’t want people to get the expectation this is something we could put in place next week,”Administrator for Business and Finance Buck Creel said.

Mitchell asked McGean if she would recommend a period of remote learning, given the expected post-holiday winter spike in positive Covid-19 tests.

“Is it enough to close the school? I don’t have that Magic 8-ball,” McGean replied.

“None of us wants to be the one that makes a decision that brings harm to anyone,” said an emotional McFall.

News acorns

Town-wide scavenger hunt runs through Jan. 3

Join the Lincoln trails scavenger hunt now until January 3. Go to the six locations in town, find a hidden QR code, and scan it — you’ll be taken to a Padlet page for that location, where you can post a selfie to prove you were there. Visit all six spots and claim a $10 gift certificate to the Twisted Tree Café or Something Special (one certificate er household while supplies last). Open to all who live, work, or go to school in Lincoln. Click here for more information.

If you’ve posted your photos from all six locations, send an email to selectmen@lincolntown.org with your name and address, and indicate which gift certificate you’d like (as of December 28, three groups had already finished the hunt and written in to claim their gift certificates. If you’re having trouble with the technology, take a selfie at each location and send them to the same email address.

Second youth talent show in the works

The Lincoln youth talent show hosted via Zoom on December 23 was a resounding success, and the organizers are planning to make it a recurring event, with the next show on February 12.

L-S seniors Achla Gandhi and Dasha Trosteanetchi dreamed up the event to boost community spirit during the holidays and raise money for Save the Children, a nonprofit currently focused on helping kids who have been impacted by the pandemic. Twenty-two groups performed and almost 50 families attended online. The original fundraising goal was $1,000 but as of December 28, the event was just $30 short of its new $2,250 target. Here are links to videos of the talent show: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

For the February 15 show, Gandhi and Trosteanetchi are letting Lincoln residents decide which charity or cause that donations should benefit. To send suggestions or to register to perform, email kids4covid.19@gmail.com (please include your name, age and talent if you’re an aspiring performer).

You can give Fire Dept. access to your home in emergencies

The Lincoln Fire Department participates in the Knox Box program, whereby residents may purchase a lockbox with a key to their home. The lockbox that mounts on the outside of your home can be unlocked only by the Fire Department with a master key. Click here to purchase a box. If you need one only for a short time, contact Ben Juhola at the Fire Department (781-259-8113) about renting one.

Also, if anyone in your household is on oxygen or other any other medical machine that would create a risk during a power outage, you may let the Fire and Police Departments know by calling 781-259-8113. They can then check on you when the power goes out or let you know of a scheduled outage.

Honor a teacher and staff this holiday season

The Lincoln Public Schools are one of the few districts in the state that has remained open for full-time in-person learning, and this has only been possible because of the efforts of LPS administrators, teachers, and staff. For a special way to thank a teacher, administrator, teaching team, or other staff member, consider giving an Honor a Teacher or Staff (HATS) certificate. The Lincoln School Foundation’s HATS program lets you recognize specific Lincoln educators while supporting the LSF. For a small donation, the LSF will prepare a certificate of appreciation with your personalized message, to be delivered by email. Click here for details. Donations support LSF’s grants to teachers and innovation in the classroom, which have been all the more important this year.

News acorns

Lincoln student wins Rhodes Scholarship

Shera Avi-Yonah (photo by Jon Chase/Harvard staff photographer)

Lincoln’s Shera Avi-Yonah is one of six Harvard University seniors to win a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University next year. As a reporter for The Crimson and now its managing editor, she helped break stories on sexual harassment, workplace abuse, and racism, according to the Harvard Gazette. Some coverage led to legal threats and even a subpoena, which prompted her interest on the limits of legal protections for the press — a topic she plans to focus on at Oxford, where she’ll compare the libel laws of the U.S. and the U.K.

Midway through her first year, Avi-Yonah discovered her love of history, the Gazette says. Her thesis adviser is Drew Faust, Harvard president emerita. “I’m a believer in studying the historical roots of problems you seek to change, and I hope examining the origins of limits to press freedom will allow me to pursue a career working to defend it,” Avi-Yonah said.

Hanscom student wins national fellowship

Morgan Gibson

Hanscom Middle School eighth-grader Morgan Gibson is one of 22 students from across the country selected for an iCivics-sponsored Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship. Morgan is the only middle school representative in the group and one of only two Massachusetts students chosen. As paid student ambassadors, fellows will lead a student-centered discussion on equity in civic education, build a national social media campaign, and launch a virtual showcase in June. Last year’s students attended SXSW EDU, participated in a variety of speaking engagements, and continue to use their experiences to influence the discussion on how to improve civics for all kids. Click here to learn more about the iCivics-sponsored Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship program. 

Outdoor Touch of Christmas Fair

The First Parish of Lincoln’s Touch of Christmas Fair will take place on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. on the parish house playground (14 Bedford Rd.). Shop for treasures, holiday crafts, unique gifts, handmade mittens, sweet jams and sauces, wreaths, and more. Click here to order your wreath ahead of time. Masks required. Rain date: December 12.

COA collecting donations for gift bags

Each year, the Council on Aging visits homebound and needy seniors to deliver a gift basket full of basic necessities to them. The COA is collecting the following new, unscented, full-sized, and unopened items:

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]

  • Pharmacy gift cards
  • Stamps
  • Shampoo
  • Dish soap
  • Paper towels
  • Facial tissue
  • Lotion 
  • Toothpaste/toothbrushes 

[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]

  • Sponges
  • Razors/shaving cream
  • Deodorant
  • Kitchen trash bags
  • Coffee/tea
  • Soap
  • Laundry detergent 
  • Men’s/women’s socks

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Please bring donations to Bemis Hall by Friday, Dec. 7. Questions? Call Abigail Butt at 781-259-8811.

See pictures and help pets in need

The Phinney’s Godparents Program tree near the Pierce House.

Instead of its annual holiday festival at the Pierce House, Phinney’s (also known as Phinney’s Friends) — a local nonprofit that helps low-income people keep their pets by paying for vet bills, medication, and pet supplies — has moved outside.

A majestic blue spruce on the park grounds has been decorated with multicolored lights and watercolor ornaments honoring pets in need as part of the Phinney’s Godparents Program, which offers a personalized way to provide monthly support to a specific pet or pets in need. Hand-painted ornaments on the tree feature some of the neediest pets in the program, including an elderly dog with cancer who lives with an HIV-positive owner and a lively cat who keeps her owner with cerebral palsy company.

Visitors can scan the QR code posted near the tree to learn more about the featured pets. With a donation of $25 or more, the donor gets a paper holiday ornament painted in watercolor of the sponsored pet that can be hung on the Phinney’s Angels Tree with a unique message along with the existing ornaments, or shipped to them or someone else as a special holiday gift. See their stories and donate by clicking here.