SPRING 2016
Dear Fellow Lowell High School Alums,

Welcome to the first issue of the Lowell High School Alumni Association e-newsletter. We look forward to keeping you informed about interesting Alumni Association news (alumni features, upcoming events) and notable programs in the Lowell Public Schools. If there's something or someone you would like to see featured, let us know. Also, help us spread the word by sharing this with your classmates.

We have made progress and some great connections in a few short months. Our new website and Facebook page are up for you to share with your friends and classmates. We are also planning our first "friendraiser" in early Fall. More to come on that soon.

In the meantime, please encourage your Lowell High friends and family to send us their contact information or sign-up for our newsletter so we can keep them up to date with Alumni news. 

Take care,
Caroline (Petruzziello) Rider -  Class of 1983
Alumni Relations Manager

Student Spotlight: Jessi Jaramillo
A graduate of the class of 2015, Jessi was a Varsity athlete, class Treasurer and a leader in numerous clubs and volunteer organizations. But, he also suffers from dyslexia and had times when he considered dropping out. With personal determination and the right support network, Jessi rose to the challenge. He was awarded the coveted Tsongas Scholarship and is now attending UMass Lowell.

Who or what influenced you most while at LHS?
Miss Luz and Linda Warden helped me a lot. I met Miss Luz freshman year and she introduced me to the Upward Bound program. She also held a college prep class that I attended. Sometimes I would stay longer and she would stay behind to help me. In high school as things got harder I did think about dropping out. I seemed happy all the time, but I was very hard on myself academically and Miss Luz helped me feel reassured that I could get through it.


Photo caption: Jessi during a recent volunteer trip to New Orleans where he helped to rebuild homes in the 9th Ward. 

Alumni Spotlight: Lena Mendonca Ferreira
Lena Mendonca Ferreira is a 2002 Lowell High School Carney Medalist and current math teacher. While studying education at Rivier University, Lena insisted on doing her student teaching at LHS - there was never any question she would one day teach at her alma mater. In addition to teaching, she also goes a step further by offering before and after school tutoring. She does all this while also raising her own three children, all of whom are under the age of six! 

Ways Lena thinks alumni can give back...
  • Encourage non-native born graduates to provide college and/or career counseling to recent immigrants
  • Get involved sooner, partnering current students with alums during their sophomore/junior year

Lena's ideas for future alumni programs...
  • More cultural awareness celebrations, spearheaded by alumni
  • For example, once a month serve ethnic dish at lunchtime, encourage traditional clothing and student-led presentations about the history of the region
Make a Difference
Make your mark by getting involved in our new alumni programs. 

Mentoring
Choose to become a mentor and meet regularly with your mentee at LHS or at your place of work. Share your knowledge with students about work, career, professional development, and the college admissions process.

Career Advising
Want to help advise students who are interested in your chosen field or alma mater? Share your insights from college and your career experiences! Or, if you are just beginning the college/career search, sign up to be paired with an experienced alum who can give guidance on how to choose a college or career.

Tutoring
Do you have skills in writing, science, math, technology, the arts? Research shows students who work with subject matter tutors are more engaged, more successful learners. Tutoring sessions can be one-one or in small group settings.

Internships
If your company is interested in hosting interns, we can help match you with current Lowell High students. 

Reunion Scholarships
It is our hope that many reunion groups will set up scholarship funds for graduating seniors. If your group is interested, we can help with the process.

Contact us at [email protected] for more information or to get involved.

OUR MISSION
The mission of the Lowell High School Alumni Association is to help its members to connect with each other; to engage with the school and the community and to inspire future generations of Lowell High School students by way of mentoring, advising and tutoring. 

CONNECT
GET SOCIAL
Connect with over 2,000 alumni (and growing) on Facebook.

WEBSITE
Visit our new page for program information, news, reunion resources and more.

EMAIL
Contact our general mailbox to share ideas, join our mailing list or learn more about our programs.

ABOUT US
The Alumni Relations Program is a collaboration between Project LEARN, The Greater Lowell Community Foundation and the Lowell Public School System. It is funded in part by the "$100k for 100" grant from the Cummings Foundation. Our goal is to invite the alumni to work with new and existing programs within the schools to help make the academic experience better for all students as well as to provide tangible benefits to alums and current students.