Brookline Public School Parent Recognized At State House

From the Office of Tommy Vitolo:

October 4 2019

Vitolo Recognizes Arbaje-Thomas at State House

Latinx Excellence on the Hill ceremony recognizes leaders from across Massachusetts

October 3, 2019 – (BOSTON) –Representative Tommy Vitolo (D-Brookline) joined the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus at their Latinx Excellence on the Hill event today at the State House to recognize Hispanic and Latino leaders from across Massachusetts. Representative Vitolo was joined by his nominee for recognition, Milly Arbaje-Thomas, the CEO of the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity, Inc. (METCO), and through the METCO program, a Brookline Public Schools parent.

“Milly has worked passionately for students in Brookline Public Schools, both as a parent, and through her work with METCO,” said Representative Vitolo. “Milly is a great example of the tremendous impact METCO parents have as members of our community.”

Arbaje-Thomas added, “It was such an honor as a METCO mom in Brookline to be presented with this award. This gesture by Representative Vitolo made me feel incredibly welcomed and included as a deserving member of the community where my girls have attended school for 9 years.”

Arbaje-Thomas was nominated not only for her work at METCO, but also for her work establishing Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month celebrations in Brookline Public Schools. In 2017, she led the establishment of Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month celebrations at the Pierce school. The celebration includes banners celebrating the month hanging outside the school, traditional Hispanic/Latino food being available on school lunch menus, and research projects and interactive scavenger hunts for students to learn more about Hispanic/Latino leaders and history. As a result of her work, the program was extended to every Brookline school.

“As a fellow Pierce parent, I saw first-hand how Milly worked with students doing research, reading reports, trying new food, and celebrating the contributions that people of Hispanic and Latino heritage have made to our lives,” said Pierce parent Mariah Nobrega. “This is the key work of diversity and inclusion and we are lucky to have such an outstanding parent-leader in Brookline to do it so effectively.”

The Latinx Excellence on the Hill event is part of the celebrations for National Hispanic Heritage Month at the Massachusetts State House. Each legislator is invited to nominate one leader from their community for recognition for their work in civic engagement, education, business, and other fields. Honorees are presented with a citation and official recognition of their work by the members who represent the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, as well as their nominating legislator.

This press release was produced by the Office of Tommy Vitolo. The views expressed here are the author’s own.