SEPAC Community Inclusion Award Winners

The following individuals have been honored for furthering the ideals of inclusion.  

Inclusion means that ALL individuals are given equal opportunity to participate in the community.  More specifically, individuals with special needs are participating alongside their typical peers.

2019 - 2020

• Dylan Brown, a 2020 Braintree High graduate and 2019-2020 BHS Strives Student Intern

• The Burchill Family (Kevin, Kristen, Deirdre, Libby, Maggie and Callie Burchill) -  Kevin Burchill is the coach of the BHS Girls Varsity Hockey team

• Sarah Hazell, fourth grade teacher at Flaherty School

• Matthew Spink, chief Instructor at East Coast Martial Arts Academies and SPARKS Summer Enrichment Program instructor

2018

• Julia Doherty, Braintree High 2018 Graduate, Former President of the Best Buddies program at BHS, organizer of Braintree’s own “Fancy Formal” and assistant coach for the Super Stars sports league

• Joe Hubbard, volunteer at the Special Needs golf program at Braintree Municipal Golf Course 

• Melissa Ricci, Victoria Russo and the South Middle School Ambassadors Club – The Ambassadors seek to educate all students with their initiatives and commitment to including all students at South Middle School!

• Christopher Kelly and Steve Zechello – Founders and coaches of the Commonwealth Football Club “Kick-N-It” Soccer League. This program allows all of its players, with varying abilities, to learn skills and sportsmanship in their own unique ways! 

2017

• Pam Ten Eyck, Former Braintree Public Schools Behavior Specialist and passionate supporter of ALL students and families in Braintree

• Braintree Community Youth Center – Braintree Rotary Club founded the BCYC ten years ago with the intent of providing a safe, fun, and supervised environment for the youth of Braintree

• Sue Frazier, one of the first faces everyone who enters Braintree High School sees

• 2nd grade boys soccer team Coach Adam Ringius and his assistant coaches Nick Faoro, David Ringius, Sr., and Christos Papaioannou and their team, Chris Anderson, Evan Anderson, Chris Faoro, Ned Fitzgerald, Patrick Grehan, Michael Mackay, Brendan Mcgonigle, Sokrat Pango, Foti Papaioannou and Adam Ringius, Jr. (A.J.)

• Abigail “Abba” Yaney, an extraordinary senior at Braintree High School who has reinvented how the BHS yearbook is created to ensure all students are represented

2016

• Bill Berman, passionate coach and baseball instructor

• Nick Sarno, a Braintree High School senior and natural “includer” of all

• Luca Silvestro, a four year old student at Braintree Integrated Preschool and his parents Lisa and Mike

• Allison Young, an extraordinary 5th grader at Flaherty Elementary School

2015

• 2014-2015 Braintree High School “Best Buddies” Officers: Kathryn Barry, Maverick Lydon Shay, Melissa Madigan, Kerrin Norton and Caroline Tomasetta

• Steve Connolly the Volunteer Coordinator at Braintree Municipal Golf Course

• Jeff Timberlake, a Braintree Youth Basketball Girls Travel Director and Coach,

• BHS Coach Steve Trocki, who is also a Special Education Teacher and Braintree Special Olympics Director

2014

• Mary E. Flaherty Elementary School’s Entire 5th grade class

• Dr. Mary Ford-Clark, BHS Psychologist and Super Saturdays Recreation Program Director

• Amy Wallace Valle – Owner and Instructor at Amy’s Dance Dynamics in Braintree

2013

• Doreen Brids, Braintree Special Services Out of District Coordinator

• John Collier, Ed Fruth, Gerry Bouley, Derek Menadue, Jim Burke, Tom Walsh, Frank Morrissey, Braintree Boy Scout Troop 138 Leaders

• Patrick Kwedor and Marina Ristuccia McHugh, Braintree South Middle School LINKS Program Staff

• Mary Struzziero, Braintree Flaherty Elementary School Principal

2012

• Braintree Special Services Staff member Noreen Devlin

• Braintree High School Project Prove Teacher Mary Jane Farley

• Braintree Martial Arts Center for Personal Development Owner, Ken Proctor and his staff: Jenn Eagan, Jeremy Mazzola and David Ringius

• Braintree High School Project Prove Teacher Deanne Sullivan

• Braintree High School Headmaster, David Swanton.

2011

• Nancy Bucknam, a paraeducator at Braintree High School

• Kerrie Doherty (a.k.a. “Coach Kerrie”), who started the Superstars sports league in Braintree,

• John Hume, a parent and volunteer coach

• Kevin Leahy, a Physical Education teacher at Flaherty

2010

• St. Francis of Assisi Parish’s Religious Education program was honored including Fr. Kevin Sepe, Fr. Darrin Colorusso, Marge Donaher, Religious Education Director and Marie Manning, a religious education teacher

• Kara Perkins at Alliance Rehabilitation Center in Braintree

• Cathy Tomczyk, a member of the staff at Thayer Public Library

2009

• Bob Beach, the Director of the Braintree Municipal Golf Course

• Marilyn Seaver, a parent of two adult children with special needs

• Tess Williams, a student at South Middle School

• Donna Wise, a Special Education teacher at Flaherty

Each year, the committee receives so many wonderful nominations and although we are enlightened and moved by the many ways inclusion is working in our community, we sadly cannot recognize every single one. The committee encourages those who have submitted nominations that may have not been chosen to consider nominating a deserving member of our community again this year.