Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Time now is eight oh seven, which means it's time
for Night Side with Dan Ray.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I've been Kyle Bray WBZ, Boston's News Radio. Thanks for
joining us night Side, Dan Ray.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
I'm don Yourazy Boston's News Radio. Kyle Brah, I love you.
Sign off. I've been Kyle Bray. Hey you are still
Kyle Bray, no doubt about that. Thanks very much, Kyle.
Stay dry tomorrow with all the weather that's coming in
hope all of you stay dry as well. It sounds
like they're talking about them monsoon tomorrow here in New England,
and that must be the weather the Red Sox are
(00:30):
experiencing tonight out in Cleveland, Ohio. I often called the
Mistake by the Lake. My name's Dan Ray. There are
no mistakes on Nightside. No, we do everything intentionally here
myself and Rob Brooks. Rob is the producer of this program.
He is back in broadcast headquarters Central Location. Well, we
really shouldn't tell him where you are, Rob, but you
know they probably know anyway. That's okay. Yeah, the best, Rob, Yeah,
(00:58):
the best. Anyway. Rob does a great for us, and
he was telling me he's got to work tomorrow. Rob.
I hope you get in and out tomorrow nice and easily,
without all of the role that Ron and I help.
All of you have something to do tomorrow that's indoors.
It's as simple as that. But if you stick with
us all the way until midnight tonight, we will get you.
Tonight is April twenty fifth. It's eight months till Christmas.
(01:21):
I know you've got all your Christmas shopping done, no problem.
We have four interesting guests in our first hour, and
then we will get on to some other topics at hand.
There's a movement up on Beacon Hill to try to
end life without parole. I guess at some point we're
going to get to the point where anyone gets convicted,
we'll just give them a time out in their room.
But we'll talk about that. At nine o'clock. We're going
(01:43):
to start off and we're going to learn a little
bit about Irish dancers. In Irish dancing. Irish dancers, and
I guess probably from dancers from all over the world
have just come back US. Irish dancers have just come
back from the World Irish Dance Championships in where else Dublin,
Ireland joining us now is a teacher and a student
(02:07):
who are participating, and I guess they call this event
the worlds. Molly Francis Lutwyn is a dancer, teacher and
owner of a dance studio, and Francesca Santorum is one
of the dancers. So let me start with Molly Francis
luck when Molly, how popular is Irish dancing? I know
(02:29):
you folks are located in New York State. I know
what it is. I wouldn't dare attempt it, but it
certainly looks like you have to be pretty athletic to
be a successful Irish dancer. And is it fair to
call them Irish step dancers or is it just Irish dancer.
Let's let's clarify that first of.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
All, so you can call them Irish step dancers or
Irish dancers.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Yes, perfect, So I see these folks, and of course
all of us have experienced river dance, and which is
which is Irish dancing? You've got to be really in
good shape here athletically. These these people are more than
these They are more than dancers. They're athletes. Correct.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Yes, it's a very athletic sport. It's extremely hard and
it takes a lot of precision, precision in practice These
kids practice up to seven days a week prepping. You know,
their whole world revolves around it at that level of
going to the world, so it's really a high level
for it. Like you were saying, at what.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Age do you introduce kids who really want to be competitive?
Obviously it can be taken up by anyone, but I'm
assuming if by time you're fifteen or sixteen that that
window has probably closed. What time hockey players have to
start to start skating as early as three? Back?
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Go ahead, tell me, yes, we actually have a tiny
top class and we take dancers at three years old,
and actually we do. There's adult dancing is huge, and
Irish dancing you can be any age. The Irish dance
community spans all different ages and levels.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
But in terms of the competitive dancers, I assume this
is something that someone like Francesca, who I'm going to
talk to now, probably started at a very early age. Francesca,
you were one of the dancers on the trip with
your dance teacher and coach, Molly Francis Ludwin. When did
(04:32):
you start doing this activity?
Speaker 5 (04:35):
Seriously, I started our dancing when I was four years old,
so I've been doing I'll know.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
No that's great, that's great. And as you got older
and you became more serious, what is it about the
sport that that that allowed you or compelled you to
take it as seriously? I know kids start piano less
is when they're five or six, and by seven or
eight they're done and they're not concert pianists. What what
(05:06):
drew you into this, uh, this competition or we I
guess we could call it a sport, but what what
what is about it that that has that has drawn
you into this high level of competition?
Speaker 5 (05:21):
So I would say as I got older, the more
dance competitions I did, and the better I got with
the result, I definitely was encouraging to keep going and
then see like the best I could get, And my
mother really pushed me to do the best I could.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
It's okay, that's okay. Parents. Sometimes I'm sure she pushed
you in a in a supportive way. Is that your
first trip to Ireland last weekend?
Speaker 5 (05:49):
No, I've actually been there twice twice.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Okay, I've I've been there a few times myself. I
actually have dual citizenship, so I I believe me, I'm
very very much aware of just the difficult this this sport.
I mean it's it's not an easy sport to uh,
you know, to to really accomplish. I mean you you're
(06:14):
an accomplished dancer. What do you hope to do with this?
Is this something you're going to carry on and become
a teacher or a coach or how where will this
sport take you?
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Yeah? For sure.
Speaker 5 (06:26):
I mean I already help a little bit with Molly
teaching some of the younger girls team dances, and I
really enjoy it and hopefully one day maybe I could
be in river dance or like some sort of professional
dance company.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Very nice and last questions, Francesca, for you, has this
helped you? My understanding is you're still in high school.
Are you're a junior or a senior?
Speaker 6 (06:51):
I'm a senior senior.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Do you know at this point where you if you're
going off to college next fall?
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Yes?
Speaker 7 (06:59):
I am where you're going?
Speaker 5 (07:01):
If I could ask Junny Cortland.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Okay, now, do they have any sort of a program
there where you can continue to to compete and perfect
perfect your your your vocate your avocation here?
Speaker 5 (07:18):
They don't have an IRSTS program, But the college is
only like forty minutes away from Francis Academy. So I
would hope to continue to try to get to Francis
Academy in practice.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
All right, let me come back to your to your
teacher and your coach, Molly Francis. Letwin Molly, what what
advice would you give to a family that has a
young girl or a young boy who might be interested
in the sport. Obviously we reach a pretty wide audience here.
We're heard in most of the eastern the US. How
(07:51):
is there a website that parents can go to? You
know you're located, I know in Syracuse, we're in Boston,
but there's a lot of people in different places, is
here and in Canada and elsewhere who are listening. Is
there some sort of a national or an international website
that people can go to to get information as to
what Irish step dancing programs might be available in their
(08:13):
their area.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
Yeah. So, Actually, if you go to the c l
r G website, c l RG is our organization, and
we also have the North American Irish Dance Teachers Association,
which you can look up your local like what dance
schools are near you. There's a registry there and if
(08:38):
you just google Irish step dancing clergy. It would bring
you to local schools.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
But I think, what does what does c l r
G stand for?
Speaker 4 (08:48):
It's it's a it's a Gaelic word. I'm not going
to try to say it right now, but it stands for.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
By the way, I'm picking up a little bit of
a Canadian accent with you. Are you Canadian?
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Yes, we're actually close. We're close to the Canadian border.
I heard that two hours.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Yeah, did you grew up in Canada?
Speaker 4 (09:11):
No, Syracuse my whole life.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Okay, well, we're with the word. When you pronounce the
word organization that is that's always a tip up. Well,
thank you both for joining us. This was an international
phone call. I wasn't sure if we had an Irish
stepped an American Irish step dancer and an American Irish
step dancing coll coach with roots in Canada. But thank
you both very much. Fringe Casca, best of luck as
(09:37):
you go off to college. Your parents must be very
proud of you and Mollie. Thanks very much for your
time tonight as well, and keep on dancing.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Thank you so much for having us.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Okay, good night, folks. When we get back, we're going
to talk about something that I'm more comfortable with. I
don't think I could ever be an Irish step dancer,
but I can eat pizza. The largest pizza festival in
New England returns to Boston City Plaza in June, and
we're going to talk about it with the co director
of the Boston Pizza Festival, something we all can participate in.
Right after the break here on Nightside. You're listening to
(10:10):
WBC Boston's news radio right here on WBZ ten thirty
on your AM dial. Pull down our iHeart App, our
new and improved iHeart App. That way you can make
us your first preset, and you can. We will only
be a fingertip away wherever you travel around the world,
or wherever you happen to be around the world, anywhere
in the world you can. You can literally you're a
(10:32):
fingertip away. If you get my drift, We'll be back
on Nightside Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's
news Radio. If there is the universal food of food
that everybody loves, I think it's pizza. And once again
we will have the largest pizza festival in New England
(10:54):
this year on Boston City Hall Plaza on Saturday, June
twenty first and Sunday, June twenty second, the first couple
of days of summer. Perfect timing with us as Gene
Carlo Natali. Gen Carlo, I've hoped I pronounced it tali correctly.
Is that be the correct pronunciation?
Speaker 7 (11:12):
Yes, yes, you said it perfectly.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
All right? You were the co director of the Boston
Pizza Festival. How long has the Boston Pizza Festival been
gracing our fine city? How many years?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
We started in twenty sixteen, and obviously COVID stopped us
for a little bit, but we're back in action. So
this is our fifth year back here at City Hall Plaza,
so we're so excited.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
All right now, Look, even if it was COVID, I
would have been there for the Pizza festival. What's the
genesis of it? I know you're at City Hall Plaza,
which is very close to the Boston's North End, which
have the best pizza places in the world as far
as I'm concerned. How was it that someone at one
day woke up and said, you know what this city means,
(12:03):
we need a pizza festival, and a bunch of people said, yeah,
you're right. How did it start? What is the genesis
of the Boston Pizza Festival.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
I'm so happy that you shouted out the North End.
I'm a North End kid. I'm born and raised in
the North End. So thank you for doing that. We
we love kidding me. So the pizza. The pizza festival
originated so my family and I my father's from Naples, Italy,
and in Naples, Italy, they have the largest pizza festival
(12:33):
in the world. And as a family, we would always
go to Italy every summer and that was like our
family to do. Every year we would we would go
to the Naples Pizza Village, which is the biggest pizza
festival in the world. Later on in life, as I
started getting into events and festivals and thinking of concepts,
my business partner and I were like, you know, let's
(12:53):
do a pizza festival. And my business partner Raft said,
you know, they've got to be a pizza festival already,
And sure enough, we looked it up in Boston didn't
have one. Next thing, you know, we were at City
Hall booking the plaza and there it was. It was
like the green light was from there and then we
never stopped.
Speaker 7 (13:11):
So I cannot.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Believe with my great friend Tom Menino, having been the
great mayor Tom Menino, I might say, God rest his soul,
that he was mayor for twenty years and one of
us didn't say, Hey, let's have a pizza festival. What
an opportunity we missed. By the way Naples. I was
in Naples last summer with some nightside listeners. We did
(13:34):
roam and then went down to the Amalfi Coast. I
don't know if you ever been in the Naples airport.
I'm sure you've been there many times. We showed up
there as bus load of us at four am in
the morning and we couldn't get into the terminal. It
was packed. It was I thought to myself, we're never
going to get out of Naples, which wouldn't have been
a bad thing after all, when you think about it.
(13:56):
I wouldn't have been there for the for the pizza festival,
but it was fright as they didn't open up I
guess the employees didn't show up until four am in
the morning and they didn't open up the lines, and
it was like we were there for half an hour
and nothing was moving, and I'm thinking to myself, we're
going to be stuck here. So that's my memory of
(14:17):
Naples Airmployer and it was a.
Speaker 7 (14:18):
Lovely definitely, it was lovely.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
Definitely controlled chaos at that airport for sure, oh man.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
And well, anyway, so tell us about the specifics. It's
on the plaza so you can't miss it. What are
the hours during the day. I assume there's a cover
charge to get in. Tell us how it works. I
got a lot of pizza lovers, I'm sure listening and
are writing this all down.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Absolutely So we'll be there Saturday and Sunday, June twenty
first and second from eleven am to six pm. And
this year we have a ten dollars cover but in
that ten dollars comes two slices of pizza, any any toppings.
You can use those tickets to, you know, redeem those
tickets at any pizza EA. And it really is, you know,
(15:08):
a celebration of pizza. But it's it's an event that
you know from my eyes and you know my perspective.
You know, we bring everybody together. You know, everybody loves pizza.
And honestly, if you don't love pizza, I don't know
if I can trust you. But for the most part,
everybody loves pizza. It's a really good family gathering. It's
become a staple in the city of Boston.
Speaker 7 (15:30):
And yeah, I just can't wait we have these.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
Put let me make sure I understand this, Okay, I
want to make sure my audience gets it. So ten
dollars per person, adults or children. It's a ten dollar
charge per person? Correct?
Speaker 7 (15:45):
Correct?
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Okay? Like nobody kids under two? They I hope they're
not gonna eat a lot of pizza. Is there like
one of those things where kids under a certain age
are free? Or is it? You know if you walk
in with it?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Yeah, children five and under don't won't pay it, won't
need a ticket.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Yeah, well, don't bury the lead here, gian Kala, we
got it. You know, there's a lot of families out
there where they for twenty dollars a mom and a
dad and a couple of kids under five, they're golden.
So how many pizza vendors? How many shops are going
to be set up on the plaza?
Speaker 7 (16:21):
You know?
Speaker 3 (16:21):
I mean, obviously you'll have I'm sure many, But what's
the what do you think you'll have in terms of
vendors there?
Speaker 2 (16:29):
We'll have thirty different pizza rias. Some coming all the
way from Italy and fifty six vendors total, so you know,
we'll have dessert, we'll have gelato. We have so many
other additors other than pizza. But the cool part of
this year is we have a pizza festival from Italy
joining us we're hosting. It's called Pizza Avico and they're
(16:54):
from the peninsula of Sorrento in Vico Quinca, Italy, and
they're a really world renowned pizza festival and we're so grateful.
They're bringing the top pizza makers in Italy and they're
going to be a part of our event this year.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
I've been in Sorrento. Beautiful city. I really hi, very
some very nice shops in Sorrento. By the way, have
you been in Sorrento.
Speaker 7 (17:18):
Yes, I love it. There's nothing like those nights in Sorrento.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Yeah, really it really is. So look, I assume that
you'll be able to perhaps purchase a beer or two
if you want at the festal yes, absolutely, just want
to make sure in case. I don't want anyone to
suffer from dehydration. Okay, you know, I'm just I'm a
(17:45):
pretty thoughtful guy here and I want to make sure
everybody's happy. Well, this is great. Saturday June twenty first,
Sunday June twenty second. How big a crowd do you
think you're going to get? In all honesty, you're talking.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
About you know, last year we did twenty five thousand
people over the weekend, and this year, you know we
we should be you know, right around those those numbers,
and you know, increasing our marketing efforts and partnerships and
some really cool activations. It really is going to be
a great event.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
I'm sure you and they were night side listeners right
now who are marking it on their calendar, on their calendar.
So I thank you so much for you amazing tonight.
I loved Italy, I love pizza, and you sound like
a great guy, and it's going to be a fabulous event.
Thanks so much for joining us tonight and spending a
few minutes.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
And please be my guest, come eat some pizza with us.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
You know, if I'm in town that weekend, you know
I'm going to stop by and I'll find you. I
will find you no matter what. Okay, I will buy
my tickets, but I will find you nonetheless. Thanks Gincla.
Speaker 7 (18:56):
I appreciate it. Thank you having wonderful evening.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
Thank you you too, Bonaie. Thanks. We will take a
break right after the eight thirty news. We're going to
talk about a very serious effort. It's called Hope for
I got to get the precise name here. It's Haymakers
(19:19):
for Charity. It's a Haymaker's charity event. It's a boxing
program at Haymakers for Hope is what it's called, at
the MGM Music Hall right next to Fenway Park. We're
going to talk with one of the boxers, Ben Heller,
who is boxing and is involved in this because of
some medical issues with his wife and his mom. It's
(19:40):
a great story and we'll talk with Ben Heller right
after the break, and then later on I'm going to
talk about a Massachusetts crisis in mathematics for our students.
It's not getting better in Massachusetts. We'll explain both right
after the news at the bottom of the hour. My
name is Dan Wright.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
With Dan Ray on Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
All right, welcome back everyone. There is a an event
coming up that we want to make you aware of.
It's been an event that has been around for some time,
uh and the event is next we'll actually strike that
it's May eighth. Let me double check and make sure
(20:27):
that is not this Saturday, and it's not next It's
it's a Thursday night if I'm reading my calendar correctly. Here, Yeah,
Thursday night at the MGM Music Hall right by Fenway Park.
It's called Haymakers for Hope. It's also rock and Rumble
fourteen with us is one of the PIP participants. Ben Heller, Ben,
(20:51):
Welcome to night Side. How are you?
Speaker 1 (20:53):
I'm great, how are you?
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Thanks for having me good.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
I've watched some of your video and I've have a
bumping into the street. I'm not gonna want to fight you. You're
you're a you're a boxer. You have done this. You
have not done this your entire life. But you're taking
it very seriously and for a great cause. Your wife
is a warrior. You mentioned she was diagnosed with h
(21:18):
with breast cancer and has an aggressive form. First of all,
how she doing today?
Speaker 1 (21:26):
She's doing pretty well today. She she is, like I said,
a warrior and battles real hard every day. We've got
three teenage kids and she makes it a priority. Uh,
she makes a priority that just to be in their
lives as normal as possible, and so she's she's a
mom first and foremost and running around with the kids
and she's doing she's doing really well.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
Okay, now, when did you take up boxing? If you
don't mind, you're fifty years old. I looked at the video. Uh,
and and you look like you clearly can handle yourself
in the ring. I'm very impressed. Uh, this is uh
the this is a serious activity. You work in real estate,
you're a real estate advisor. When yeah, I know why
(22:08):
you box, But how long have.
Speaker 7 (22:09):
You done it?
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Because you look like you're pretty accomplished to me.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
Yeah, I've been trained. So I participated in last year's event,
and I didn't start training specifically for that. My oldest
daughter had asked me about boxing. You know, I've been
a boxing fan my whole life. We were talking about it.
There's a gym down the street from our house, and
we kept driving by it. She wanted to go in.
So she and I went in one day and just
(22:34):
you know, did a couple of classes and there's she
and I and then I kept going with it, and
you know, seemed to be good.
Speaker 7 (22:40):
Enough at it that they.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Threw my hat in the ring for Haymakers given my
story with my wife, and so I trained last year
and ended up raising two hundred and eighty thousand dollars
last year for my fight. And the fight didn't win
with my hand being held above my head, which feel
like I had some unfinished business. So I got an
opportunity to do it again this year, and so I
(23:03):
just kept training through and here we are. You know,
I was a middle brother of three boys, so I
saw a lot growing up, but I was never trained
out of box.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Yeah, I did the same thing as a kid. I
grew up in the city, not the mean streets of
the city, but I grew up in Boston and everyone
you know, I'm a little older than you are, and
every once in a while you got into a beef
and that's the way you settled it. Back in those days,
you weren't pulling out a gun or a knife or
anything out. And I boxed one time, just for a minute.
(23:34):
I'm not going to buy you with the story, but
it was on TV. I was anchoring the early newscast
on Channel five, and when the rock First Rocky movie
came out, boxed for a minute. It was exhausting, and
I was in pretty good shape. I got to tell you,
I have great respect for anybody who boxes because you know,
and again you probably trained for it, you know, how
(23:55):
to breathe better and all of that. But it's an
exhausting experience. How do you raise the money? Do you
have people supporting you? What can we do to help you?
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Well, you know, it's it really is a you know,
it takes a village. Our community has really come out
for Amanda and me, and it's been a lot of
a lot of people from all, you know, corners of
our life have come forward and just made the donation.
You know, some people as little as twenty five bucks
in some pretty sizable checks. But it's been a you know,
(24:27):
really humbling to have our community come out and show
us love and support. And everybody always wants to know
what they can do, like what can we do to
help you? And you know, this is really what people
can do because you know, Amanda and I are you know,
we're trying to live a normal life, trying to fight
this with everything we've got. And at the end of
the day, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, who we're raising
(24:50):
money for, you know, they funded the development of the
drug that is keeping Amanda alive today. And so like
these dollars really do matter. It's not like it goes
into this bay the thiss that you know, you don't
know if it ever makes a difference. But this, you know,
this was in Boston. The woman that started this research
project that ended up developing into sassaitusm MAP, which is
(25:12):
the name of the drug that Amta is on. Like
it was born here in Boston, and it's like it's
really close to us, and it really makes a difference.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
So people who are listening tonight, can they just donate
directly to the charity or do you have a specific
place they can donate which is associated with your event
this' upcoming.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
If you look up Haymakers for Hope and it lifts
all the fighters, Ben Heller's there and you can donate
through me and that way it goes to Breast Cancer
Research Foundation. Each fighter can nominate any sort of cancer
charity they want, but Breast Cancer Research Foundation is what's
really near and dear to us. And we've become very
involved in the organization, and Haymakers for Hope is an
extremely well run, compassionate organization, And you know, I really
(26:00):
am so grateful to have the opportunity to do this again.
It's you know, boxing is a really difficult thing to do.
But when I sort of put it in the context
of fighting for one's life, you know, against cancer, getting
in the ring is really nothing.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
No, well, it's something. But I do understand that the
larger fight that you're going to win here is for Amanda.
So if they just go to the website Haymakers for
Hope dot Org, I assume that's a correct at it
or and then they.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
Read it and then yeah, and then Benjamin Heller and
you can say, you know, donate here, and you know,
I appreciate everything. If we between last year's fight and
this year's fight, we're at about four hundred and sixty
thousand dollars, So I really want to be able to
get the half a million dollars, which is way more
than I ever expected. And it's just like I said,
(26:51):
it really makes a difference. And you know, there's a
new study that's been you know, a grant that's been
given an Amanda's honor at Breast Cancer Search Foundation from
last year's site, and we really want to make sure
that we give them every resource they have to go
out and try to find a cure. You know, we're
not giving up hope.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
So again, this is a Thursday night, May eighth, seven thirty.
I assume that it's open to the public. It's a
public event. I'm I'm assuming a matter of fact, that's true.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
You can you can buy tickets on the same website.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Yeah, I've gone right here to your website, which is great.
There's a there's a picture of you, of you the donation.
It's at the MGM Music Hall everybody. There's where you
get tickets and it says donate to Benjamin, which means
that you make the donation to your to the charity.
(27:44):
Do you have any idea who you'll end up fighting
that night?
Speaker 7 (27:49):
I do.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
I think I've met him before. His name is Parker Willard.
He's a god but my age, a couple of years
younger than me. Tough guy. You know, I've done a
lot of time fundraising. I gotta I gotta spend these
last couple of weeks training some more. He's gonna give
it as all.
Speaker 3 (28:05):
I know.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
He fought before too, and he's got a cause that's
just as important to mine as mine. So we're gonna
give it all in the ring for a good cause.
I think, you know, for for six minutes, we're gonna
sort of forget that we're amateurs and go out there
and pretend that we're this is what we do for
a living.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
But it's uh, also it's great. Is it two three
minute rounds to three two minute rounds?
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Three rounds?
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Yeah, that's okay, that makes more sense, uh, Ben, you know,
look it sounds like such a great cause. Congratulations to
having the courage to get into the ring. And we
wish you and your family and especially Amanda's just all
the luck in the world. So they can they go
haymakers for hope. Find your name, Benjamin Heller. Uh and
(28:50):
and you you're you're in the ring, but your family's
in the ring with it with a bigger fight, so
you know, god speed, you know, watch out for those
those right hooks. That's the best advice I can give you.
And donate it, and I should say hopefully so my
listeners we'll check it out and maybe make a donation.
(29:12):
Thank you again.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Well, I really appreciate it. It's honored to be on
the air with you. And you know, I'm a kid
from the city of Boston too, and I really appreciate
it so thanks, I.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
Hope, I'm more honored to have you on the air
if the truth, you know, because you're doing something that
very few people ever get an opportunity to do in
their life, and it really does put the sport in perspective.
So all the luck in the world. I'm sure it's
going to be a great night for you and for
your family and raise a lot of money. Thank you,
my friend, we'll talk again.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
Okay, thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Very welcome. Ben, Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Who's going to
get in the ring the age of fifty second time?
If you go to the website Haymakers for Hope, there's
some video and this guy has trained. Let me tell you,
he's not the sort of person you want to get
into a disagreement with. He's going to be prepped and
(30:04):
ready for May eighth at the MGM Music Hall at
Fenway Park. We'll take a quick break and we'll be
right back and we're going to finish up and we're
going to talk about unfortunately some lower than expected scores
in mathematics for our students here in the Cormwaltha, Massachusetts.
So what can we do to get those scores up.
(30:25):
We'll find out. Coming back on Nightside, It's Nightside with
Dan Ray on.
Speaker 7 (30:32):
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
All right, we're wrapping up our last quick conversation of
the night. We're going to be talking with Genesis Corella.
She's a senior policy analyst at ed Trust. Genesis, welcome
to Nightside.
Speaker 6 (30:48):
How are you good, evening, Dan? I'm doing well.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
How are you okay? I think I know what senior
policy analysts would mean. But what is ed Trust? I'm
sure that's some sort of a trust. Tell us about it. So.
Speaker 6 (31:01):
Ed Trust is a national organization and we're submitted to
dismantling racial and economic barriers and set it in the
American education system. Our approach centers on the analysis of
data to identify opportunity gaps, indicating for policies that promote equity,
and working closely with the range of stakeholders to help
(31:21):
sort of shift the narrative and build momentum around urgent
needs for systemic improvement.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Gotcha, are you on a headsetter on a speakerphone by
any chance? Or no? I'm just having a.
Speaker 6 (31:31):
Little tough you know, I'm just on my phone.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
Sorry, Oh great, Well, if you then talk right into
the mouthpiece. It's going to be much better. Okay, that's okay,
that's going to Yeah, you sound much better already already.
Oftentimes people hold that mouthpiece a little about their mouth,
or they hold it a little below their mouth, and
it doesn't sound quite as good when they held it
right to their mouth. So just please continue to do
(31:54):
that for us. So the state of math in Massachusetts
is not good. Tell us why. It's a data driven
look at Massachusetts math crisis and what can be done.
Look like all states kids have suffered as a consequence
of COVID, but we haven't bounced back yet in Massachusetts.
Tell us what needs to be done.
Speaker 4 (32:12):
Correct.
Speaker 6 (32:13):
So right now, more than half of Massachusetts students aren't
meeting grade level expectations in maths. So, for example, just
forty one percent of third through eighth graders that are
exceeded expectations last year on them. Past and outcomes are
even more concerning for our black, Latino multi lingual learners,
students with disabilities, and students from low income backgrounds. And
(32:35):
it's not just about test scores, it's about opportunity. Without
strong math skills, students are going to struggle on other subjects,
use confidence and thinks see your options after high school.
The issue is complex and there's lots of different factors
that are sort of contributing to this decline that we're seeing.
But some of the recommendations that we're putting forth in
our most recent brief one is establishing a permanent seat
(32:59):
funding streams to support ongoing development, implementation and evaluation of
high quality instructional materials. Implementing mandatory statewide early numeracy assessments
to identify struggling students and provide timely interventions that are targeted,
which is sort of nearing some of the success that
(33:19):
we've seen in literacy screenings at closing learning gaps. And
the last is just to expand invest in professional development
to deepen mass content knowledge, sort of build on those
skill sets that teachers have to effectively implement the curriculum.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
Now, I know that you probably are aware. It looks
to me, I'm not sure if you're I think you're
in Rhode Island. Correct, no problem, But we're talking obviously
about Massachusetts, and I assume that you are familiar that
Massachusetts last November voted to eliminate mcasts as a graduation requirement.
(33:58):
The test will still be administered, but obviously the stakes
will be much less. Do you think that's a good
development or poor development in your opinion?
Speaker 6 (34:11):
That's a great question. So at ed Trust, we believe
that a rigorous, uniform statewide graduation standard of course, paired
with some strong state oversight, is really essential to ensuring
that all students, regardless of the district that they attend,
have equitable access to high school graduation. And so removing
a standardized graduation requirement means that every district is able
(34:33):
to choose their own and students are being held to
different standards and have different preparations for life after high school.
And so we see that as a real equity issue
at ed Trust.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
So, okay, you just gave me an answer. I didn't
understand that I heard the words. Is it a good
development or a poor development overall?
Speaker 1 (34:55):
In your opinion, a poor development?
Speaker 7 (35:00):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
My next question then, is one of the things that's
coming down the line that all of us need to
be concerned about, not only those of us who are
out of school, but particularly those of us who have
kids in school, artificial intelligence. What needs to be done
to make sure that kids in poorer communities are given
(35:24):
as many opportunities to be aware of artificial intelligence, how
to use it and use it properly as kids in
more affluent communities. Because that's something that concerns me, to
be really honest with you.
Speaker 6 (35:39):
Yeah, that is sort of an emerging issue area. And
it's not just because in rural schools there's disparities among
various geographyes, income levels, And it really comes down to
sort of acknowledging this emerging area and sort of keeping
up with the twenty first century trends, ensuring that teachers
(36:01):
are really well equipped to teach AI and sort of
support students and using it well and effectively, and as
well as state really strong state guidance to ensure that
there's guardrails in place to ensure that AI is being
used adequately by students in an age appropriate way.
Speaker 3 (36:24):
Yeah, the concern is that that's the latest thing, and
it has applications in mathematics, but it also has applications
in other areas in English writing skills and all of that.
And you know that kids who are in the who
were challenging schools, whether it's the private schools or whether
(36:47):
it's the exam schools in some communities, they're going to
be challenged, But I just don't want to see other
kids who are in more you know, traditional schools fall
by the wayside. And I hope that those of you
who have a much greater voice in you know, education
and education policy that I do. I hope that you guys,
(37:09):
you folks, keep them in mind. And I suspect from
what I what I've heard from you is that you
will correct.
Speaker 6 (37:19):
I appreciate that. Yes, I think AI can be a
very powerful tool, but as sort of with any new
emerging technology, it needs to be used responsibly and shouldn't
take away from the real critical learning that students should
be exposed to.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
If folks want to get more information about what your
group does and the reports that you've written, is there
an easy website because there are a lot of people
who are very interested in the issues that you're involved in.
Is there a website that we can direct people to.
Speaker 6 (37:52):
Yes, you can read our leadst brief on the map
I say that ed trust dot org backslast Massachusetts. You
can sell us on LinkedIn and Twitter at trust m
A and V are also on Bluesky at trust in m.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
A okay, so it's ED trust So it's just capital
E and then you know as education the abbreviation E
lowercase D, capital T lowercase r U, s T dot org,
slash Massachusetts. Want to make sure that you know some
of these are case sensitive, and I don't want people
to be frustrated. It's a capital E and a capital T,
(38:28):
but all one word ed trust E, D T, r U,
s T, capital E, CAPITALT dot org. Thanks so much, Genesis.
I I appreciate it. The work you're doing is very important,
and I hope people appreciate that. And we've got to
make sure that every kid, whatever their social economic background is,
(38:48):
gets a good education, as good an education as possible,
and whether they will end their education with the high
school diploma or they will go on beyond that, everyone
has have that opportunity to take advantage of whatever is there,
because not only do their lives depend on it and
their futures depend on it, but my social security check
(39:09):
depends on it. I want to have everybody contributing so
that all of us can retire and be comfortable. So
I'm joking when I say that, but I think you
understand the point I'm trying to make thanks so much.
I appreciate your time, Genesis.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
Thank you.
Speaker 6 (39:24):
Have a great night.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
All right, bye bye. All right. When we get back,
we're going to talk about a development in Massachusetts which
troubles me, to be honest with you, we picked up
a story earlier this week out of the State House
News Service, in which some legislators out there, the more
progressive legislators, you know, the folks who wanted to get
rid of capital punishment many years ago, their progeny now
would like to get rid of life in prison without parole,
(39:49):
which to me is crazy. We will be talking with
a lobbyist for this bill. His name is Daniel Delaney
of the Delaney Policy Group. He knows we're going to disagree,
probably on the substance of the conversation, but I'd like
to give him an opportunity to present his arguments. And
I also want to hear your phone calls and your
reaction to this idea, because I think it is a
(40:11):
dangerous and crazy idea. We'll be back to Night's side
right after this