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Jamie Higgens,
Art & Design Program, Class of '19
About Us
We believe that talent is equally distributed throughout the City of Boston, but opportunity is not.
When people ask why we care so much about the students of the Boston Arts Academy, we mention how they look like us. Boston Arts Academy students truly reflect the diversity and talents of the city of Boston.
As the city’s only high school for the visual and performing arts, Boston Arts Academy is a proven model of the benefits of a rigorous dual arts and college preparatory curriculum taught by award-winning faculty. The school is built around recognizing and uplifting students’ strengths – a place where they are admitted not on the basis of grades or behavior but their art. Boston Arts Academy is a space where students with disabilities learn alongside their peers and students with mental health challenges can access the services they need. They believe in supporting every student, and so do we.
We want Boston Arts Academy students to live the lives they imagine, but we can’t do it without you. Please take the time to visit our pages to learn about how we bridge the gap between the school’s allocation from the Boston Public Schools and the true cost of a high-quality education.
Giving to the Boston Arts Academy Foundation is an investment in not only Boston Arts Academy students but also the future of our vibrant city.
- Denella J. Clark, President and CEO, Boston Arts Academy Foundation
Jeff Rosica
Chairman
Donna M. Harris-Lewis
Vice Chair
David Felton
Treasurer
Maggie Baxter
Marketing Committee Chair
Stephanie L. Brown
Investment Committee Chair
Antoine J. Melay, Jr.
Audit Committee Chair
Hilina Ajakaiye
Marina Cappi
Ruth E. Carter
Petrina Martin Cherry
John H. Dozier
Christine Grace
Joseph P. Hanley, Esq.
Mark Lev
Yndia Lorick-Wilmot, Ph.D.
Tim Pappas
Hector Piña
Pamela D.A. Reeve
Gabriela Salas
Dan Schutt
Raynya Simmons
Jerome Smith
Malik Yoba
Alexander Zapata
M. Lee Pelton, Lifetime Chairman Emeritus
Sandra Gordon, Founding Chair
List updated as of 1/10/2024
The Advisory Council is a group of arts, community, education and business leaders who recognize that Boston Arts Academy uniquely prepares urban students to be successful in life and to be creative contributors to their communities.
Members
Beate Becker, Co-Chair
Petrina Martin Cherry, Co-Chair
Pam Allara, Chair Emerita
Laura Alpert
Jason Amos
Arreen Andrew
Gordon Bannister
Victoria Dozier
Ron Gillyard
Annette Gonsalves-Byner (BAA P’11)
Leclerc Jean-Louis
Chris Lovell
Michael Mauceri
Gwendolyn McCoy
Steven D. Meyers
Karen Moss
Beth Neustadt
Koren Phillips
Kathryn Raymond (BAA '06)
Charles J. Reedy
Jo Ann Rothschild
Ros Thomas-Clark
Carlos Villamil
Celeste Wilson
Free Marie (Wright)
Cora Yamagata
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valerie@baafdn.orgSenior Director of Marketing &
Corporate Relations
Boston Arts Academy Foundation)
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mrasimin@baafdn.orgVice President of Finance and Operations
Boston Arts Academy Foundation)
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rwallis@baafdn.orgManager of Annual Giving and Engagement
Boston Arts Academy Foundation)
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How the school received its funding in 2020:
Boston Arts Academy Foundation
Boston Public Schools
MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
In fall 2022, Boston Arts Academy’s new, state-of-the-art school building opened for 500 diverse and talented students. Over time, the school will offer programming to 600 students as well as artists throughout the city of Boston.
However beautiful, Boston Arts Academy’s new building is just the beginning. It’s the people and programs that make the difference.
That’s why Boston Arts Academy Foundation’s Building Our Future Campaign is so critical.
Learn More
Boston Arts Academy Foundation’s financial position is stable and strong, but its financial strength must continue to grow. Our six-year, $32 million campaign augments the school’s budget and supports long-term financial sustainability, through donations and investments from donors like you.
Your donations to Building Our Future keep the arts, Health & Wellness, STEAM (STEM+Art), intensive reading and math programs, and life-changing opportunities in Boston Arts Academy. Together, our financial support will build stronger financial reserves, a larger endowment that is well managed by Rockland Trust, and provide the new school building with equipment to fully optimize the space.
Join us today in helping Boston Arts Academy’s students achieve their full potential and become the people they were meant to be!
For questions regarding finances, please contact Mervina Rasimin: mrasimin@baafdn.org
Building Our Future
A new era will begin with the opening of Boston Arts Academy’s building at 174 Ipswich Street in fall 2022. The state-of-the-art facility means more students, more space, and more opportunities to combine arts with academics and community work. With that, we will need to continue to ensure that BAA students are able to achieve their full potential in this vibrant, interactive space. And that’s where you come in.
