Wellesley sports: Celebrating high school nordic skiers; Group raising funds for varsity baseball scoreboard

March 12, 2026 by Bob Brown

The latest Wellesley, Mass., sports news:

Celebrating Wellesley High School nordic skiers

The Wellesley High School boys’ nordic ski team won the Mass Bay Ski League East title, and the boys’ and girls’ teams won the combined league champion award. Seven Wellesley boys placed in the top ten of the league.

The skiers finished off the season at states, where the boys finished 6th and the girls 10th.

Parents shared thanks to the coaching staff of Mark Jacobson, Andy Milne, and Marshall Randolph.

(Clockwise) Luca Buchbinder (9th place at Mass Bay Ski League East championship), Leo Ventimiglia (3rd place tie), Coach Mark Jacobson, William Carroll (10th place tie), Nico Buchbinder (6th place), Parker Lee (5th place), and Wyatt Park (3rd place tie). Not pictured, Cooper Munro (7th place).

Group raising funds for varsity baseball scoreboard

The non-profit Wellesley High School Baseball Diamond Club is running a raffle through April 3 to raise money to support the Wellesley High School Baseball program. The specific goal is to raise enough to purchase and install a scoreboard at the Sprague Varsity Baseball Field (the group has obtained town permission to run the raffle).

Currently, the score and innings can be a bit of a mystery to spectators at games unless they are paying close attention or using an app (the season is slated to start later this month).

The group is aiming to raise $15k through the raffle, which features a great list of prizes.

Sprague Fields are under the purview of the Wellesley School Committee, and Wellesley High baseball supporters say they are working through the town’s process to try to get permitting for a scoreboard. The topic has come up at the town’s Playing Fields Task Force, though the School Committee has not yet discussed the subject as a group and does not have the scoreboard on its work plan.

The Diamond Club seeks to raise funds so that it will be ready to go with a scoreboard purchase whenever it can get a green light from the town on the project.

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Music

Castle of Our Skins presents multicultural string quartet at Wellesley College

March 12, 2026 by Iris Zhan

On Sunday March 8 at Wellesley College‘s Jewett Auditorium, Castle of Our Skins presented a performance lecture of Derrick Skye’s “American Mirror” String Quartet that engaged audiences in cross-cultural music traditions. Part of the Wellesley College Concert Series, the performance involved audience participation, with attendees singing and clapping to support the musicians.

Castle of Our Skins, based in greater Boston, celebrates Black artistry through concerts and education.

The event began with an introduction of Derrick Skye’s “American Mirror” by co-founder, artistic director, and violist of Castle of Our Skins Ashleigh Gordon, followed by guided demonstrations of different ornamentations and rhythms used in the two-part piece.

Castle of Our Skins performance concert at Wellesley College — Gordon opened event with a lecture about Derrick Skye and “American Mirror” (Photo by Iris Zhan)

Skye is a Black composer and musician known for integrating music traditions across cultures into his works. He passionately believes that music is a doorway to understanding other cultures and different ways of living. “American Mirror” reflects the coming together of cultures in our society, which consists of many generations and descendants of refugees, immigrants and enslaved people, and how intercultural collaborations are essential to the well being of American society. The piece draws inspiration from West African, Eastern European, Indian, and Middle Eastern music traditions as well as American genres such as gospel, jazz, and Appalachian folk music.

The piece is divided into two parts, with the first featuring Bulgarian choral influences. Gordon invited the audience to softly hum in the first part and played the exact notes to hum on her viola. She also pointed out how the cellist Francesca uses her instrument as a percussive instrument, mimicking the sounds of various hand drums like the tabla, congo, or jembe. The quartet played small sections to allow the audience to practice their participation, then returned to talking about the piece.

The second part incorporated Indian rhythmic structures, like Adi Tala, an eight-beat cycle from South Indian classical music with specific hand gestures and claps to mark time. Gordon led a live demonstration of these gestures, followed by the string quartet playing the section where the claps take place.

“We will mark the shape of the adita with our hands. So it’s a shared cultural practice highlighted in the piece all about communities coming together, cultures coming together. The Adi Tala is counted with four beats, Lahu, meaning on the fingers, and two Dru tons, which are clap and away.”

Throughout her lecture, Gordon highlighted the different rhythms and melodies influenced by gospel, folk, and Turkish traditions, followed by short performances of the highlighted sections.

After the audience learned all the musical nuances and participation protocols, the quartet played the two-part piece in its entirety, leaving the audience in awe of how everything they learned from the lecture manifested in a cohesive and mesmerizing performance. The performance was a beautiful fusion of traditional music melodies across the world, truly distinct from your average western classical chamber music performance.

2026 application deadlines coming up for Wellesley-eligible scholarships

March 11, 2026 by Deborah Brown

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.

The below 2026 scholarship-granting organizations are ready for applicants. Please note that not all scholarship applications support graduating seniors—a couple of project-based grants for younger students are included.

Lots of organizations don’t have their updated information ready yet. We will refresh this story frequently as groups send us their current information.

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

Want to sponsor this story? Well, that would be swell. Contact theswellesleyreport@gmail.com for information

Professional Women in Construction (PWC) app deadline: March 13, 2026

Scholarship award program for undergraduate and graduate students planning to study/work in the construction-related industry: Construction, Construction Management, Interior Design, Architecture, Landscape Design, Construction trades, or Civil, Mechanical, Structural, and Electrical Engineering. Gender is not a factor in the scholarship award decision.

Note: Although the PWC chapter offering the scholarship is based in Connecticut, applicants do not need to reside in CT. Students who attend schools in New England and NY will be given preference, but their current residence does not need to be New England or NY.

The Mark Bavis Leadership Foundation scholarship—deadline: March 15, 2026

The Mark Bavis Leadership Foundation scholarship was created to help deserving young men and women excel in their quest to improve themselves, their school or their community.

The scholarship is available to any high school student in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is awarded on the basis of need, and is not academically based. In addition, the Foundation will give more serious consideration to those students who have made efforts to make a difference in their communities and/or have shown leadership qualities within their school or community.

Journalism Education Foundation of New England—deadline: March 27, 2026

Up to $2,000 scholarships are available to high school seniors and college students pursuing a career in journalism. Must be residents of a New England state. Application here.

Wellesley Service League app. deadline: March 20, 2026

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 exceptional 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.

Application here.

Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts application deadline: April 1, 2026

The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc. offers scholarships for undergraduate students (including high school seniors who will be freshmen in the fall), and graduate students who will be attending accredited colleges and universities.

Applications are due April 1, 2026

Scholarships are available for students majoring in: Horticulture; Floriculture; Landscape design or architecture; Conservation; Forestry, agronomy; City planning; Environmental studies; Land management; Botany; Biology; and allied subjects

Charles River Regional Chamber app. deadline: April 9, 2026

Charles River Chamber Scholarship are now available. The application deadline is April 9, 2026

The Charles River Regional Chamber is pleased to offer scholarship opportunities to up to four students from Needham, Newton, Watertown, and Wellesley who plan to enroll full- time in an accredited post-secondary program, trade school, community college, college, or university in the 2026–27 academic year.

The scholarship award, approximately $2,000, will be sent directly to each recipient’s institution after the student successfully completes their first semester. The Chamber encourages all eligible students to apply, including those who may not have a high GPA. While transcripts are required, grades are not the deciding factor in the selection process. A volunteer panel of local leaders reviews applications holistically, considering financial need, personal statements, community or work involvement, recommendation letters, and each applicant’s overall potential and determination.

This scholarship supports a wide range of educational pathways, recognizing that students pursue many different routes toward meaningful careers, including trade programs, community colleges, and four-year institutions.

Applications must be submitted by Thursday, April 9 at 5pm. For full criteria and to apply, visit: www.charlesriverchamber.com/scholarship

Wellesley Educators Association applications—due May 1, 2026

Future Educators Scholarship (For WHS Seniors Only)

Samuel M. Graves Scholarship (For WHS Seniors Only)

Peebles Scholarship (For Children of WEA Members)

Jennifer Rainey Memorial Scholarship—all ELL/FELL students considered
This scholarship does not have an application.

Gina Condon Memorial Scholarship
The Wellesley Educators Association Gina Condon Memorial Scholarship benefits one Wellesley High School student who pushes themselves to meet high academic standards, treats others with respect and kindness, and stands up for what they feel is right. This scholarship does not have an application.

Metrowest Educational Foundation scholarships—application deadlines May 1, 2026

Each year the MetroWest Educational Foundation awards both STEM and Arcadius, Emma & Robert Lemieux scholarships to students in the MetroWest Chamber’s member towns. In 2020, the Chamber added the following scholarship categories: the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism Scholarship, the Inclusion Scholarship, and the Arthur ‘Ted’ Welte Community Service Scholarship. Scholarship links can be found here.

The applicants must be residents of one of the following towns: Ashland, Bellingham, Dover, Framingham, Franklin,Holliston, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Milford, Natick, Northborough, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston or Westborough.

The Friends of Natick Drama Workshop— application deadline, May 1, 2026

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. Applications must be completed fully and received by May 1, 2026 to be considered.

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

The below scholarship application deadlines have passed:

[Read more…]

‘How Bad Bunny Became the Global Voice of Puerto Rican Resistance’ book debuts at Wellesley College

March 9, 2026 by Iris Zhan

Petra Rivera-Rideau, left, Vanessa Díaz — Petra Rivera-Rideau, left, and Vanessa Díaz, right (Photo by Iris Zhan)

On Monday March 2, Wellesley College Professor Petra Rivera-Rideau and Loyola Marymount University Professor Vanessa Díaz debuted their book P FKN R: How Bad Bunny Became the Global Voice of Puerto Rican Resistance in Wellesley College’s Alumnae Ballroom.

The authors developed the first and second courses about Bad Bunny in the United States respectively. In 2023, they created the Bad Bunny syllabus, a website with resources that contextualize Bad Bunny success in relation to Puerto Rican politics. They selected a few chapters from their book to talk about how Puerto Rican resistance has shown up in every stage of Bad Bunny’s career, with each chapter assigned to a Bad Bunny song that represents that theme.

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They shared a clip of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” where Bad Bunny reacts to himself being a subject of college courses. Professor Díaz shared how one of her student’s connections in LA is how Bad Bunny learned about the courses being taught about him.

“‘Send me your syllabus right now. I’m about to meet Bad Bunny.’ I was so weirded out, and I was like, ‘Do you mean the website or the PDF, but are you joking?’ I think to myself, it’s April 1, this is an April Fool’s joke. Students are playing a practical joke on me. She wrote back to me ‘No, I’m serious.’ And then the next thing you know, I get a video of her having Bad Bunny scroll through the Bad Bunny syllabus website and going, ‘Wow, this is amazing.’”

Bad Bunny on Tonight Show — (Photo by Iris Zhan)

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Díaz and Rivera-Rideau were inspired to use Bad Bunny as a vehicle for teaching the subject because they believe you can’t understand his evolution as an artist at all if you don’t understand Puerto Rican history. Their book “P FKN R” is a tool to motivate people to learn more about Puerto Rican history, and the role of youth and art in resistance movements on the island.

Chapters in the book (Photo by Iris Zhan)

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The first chapter they highlight is called “Soy Peor,” a song from his early career days as a SoundCloud rapper. The authors highlight that while it’s a bitter breakup song, there’s political history behind the rise in Latin trap in 2016. They interviewed De La Ghetto, another Latin trap artist, about the growth of Latin trap in the context of a debt crisis Puerto Rico inherited.

Chapter two is called “Estamos Bien” and touches on Bad Bunny’s mainstream rise to fame and how it relates to Hurricane Maria. For Bad Bunny’s first time on American TV on Jimmy Fallon, he made an effort to speak English, which he doesn’t do often, and called out Trump for his negligence of Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria, all before performing “Estamos Bien.” The song title roughly means “we will be alright,” focused on community resilience post-Hurricane Maria. The authors elaborated on the significance of this moment at this point in his career.

“He’s not a superstar at this point. The risks he’s willing to take as a new artist really show he is going to be showing up for his homeland,” Rivera-Rideau shared.

Bad Bunny has also made a lot of statements around gender identity and advocating for LGBTQ communities, particularly in Puerto Rico. Following the brutal murder of a Puerto Rican trans woman named Alexa Negron, he shows up on Jimmy Fallon with a T-shirt that says “they killed Alexa, not a man in a skirt,” but in Spanish, cementing his reputation for advocating for LGBTQ communities on the island.

His music video for his 2018 song “Caro” is one of the reasons Rivera-Rideau made her Bad Bunny class, because about 75% of her students wrote a paper about this music video for her Latin music class. This music video starts with him getting his nails painted, a reference to when he was denied entrance into a nail salon in Spain. He swaps places with a model and the pair appear to be an androgynous couple, and the viewer sometimes can’t tell who’s who, on purpose. Later in the video, he gets kissed by a man and by a woman. For a genre like reggaeton that’s hyper masculine, it was a profound moment.

These were just some of the fruitful discussions which concluded with a book signing and celebratory cake eating.

Celebrating with a cake with their book in the frosting — Celebrating with a cake with their book cover in the frosting (Photo by Iris Zhan)

Local government

Wellesley 2026 election results: Incumbents Sullivan Woods, Ulfelder return to Select Board; Panagopoulos, Sullivan to join School Committee

March 3, 2026 by Bob Brown

According to unofficial election results released on Tuesday night, Wellesley Select Board incumbents Beth Sullivan Woods and Tom Ulfelder retained seats for their fourth terms in what was a tense three-candidate race. Contender Marc Charney, seeking to bring a new perspective to a board he said was too set its ways, finished third; he’ll remain chair of the Planning Board.

(Update: Official results)

Sullivan Woods was the top vote getter with 2,624, and won all eight precincts, according to the unofficial results (write-ins and ballots that need to be researched will be added by the end of the week). She was followed by Ulfelder with 1,969 votes and Charney with 1,576.

The incumbents earned new three-year terms on the Select Board, which serves as the town’s chief executive body.

Sullivan Woods in the Select Board race emphasized making sure resident voices are heard on budget and other issues. Ulfelder said his experienced leadership would be valuable as the town faces challenges on the budget, capital spending, and housing and commercial development fronts.

Unlike with the Select Board, none of the four candidates in the only other contested town-wide race—running for two School Committee seats— were incumbents.

The top two vote getters were Costas Panagopoulos with 1,967 and Bob Sullivan with 1,803, both of whom earned three-year seats on the School Committee, which develops and manages school policies, and much more. Panagopoulos led voting in six of 8 precincts, with Sullivan capturing the other two.

Candidates Ayla Lari tallied 1,489 votes and Michael Robert Cave received 703.

Panagopoulos, a PhD, is a political science educator at Northeastern University, while Sullivan has a background in finance and business. And yes, it was a big night for the Sullivan family overall, as Bob Sullivan and Beth Sullivan Woods are siblings.

Overall, 20% of registered voters cast ballots (up from 17% last year).

Among the uncontested races, Mark Kaplan remains town moderator, Odessa Sanchez stays on the Housing Authority board, and Stephen Burtt is back with the Board of Assessors. New office holders include Maria Gallo Ashbrook and Aunoy Banerjee on the Board of Library Trustees, Joseph Schott and Melinda Arias-Voci on the Natural Resources Commission, and Susan Ecklund on the Board of Health.

See the complete unofficial results for all town-wide and Town Meeting seats.

Congrats to all who ran for office as well as everyone who voted and helped to run the town election.

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Sports

Wellesley Public Schools Athletic Director John Brown retiring in fall of ’26

March 2, 2026 by Bob Brown

John Brown, who has served as athletic director for Wellesley Public Schools for the past 20 years, has announced plans to retire, staying through October.

Brown over the years has celebrated the always high participation rate of students in Wellesley athletic programs, which have racked up 47 state titles during his tenure (see the banners before and since Brown joined WHS).

In November, Brown was recognized with the 2025 MIAA William N. Gaine Jr. Sportsmanship Award, presented annually to an individual who sets an example for promoting sportsmanship in Massachusetts interscholastic athletics.

Brown came to Wellesley in 2006 from Natick High, where he was the baseball coach, and had earlier been a talented player.

The biggest change during his tenure: The rise of club sports. “Club sports is the biggest change because it had changed the landscape of Athletics and not necessarily for the best…,” he said.

Don’t ask Brown to pick a favorite team or moment: “I have so many great memories that it is hard to pick just a few. It wouldn’t be fair to all of the other great things that have happened.”

In his retirement announcement, Brown thanked many people, including those who hired him and have kept him on. And of course he singled out his office partner Mary Anne McDonald.

He also recognized his family for putting up with Brown’s often hectic schedule.

“They understood that holidays, vacations and birthdays needed to be celebrated around Wellesley games and events so that I never missed anything,” he wrote.

“How often can someone say that their hobby and their passion is their job. I would not have traded this for anything. I was able to make my living in sports in a great community,” Brown wrote.

Asked about once he departs Wellesley whether he might be tempted to go back to at least rooting for Natick baseball, he says: “When I left Natick I always said that I would root for them all but twice a year when they played Wellesley and nothing will change. Once a Raider always a Raider!”

wellesley high basketball john brown — John Brown making an announcement at a Wellesley basketball game

Wellesley Athlete of the Week profiles (sponsored by Deland, Gibson Insurance)

Football coach stepping down after 14 years at Wellesley High

Wellesley sports: High school girls’ alpine skiing impresses at states; Pekowitz sisters compete at curling nationals

March 2, 2026 by Bob Brown

The Wellesley, Mass., sports news:

Wellesley High school girls’ alpine skiing team impresses at states

Congratulations to the Wellesley High School girls’ alpine ski team, runner up at the the MIAA state ski championships on Feb. 25 at Wachusett Mountain to Medway High. The Wellesley team was coming off the Mass Bay Ski League East championship for the regular season.

alpine skiing Lucy Matheson, Leah Matheson ( Trophy) and Charlotte Kelley — Wellesley High alpine skiers Lucy Matheson, Leah Matheson and Charlotte Kelley at MIAA state championships (courtesy photo)

Charlotte Kelley shined in the giant slalom, taking second place, and the slalom, where she finished seventh.

The team has more than 50 members, who started out the season with training on dry land twice a week and in the snow two days a week, according to coach Cory Tusler, celebrating 20 seasons as a skiing coach.

The team started its races at the start of January, with 12 races for varsity and six for JV.

“It goes fast, we race 200-250 skiers per night,” Tusler said, touting the 4-5 feet of “Mother Nature’s best” snow this season.

Tusler shared special thanks to assistant coaches Liam Gray and David Driver, who skied for Tusler 18 years ago. “I couldn’t do it without them. And a big thanks to John Brown for always being at the Championship Races! No matter how cold it gets. ”

Pekowitz sisters compete at curling nationals

Wellesley sisters Julia Pekowitz (Wellesley High School ’23, Wellesley College ’27) and Alexa Pekowitz (Wellesley College ’25, University of Minnesota Twin Cities ’29) competed this past week at the USA Curling Women’s Nationals in Charlotte.

Team Pekowitz played plenty of competitive matches during the event, at which it went 3-4. In addition to the Pekowitz sisters, the team included Lila Farwell from Colorado and Kalina Petrova from New Jersey.

The team will also be competing at U21 Nationals in Bismarck, North Dakota at the end of March.

We welcome sports updates, photos at theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Weather

Wellesley Public Schools closed again on Tuesday due to snowstorm; Town Hall to re-open

February 23, 2026 by admin

Wellesley Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday, Feb. 24 as a result of the winter storm. It was closed on Feb. 23 as well (along with just about everything else).

“The winter storm that arrived last night will continue to affect our area into this evening,” Supt. David Lussier wrote to the community. “After consulting with our Department of Public Works and other Town leaders, I don’t believe we can safely open schools tomorrow, as we all continue to dig out from the storm. As such, the Wellesley Public Schools will remain closed for classes and all operations on Tuesday, February 24th, 2026. All WPS buildings will be closed throughout the day and all afternoon and evening activities are also canceled…”

Town Hall will reopen for regular hours. Residents are asked to hold off on heading to the Recycling & Disposal Facility if possible to allow staff to handle other duties.

The Wellesley Free Library Main Branch will open two hours late at 11 a.m. on Tuesday and will close at 9:00 p.m. Other branches will be closed, as will the Tolles Parsons Center

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