Roots and Wings 2022: Event Program

Roots and Wings: Wellesley High School’s Legacy of Nurturing Creativity

October 12, 2022
7:00 p.m.
Wellesley Free Library

Wellesley has a remarkable literary legacy: that two of the most prominent and best known women writers of the 20th century called this town home. Katharine Lee Bates and Sylvia Plath both grew up here then achieved international renown, and always paid tribute to the inspiration and support they received from Wellesley High School.

But Wellesley High’s unique contribution to literature also includes the equally compelling stories of many other extraordinary writers who began their work in its classrooms.

For generations, the commitment and mission of WHS English teachers to nurturing young students’ creativity has produced hundreds of writers who have touched the literary world.

A sampling of these WHS writers includes:

• the current US Ambassador to China/author (Nick Burns);
• New York Times bestsellers (including Richard Preston at #1);
• Pulitzer Prize winners (Plath, Anne Sexton, Lucinda Franks);
• Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist (Adam Haslett);
• Grammy Award nominated songwriter/singer (Billy Squier);
• Emmy Award winners (Lori Baker, Melissa Jo Peltier, George Mastras, his sister Maria Jacquemetton, Greg Yaitanes)
• a member of Songwriters Hall of Fame (Katharine Lee Bates);
• a James Beard Award winner (Kevin Alexander);
• a Saturday Night Live cast member/writer who later wrote her own tv show (Michaela Watkins)
• two presidential speechwriters at the White House (one for each party) (Beth Hinchliffe, Aneesh Raman)
• the co-founder of Twitter and book author (Biz Stone)
• and all current and former students whose writing brings

them meaning, purpose, and joy.

“Roots and Wings” is a celebration of all WHS writers and of the legacy of the school and teachers who have inspired, challenged, and believed in them. It begins tonight with this panel, and will continue on a permanent webpage, which includes lists and biographies of WHS writers and teachers:www.wellesleyfreelibrary.org/whsauthors/

ROOTS AND WINGS

(all speakers except the Goddards are WHS grads)

Welcome/Introduction: Beth Hinchliffe – Presidential Speechwriter, Town Historian

Reflections of WHS: Leda Eizenberg – School Committee Chair, English teacher, writer

PANEL:

• Jeanie Goddard: WHS English teacher 1967-2005
• Richard Preston: Author of The New York Times #1 bestseller The Hot Zone, and many other bestsellers
• Adam Haslett: Two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award for You Are Not a Stranger Here and Imagine Me Gone)
• Nina Shope: Award-winning fiction writer of Hangings and Asylum
• Vanessa Martir: Educator, writer, and activist
• Brooks Goddard: WHS English teacher 1969-2000, Chair 1980-2000

THE FUTURE OF WHS WRITERS:

• Poem: Derek Jimenez, WHS 2023
• Poem: Maya McNeill, WHS 2023

ROOTS AND WINGS WEBSITE

The “Roots and Wings” webpage is the continually updated center of the project. Here you will find:

• a list (with biographies) of WHS writers over the years;
• a list of WHS teachers from the past 80 years;
• detailed biographies of tonight’s panelists;
• articles about WHS writers and teachers;
• announcements of other related programs.