Spring 2007 - Milton Academy

Public Issues Board is a nonpartisanorganization aiming toraise the level of discourse atMilton and promote studentengagement of political issueson the local, national, and globalscale. The board is focusedon encouraging students toexpress their opinions of worldand local news in an effectiveway, and it strives to meet theseobjectives by writing The Issue,its online newspaper; sponsoringdebates about timely issues;organizing visiting speakers forits Straus Dessert series; andoganizing the bi-annualSeminar Day. The group alsosponsored a mock election forstudents during the 2006Massachusetts gubernatorialelections.Habitat for Humanity wasestablished at Milton in 2005,and though not an officialHabitat campus chapter, thegroup does community servicein keeping with the spirit of theorganization. They aim not onlyto help build houses, but also toeducate the Milton communityabout the causes and effects ofhomelessness. This year theyhave helped construct a homefor a family in Brockton,Massachusetts, and are planningmore local building projectsand further fund raising tosupport future construction.Members of the group havealso participated in two trips tothe Mississippi Gulf Coast torepair communities devastatedby Hurricane Katrina in 2005.AIDS Board raises awarenessof AIDS and HIV and raisesfunds to help those affected bythe disease. This year, the boardraised money for orphans atthe Center for Poor and LessPrivileged in Lesotho, Africa,an area with the fourth-highestprevalence of HIV in the world.For World AIDS Day the boarddistributed fliers, hung postersand spoke at assembly aboutthe statistics and effects ofAIDS and HIV. Future eventsinclude addressing Class IVHealth classes, hosting childrenfrom Mattapan’s SPARKCenter, and bringing speakersto campus.Children for Children raisesawareness within the Miltoncommunity to promote thehealth and education of childrenin underdeveloped countries.In October, the groupheld a “Trick or Treat forUNICEF” fund-raiser whichenlisted members of the Lower,Middle and Upper School toparticipate in a drive collectingsmall change. Proceeds fromthis and various food salesenabled the group to donateapproximately $5,000 toUNICEF at the end ofDecember. Plans for a silentauction to benefit an underprivilegedschool in South Africa,known as the Christel HouseSchool, are now in process.O N C A M P U SF.L.A.G. (Forward-LookingLiberal Action Group) is devotedto promoting progressiveideas and causes through discussionand action, working toeducate the School communityabout these issues and showstudents how they can getinvolved with politics.Stemming from Students forKerry, the group supports andworks toward electingDemocratic candidates for localand national office. Spendingmost of the fall working onDeval Patrick’s campaign, thegroup is now running an environmentalaction campaignwhich includes getting compactfluorescent lightbulbs in dormsand other campus buildings;running educational meetingsabout bio-energy; organizing aletter-writing campaign toGovernor Patrick and SenatorsKerry and Kennedy about theissue; and voicing their supportfor environmentally friendlyMilton buildings.Animal Rights Club’s generalgoal is to educate the Miltoncommunity about issues in animalwelfare, with a focus onsmall changes each person canmake to benefit animals andpromote ethical practices. Thegroup raises money to supportvarious animal welfare causes,including the local animal shelter.In past years they havemade and sold hemp braceletsto raise money for the shelter;they were also involved in theeffort to determine the numberof vegetarians on campus sothat dining services could planits menu with sufficient nutritionaloptions.Community Service Boardbegan serving the communityin an organized fashion in the1950s. It engages participants inresponsible action for the shortandlong-term well-being of thecommunity, on campus andbeyond. Through service, theprogram encourages respectfulconnections with others, personalresponsibility and commitment.It invites thoughtfulexploration of the issues thatshape our communities, inhopes that students learn frominteraction with the surroundingworld. Through Milton’sCommunity Service program,students volunteer with 28organizations in and aroundBoston including Rosie’s Place(shelter for women), the GreaterBoston Food Bank, MujeresUnidas (ESL tutoring), SpecialOlympics and Boston Home(for adults with multiplesclerosis).Amnesty International wasnationally established in 1961.Milton’s chapter is dedicated tofreeing prisoners of conscience,gaining fair trials for politicalprisoners, and ending politicalkillings throughout the world.The group hosts letter-writingcampaigns, discussions, andvarious event speakers on campus.This year’s Amnesty groupfocused on the Human Rightsand Poverty campaigns, holdinga Human Rights Week inearly November that raisedawareness about these issues.Amnesty is now working on itssecond annual springJAMNESTY concert, all proceedsof which go to their campaigns.The group also hostsStraus Desserts with facultyspeakers and debates concerningAmnesty’s global issues.33 Milton Magazine