March 1 application deadlines coming up fast for a bunch of Wellesley scholarships

February 22, 2025 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

You don’t need us to tell you that an education beyond high school is expensive. Here are a few organizations that are looking to defray the costs for eligible students.

Not all of the 2025 scholarship applications are ready yet, but will be soon. We will update this story frequently with the most current information.

Don’t see your group’s scholarship information listed here? Contact theswellesleyreport@gmail.com for inclusion.

WHJWC application deadline: March 1, 2025

The Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club (WHJWC) has been awarding scholarships to Wellesley students since 1972. Over the years the Club has given more than 1.5 million dollars to students to assist in the pursuit of their college dreams..

In 2024, the Club awarded $86,000 in scholarships and awards to 30 Wellesley students. Scholarships were given to graduating high school seniors and undergraduate college students in amounts ranging from $1,000 – $5,000.

Applications are evaluated based on demonstrated financial need, academic achievement, and involvement in community service. Applicants must be high school seniors graduating from Wellesley High School, Wellesley residents graduating from high school in or outside of Wellesley or Wellesley residents currently attending undergraduate institutions on a full-time basis.

Learn more about how to apply for a WHJWC scholarship.

Wellesley Scholarship Foundation app. deadline: March 1, 2025

The Wellesley Scholarship Foundation (WSF) is happy to consider applications from high school students who intend to pursue either an undergraduate degree or a post-high school technical certification program.

The deadline for submitting all scholarship applications is March 1, 2025.
Learn more about how to apply for a Wellesley Scholarship Foundation award.

There are two different types of scholarship funding each year:

Need-Based Scholarships: Any Wellesley High School graduate (regardless of residence) and any Wellesley resident (regardless of school) are eligible to apply for our need-based scholarships. If demonstrated financial need exists, students are eligible to receive award funding for four years of college but MUST reapply annually and maintain a cumulative 2.0 grade point average.
Merit-Based Scholarships: Applicants must be high school seniors that are Wellesley residents (one male/one female) that have demonstrated a superior level of distinction in scholarship, citizenship and character, as well as strong extracurricular interests and activities. These two merit awards are renewable annually for four years provided the recipient maintains acceptable academic performance (certified with yearly college transcript) and maintains their Wellesley residency.

Learn more about these community organization awards that are presented yearly at the Wellesley Scholarship Foundation Award Ceremony:

Kiwanis Club Awards
The John Schuler Kiwanis Scholarship
Margaret E. Daniels Award (merit scholarship)
Sprague School PTO Scholarship (need-based scholarship)
Wellesley Historical Society Scholarship
Wellesley Patrolmen’s Association Scholarship
Wellesley Turkey Trot Foundation Scholarship
Babson Wellesley Town Scholarship (merit scholarship)
Town of Wellesley Scholar Awards
Town of Wellesley War Memorial Scholarship (need-based scholarship)

TBB Scholarships app. deadline: March 1, 2025

Scholarships from TBB Scholarships, Inc. are available to young women who are seniors in high school and reside and/or go to school in Brookline, Newton, or Wellesley, Massachusetts. TBB awards scholarships to four or five new applicants per year, and financial support normally continues through four years. Scholarships are based on both merit and financial need. Scholarships are typically $4,000 for the first year and increase to as much as $7,000 by the fourth year.

Rockland Trust Bank app. deadline: March 7, 2025, 11:59pm

Rockland Trust’s annual scholarship program opens on Monday, January 13, 2025.

Up to sixteen scholarships of $3,000 each will be granted.
Awards are renewable for up to three years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned.
Applicants must reside in Middlesex County (which includes Natick), or one of the other following counties: Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, or Worcester Counties in Massachusetts, along with Providence County, Rhode Island.
The scholarship portal will close on Friday, March 7, 2025 at 11:59pm.

Applications will be considered based on financial need, academic performance, participation in school and community activities, and unusual personal or family circumstances.

Middlesex Savings Bank

This scholarship application is not yet available.

Expected application deadline: March 20, 2025

To be eligible for the A. James Lavoie Scholarship, applicants must demonstrate financial need, academic achievement, and community involvement. They must also plan to attend a four-year college program, and graduate from one of the many public, charter, or vocational high schools in the communities the bank serves. The winner is selected from among eligible applicants by an independent committee on the basis of strength and quality of submitted essays.

Wellesley Service League app. deadline: March 22, 2025

The Wellesley Service League introduced the annual Centennial Youth Service Award in 1981, as the town celebrated its 100th birthday. This award is given by the League to recognize outstanding volunteer service among our youth and to encourage the spirit of volunteerism in our community. Wellesley Service League will name one recipient of a $3,000 award this year.

To be eligible, applicants must have demonstrated unusual dedication and selflessness in a volunteer capacity AND be completing their senior year of high school as a Wellesley resident or as a student at Wellesley High School. Ideally, the volunteer service will have been performed in the local community. Children of active League members or the WSL Executive Board are not eligible.

Please find further information and the application on our website

Charles River Regional Chamber app. deadline: April 10, 2025

The Charles River Regional Chamber offers scholarship opportunities for up to four deserving students who either live in Needham, Newton, Watertown, or Wellesley and/or who attend school in Needham, Newton, Watertown, or Wellesley and who plan to attend an accredited post-secondary program, trade school, community college, college, or university full-time in the next academic year.

The student(s) selected will have a check (approximately $2,000) sent to their college or university to be applied toward tuition upon successfully completing their first semester.

New this year, the chamber is revising the application to adapt to the ever-changing technological landscape by allowing applicants the option to submit a video response instead of the traditional essay. This change offers students who find it easier to express themselves verbally an alternative to writing an essay. This adaptation aligns with our efforts to ensure the application is inclusive and accessible to all types of applicants.

Selection will be made by a panel of local leaders who will review all applications completed by the submission deadline of April 10, 2025 at 5 p.m. Decisions will be made based on a combination of the application’s completeness and accuracy, letter of recommendation, and responses to essay questions.

For more information and to apply – https://www.charlesriverchamber.com/scholarship

The Metrowest Health Foundation

Scholarships are provided to students who are residents of one of the 25 towns in the Foundation’s MetroWest service area, including Natick. Students must be accepted into an eligible nursing, medical, or clinical program at an accredited academic institution. Application information here.

Scholarship awards are based on a rating scale using the following criteria: financial need; GPA, if applicable; essay; letter of recommendation.

The online application will be available during following times:

April 15 – May 31 (4:00 p.m.) for the academic term starting in September
October 15 – November 30 (4:00 p.m.) for the academic term starting in January

Peebles Scholarship app. deadline: May 1, 2025

The Wellesley Educators Association Peebles Scholarship was established to honor the memory of Principal James M. Peebles, who served at Wellesley Junior High School for 25 years. The scholarship benefits WTA members’ children who are graduating from any high school and pursuing further educational opportunities. A child does not have to be graduating from Wellesley High School to be eligible. Members must be in good standing and students should provide evidence of enrollment in a post-graduation educational program. The application deadline is May 1, 2025.

If you need further assistance, please contact Kate Taylor at KateTaylorWEA@gmail.com

Wellesley Educators Association app. deadline: May 1, 2025

The Wellesley Educators Association Future Educators Scholarship was established to benefit one Wellesley High School senior who plans to pursue a career in education. The applicant must demonstrate that he or she has a genuine interest in becoming a teacher and also demonstrate that he or she has taken steps in pursuit of that goal. The scholarship will be awarded one time for the first year the student matriculates to college in the amount of $1,500. Applicants must be in good academic standing at Wellesley High School and students should provide evidence of enrollment in a post-graduation educational program. The expected application deadline is April 1, 2025. Finalists typically interview in front of a selection committee in early May.

Samuel M. Graves application deadline: May 1, 2025

The Wellesley Teachers Association Samuel M. Graves Scholarship benefits Wellesley High School students who have shown academic excellence and demonstrate financial need. Applicants must be in good academic standing at Wellesley High School and students should provide evidence of enrollment in a post-graduation educational program. Finalists must include at least four teacher references on their application, and the selection committee will elicit these recommendations from WHS teachers. The application deadline is May 1, 2025.

The Friends of Natick Drama Workshop app. deadline: May 1, 2025

The Friends of Natick Drama Workshop offers scholarships to high school seniors applying in the spring of their senior year. Seniors at all area high schools are eligible to apply provided they have taken part in at least two Natick Drama Workshop productions while in middle school and are planning to attend college or other formal training that fall. Scholarship amounts depend on funding, the number of applicants, and the extent of their participation in Natick Drama Workshop. Scholarship amounts may change from year to year. The Friends reserve the right to change, suspend, or terminate the scholarship program at any time. Applications must be completed fully and received by May 1, 2025 to be considered.

Applications can be completed online or emailed to board@natickdramaworkschop.org

Henry David Thoreau application deadline: Feb. 1, 2025

Each year, the Henry David Thoreau Foundation selects a new class of Henry David Thoreau Scholars: eight to ten top-ranking high school seniors from Massachusetts who demonstrate the potential for environmental leadership and intend to pursue interdisciplinary environmental studies in college. Each Henry David Thoreau Scholar receives a four-year scholarship of up to $25,000. In addition, Thoreau Scholars are eligible for an environmental internship stipend, which usually takes place between junior and senior year.

John and Abigail Adams Scholarship

The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship is a merit-based program that provides a credit toward tuition for up to eight semesters of undergraduate education at a Massachusetts state college or university. For this scholarship, merit is based on student scores on the 10th grade Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test.

There is no application process for the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship. Students that are eligible for the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship will be notified in the fall of their senior year in high school.

Wellesley business buzz: We Rock the Spectrum flooded, crowdfunding kicks in; Deluxe Pizza closes after 30+ years, but will re-open under new ownership; Restaurants seek Select Board approvals

February 22, 2025 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:

We Rock the Spectrum flooded; crowdfunding kicks in

We Rock the Spectrum, the inclusive gym opened in Wellesley Square in 2021 by a pair of sisters, has suffered a serious flood and is temporarily closed for business. The gym has closed “due to an unexpected flood from construction!” according to a social media post by the outfit (we’ve reached out for more details).

The owners have thanked friends and family for their support and offers to help. One way in which people can support We Rock the Spectrum is by contributing to an online crowdsourcing campaign that had raised more than $2K at the time of this posting.

We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym, located at 34 Central St., features a sensory gym for all children, though caters to those with autism and other special needs.

Know of Wellesley businesses coming or going? Let us know: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Deluxe Pizza closes after 30-plus years; The Local owners buy space

Deluxe Pizza, located at 1 Forest Street, has closed after more than 30 years of serving pizzas, subs, and salads. But there are plans for it to re-open in a few months under new management.

The Wellesley Celebrations Committee last year honored owner Emmanuel “Manny” Houlis and Deluxe Pizza with a Special Recognition Award for its contributions to the town.

The tribute read in part:

Emmanuel Houlis worked for many years at ABC Pizza until he had the opportunity to embark on the adventure of owning his own pizza house. He started a new pizza and sandwich shop on the same site, naming it Deluxe Pizza. Today Deluxe Pizza on Forest St is celebrating its 30th year in Wellesley. Located within a short walk from the high school, he has been a favorite of the high school community, residents, and those working in the area. Customer favorites include steak and cheese sub, tuna sandwiches, chicken parmesan, salad, and pizza.

Emmanuel was born in Greece and served as a police officer and Captain in the Greek Army. He immigrated to the US in 1973.

Millions of immigrants start life here and follow a dream. They were united by a golden thread of principle that everyone, if given a chance, could rise in the world and contribute to their country.

Emmanuel Hollis has contributed, he makes great pizza, and is a great addition to our town. Thank you and congratulations on this milestone anniversary in your business.

Fans of Manny and the restaurant have been sharing their thoughts online.

The owners of The Local, which is almost right next to Deluxe Pizza, have purchased the space and plan to re-open it as Deluxe Pizza hopefully by mid-April in time for the Boston Marathon to come through town. The Local’s Frank Santo had nothing but nice things to say about Houlis, and wished him the best in retirement.

Santo says plans are to keep the shop the same in many respects, though it will undergo a sprucing up from the walls to the ceiling to the ovens. “We’ll deck it all out,” he says. Deluxe will continue to serve its usual fare, plus add breakfast sandwiches and some new items to the mix.

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Restaurants seek Select Board approvals

The Wellesley Select Board this Tuesday is a holding public hearing about a Common Victualler and All Alcohol License request from Charm Ramen and Rice at 555 Washington St. As we recently posted, Charm will slide into the space long occupied by Lemon Thai Cuisine.

Separately, the Board will hold a Public Hearing and Vote on a Wine and Malt Beverages License and Entertainment License for Captain Marden’s Seafood at 279 Linden St. As we wrote in December, the restaurant has closed temporarily while rebranding the table and takeaway side of the business to freshen things up and provide diners with a whole new experience.

Where to Eat in Wellesley

Education for the littles—the future of Preschool at Wellesley Schools (P.A.W.S.)

February 22, 2025 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The Wellesley School Committee during its Feb. 11 meeting (see Wellesley Media recording) heard an update from the Administration on the work of the Future of Preschool Task Force. The group is made up of 15+ community members and Wellesley Public Schools staff members, including Preschool at Wellesley Schools (P.A.W.S.) parents and educators.

paws covid school — Preschool at Wellesley Schools (P.A.W.S.)

P.A.W.S. is an integrated preschool that serves students ages 3-5. About half of P.A.W.S. students have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Each class has up to 15 students, seven of whom have IEPs, and eight who do not. Teachers are all special educators, and most are certified in early childhood education.

Yearly tuition rates at P.A.W.S. for SY 2024-25 range from $4,500 for a four-day/week, morning-only program (12 hours/week) up to $8,700 for a five-day/week program (23 hours/week). The P.A.W.S. school year begins and ends on the WPS calendar.

P.A.W.S., since 2006 located behind Fiske Elementary School—both on Hastings Street—has for years been bursting at the seams. The 6-classroom modular building holds full classrooms; three satellite classrooms operate at Sprague Elementary School.

Supt. David Lussier in assembling the Task Force said its major focus is to find out what Wellesley wants out of a preschool program. “We don’t want to build a facility that won’t meet our needs going forward, as has happened to some communities that have built buildings they’ve already outgrown. We don’t want that to happen. Before we think about bringing forward a request for a new building it’s critical that we’re centered on what we want the program to look like,” he said.

The Task Force will develop multiple options to present to the School Committee, including a timeline and implementation plan, as well as estimated costs for each option.

How will the Task Force figure out what Wellesley wants for its youngest learners? Enter the focus groups. Over the past two months, 55 attendees over six focus groups were grilled on what they believed was the purpose of public preschool. Topics covered included curriculum, scheduling, transportation, tuition, the physical plant, and preschool investment in context of other town needs. Parents of P.A.W.S. students, community members, preschool and town leaders, and P.A.W.S. and kindergarten staff dug deep and shared their philosophical and practical feelings on the matter.

Kristin Stacy, Interim Director of Early Childhood, P.A.W.S. Preschool, said the next steps will be to analyze the information gleaned from the focus groups and develop a community survey. Dr. Kat Bernklow, Director of Student Services, will craft the survey “to try to get more of what we think is important to the community, based upon the qualitative data, and then analyze, summarize, and interpret all of the findings,” she said.

The Task Force will present to the School Committee, tentatively scheduled for June before the end of the school year, a report that will include potential preschool models, relative costs, and top priorities.

Sharon Gray, WPS Director of Communications and Community Engagement, said what came up frequently across all the focus groups was a desire to “balance academic development with play and social skills” as well as a desire for more options when it comes to scheduling, and lots of interest for a sliding tuition scale for families who have financial difficulties accessing preschool.

Lussier said:. “We’ve heard a growing understanding of how important access to high-quality preschool is, to building a common foundation for all kids to come to school with a level of readiness. And we definitely see a variability of who comes to school and who has had that kind of access, and we know the kind of barriers that exist for families, whether it’s cost, transportation, hours. And so there’s a greater movement in Massachusetts, I think, to really look at preschool as not just sort of nice to have but as more of a foundational activity for school districts.”

What’s next, spring 2025

Community-wide survey to be distributed
Analyze survey results
Task Force to finalize recommendations
June 10 (tentative date)—Future of Preschool Task Force will present recommendations to School Committee

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Wellesley High wrestler notches 100th win as Raiders compete at D1 sectionals

February 16, 2025 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

A handful of Wellesley High School Raider wrestlers qualified for States at this weekend’s Division 1 Central/West sectional in Franklin, though though the individual highlight may have been senior Oliver Knight notching his 100th career win.

Knight, who placed third in his weight class and qualified for Staes, was recognized with his coaches and family at the event.

Also qualifying for States were Will Nixon (2nd), Daniel Woods (3rd), and Charlie McCormack (4th). Qualifying as alternates were Meg Roney, Brandon Hollingsworth, Dom Staunton, Charlie Litterio, and Diachi Lawrence.

The Raiders finished in sixth place overall, with Natick High winning the title.

Coach Joe Munroe. Margaret Seaver, Oliver Knight, Head Coach Chris Sywetz, and George Knight — Coach Joe Munro, mom Margaret Seaver, wrestler Oliver Knight, Head Coach Chris Sywetz, and dad George Knight

We encourage Wellesley sports supporters to share info and photos: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

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Sports news: Wellesley High girls track & field wins 8th straight state title; U12 girls score gold in Lake Placid

February 14, 2025 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The latest Wellesley, Mass., sports news:

Wellesley High girls track & field takes 8th straight state title

The Wellesley High School Raiders girls track & field team won its eighth straight Division 2 title on Thursday at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston. The team scored 64 points to win by 15 points over runner-up Bishop Feehan on the strength of a deep roster, including 4×800 and 4×400 relay teams that won their events to close out the meet. Kayla Bohlin, Emma Tuxbury and Delaney Dyer raced on both of those relay teams. More on the victory.

Congratulations to the Girls Indoor Track Team winning our 8th straight State Championship pic.twitter.com/npIHzau96q
— Wellesley Raiders (@wellesleysports) February 14, 2025

Wellesley U12 girls hockey win gold at Lake Placid

The Wellesley Youth Hockey U12 Girls team went undefeated at this past weekend’s CHE American Cup tournament in Lake Placid, NY on their way to winning the gold medal game in overtime on a goal by Molly Foley.

The Wellesley team was the only town team, as they faced off vs. club squads from Massachusetts and other states.

The team also shined in the Skills Competition—Goalie Grace Gordon dominated the shootout with a shutout win, while forwards Fiona Coyle and Rose Santry secured an impressive second place in the highly competitive relay race. Several Wellesley players were also recognized for their outstanding performances throughout the tournament, earning “Player of the Game” honors: Molly Foley, Rose Santry, Gigi Harrington, Jill Baldwin, and Debbie Morgan.

wellesley youth hockey team — (top) Emma Madden, Adele Campbell, Gigi Harrington, Jill Baldwin, Rose (Frankie) Neighbors, Ginny Barañano, Rose Santry, Fiona Coyle
(bottom) Winnie Delahuntey, Debbie Morgan, Molly Foley, Grace Gordon, Coco Morris, Sadie Rioff, Maia Bhangoo
(not pictured) Kaira Singh
Coaches from left to right: Brian Coyle, Sean Campbell, Raj Bhangoo ((Photo courtesy of Total Sports Imaging)

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MassBay Community College in Wellesley—latest updates

MassBay Community College

A 2023 profile of MassBay’s students show that the 6,000 full and part-time students across the open-access college’s three campuses (in addition to Wellesley, there are locations in Framingham and Ashland) generally attend school part-time, have at least one job, are age 26 on average, and are attracted to MassBay for programs such as automotive, health science, and business. Many come for associates degrees, but many others use MassBay as a way station on their path to a bachelor’s degree-granting college.

“Community colleges have a reputation, unjust I think, of being an extension of high school. But what we do is serious academic work, but with supports…,” MassBay president David Podell said, that include addressing food insecurity, childcare, and transportation. “So we’ve moved somewhat into the social services field.”

MassBay to Offer Free Workforce Training Courses in Spring 2025

January 30, 2025–This spring, MassBay Community College is partnering with the Metro South/West Workforce Board to offer free workforce training courses for eligible Massachusetts residents in Behavioral Health Technician I and Behavioral Health Technician II. The $61,000 grant will provide approximately 40 students with the opportunity to participate in these courses. These one-semester classes equip students with in-demand skills, addressing gaps in the local workforce and preparing them for more advanced college courses.

“As the regional manager of this multi-year Behavioral Health Hub grant, administered by Commonwealth Corporation, we are pleased to announce the addition of MassBay Community College as the education partner for Behavioral Health Technician training. Through this partnership, we will add to an established portfolio of training programs that offer clear career pathways for people entering the behavioral health workforce,” said Metro South/West Workforce Board Executive Director Greg Bunn.

The Behavioral Health Technician I and the Behavioral Health Technician II courses provide a theory, understanding, and practice in the Behavioral Health field. The training covers four major areas of study, with Behavioral Health Technician I focusing on human development and de-escalation techniques and Behavioral Health Technician II focusing on the study of diverse communities and communication.

The human development training equips practitioners with knowledge of balance, wellness, and understanding of various disorders. De-escalation training provides participants with expanded techniques, building on previously introduced concepts, to help others communicate effectively and maintain balance during crises and stressful situations and maintain balance during crises and stressful situations. The study of diverse communities offers context for understanding cultural identity through the lens of multiple intersections. The communication component highlights perception and social communication skills through activities such as working on emails, reports, improvisation, roleplay, interpretation, and analysis.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with the Metro South/West Workforce Board to offer community members these classes, free of charge, enabling them to gain skills that qualify them for positions in growing industries that need trained and ready-to-work professionals,” said MassBay Executive Director of Corporate Partnerships, Workforce Development and Community Education Colleen Coffey. “Community members can learn a new profession in just a few short months, enter a college course to start their journey toward an associate degree or stack credits to earn credentials.”

“The case management we provide, including job readiness and wraparound support services, ensures that students are well positioned to successfully complete the program and quickly enter the workforce upon graduation,” said Metro South/West Workforce Board HealthCare Works Manager Kerri Sandberg.

Prospective students interested in learning more can visit MassBay’s Corporate Partnerships & Workforce Development (CPWD) course listing or email or call cpwd@massbay.edu or 781-270-4100.

This project is funded by the Healthcare/Behavioral Health Hub Continuation Grant (Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund FY’21 Appropriation) and funds appropriated through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021. This grant initiative is administered by the Commonwealth Corporation on behalf of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the Workforce Skills Cabinet.

Wellesley Public Schools won’t reduce bus fees next school year due to ‘budget constraints’

February 11, 2025 by Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

After reducing bus fees for three straight years to encourage more ridership, the Wellesley school system will keep the price at $300 next year for students living within 2 miles of their schools.

“The budget for next year had some pretty tight constraints, so we weren’t able to work that in,” said Niki Ofenloch, vice chair of the Wellesley School Committee.

School buses are free to ride for students up to grade 6 who live more than 2 miles from their schools. All students in grades 7 through 12 and those who live less than 2 miles from school must pay the fee.

The bus fee was $521 for the 2021-22 school year, but the district gradually reduced it over the next three years, lowering it this year to $300 per student, with a $700 family cap. By increasing ridership, the school system aims to help the town lower carbon emissions and time spent in traffic.

As fees have been reduced, more students are taking the bus. Paid ridership grew from 810 to 971 over the three years, said Sharon Gray, a spokesperson for Wellesley Public Schools. Gray cautioned that the district has not made a direct correlation between the fee reductions and the increase in ridership, however.

Bus ridership increased even as overall school enrollment declined over these three years. The district projects that enrollment will continue decreasing in the next two years, according to the recently approved budget.

Although school bus fees have not been lowered for the 2025–26 school year, Ofenloch said the school system still has a strategy to get more students on the bus. The district’s five-year strategic plan, adopted in 2023, called for eliminating bus fees by the 2027–28 school year.

“It is still part of the district’s strategic plan to continue to reduce the bus fees,” Ofenloch said. “And I think the School Committee will, each year, as part of the budget process, consider that and determine the best possible path forward. [This year] there was not a change in strategy – it was just a tight budget constraint.”

Wellesley has three MBTA commuter rail stations and three MWRTA bus stops, but traffic congestion persists. Only 5% of Wellesley residents said they use public transit to get to work, while 49% drive alone, according to 2023 U.S. Census data.

Rachel Laufer pays the $300 bus fee for her daughter, a first-grader at Hunnewell Elementary School. She said cars on Washington Street are often “bumper to bumper.”

“Sometimes [traffic] in Wellesley is super stressful, just getting from point A to point B,” Laufer said. “You just get clogged up, and there’s just way too many cars.”

Finn Reilly, a sophomore at Wellesley High School, said he drives to school and often gets caught in traffic.

“Especially before school, there’s a ton of traffic,” he said. “You maybe move up five cars in one minute. It’s crazy. What would be a 5-10 minute drive takes like 20 minutes.”

Phyllis Theermann, a board member of Sustainable Wellesley, which advocates for local climate action, agreed that traffic congestion is a problem in town.

“We have a saying that, ‘You are not in traffic – you are traffic,’” Theermann wrote in an email.

Wellesley has a greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. About 32% of Wellesley’s emissions came from transportation in 2023, according to the greenhouse gas emissions inventory from the Climate Action Committee.

“The more folks we get out of single-occupancy vehicles and into public transit, school buses, walking, biking, scooter and carpooling, the better,” Theermann wrote.

Brynn Franceschini, a sophomore at Wellesley High School, said she understands the environmental impact but isn’t sure how many high school students would take the bus rather than drive to school.

“A lot of people like [driving to school], but reducing carbon emissions is always important,” Franceschini said.

Laufer said she appreciates Hunnewell’s “Safe Routes to School Program,” which encourages “walking, biking, and rolling to school” in the warmer months, according to the school’s website.

She said her daughter, Olivia, loves the program.

“It’s all about getting outdoors,” Laufer said. “[The students] walk right on the Brook Path, and they give the kids keychains. It’s a really fun event. I love that they do that. That’s a great option, too, as opposed to taking the bus, but both would be great.”

Making things more accessible for families helps drive the goal of eliminating bus fees and increasing ridership, Ofenloch said.

“It just allows families to have another way for their children to get to school,” she said.

This story is part of a partnership between the Swellesley Report and the Boston University Department of Journalism.