Bruce Kaneb ’80 P’12 (center), a learning coach at St. John's Prep and recipient of the the No One Walks Alone Advocacy Award with his colleagues from the Center for Learning and Academic Success.
Nearly 300 members of the St. John’s Prep community and guests filled the Dianne and Ray Carey ’67 Field House Thursday evening for the 16th edition of the school’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Reception and awards dinner.
The annual ceremony, held between the MLK federal holiday and the start of Black History Month on February 1, recognizes recipients who have embodied Dr. King’s pursuit of fairness and equity by creating opportunities for change.
Head of School Ed Hardiman P’19 ’21 ’26 reminded attendees that the civil rights leader changed the course of history with a call for people to have, as King put it, “sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate—this can only be done by projecting the ethic of love to the center of our lives.”
“Dr. King and his peers faced tremendous violence and they were demeaned and diminished by many in power,” said Hardiman. “However, the focus on love, the focus on being mindful of God as love, and the call to model unconditional love served to fuel change, inspire hope, strengthen courage, and empower justice to overcome injustice. King’s work launched an era of change; an era of work that is very much unfinished, and one we are all called to advance.”
Angela O’Reilly P’27 ’31 (center) was presented the MLK Justice and Equity award by colleague Jennifer Piscitello, the School's controller.
Sponsored by St. John’s Office of Multicultural Affairs and Community Development (MACD), the event recognized Bruce Kaneb ’80 P’12, a learning coach at the School’s Center for Learning and Academic Success (CLAS), who received the No One Walks Alone Advocacy Award. The honor is reserved for a member of the Prep community who serves as a role model and agent of change within and beyond the school community.
Kaneb, an attorney in a Boston law firm before discovering his passion for teaching and joining the CLAS team in 2013, was selected on the basis of his tireless work to support a student population of diverse learners.
“Martin Luther King fought for equality, but his ultimate message was love for all humanity,” said Kaneb upon receiving the award. “I love each one of my students. I love them for their differences. I love them for their authenticity. I love them, even when they may not love me. They’ll never walk alone. I will always be by their side.”
Director of CLAS Lori Dunn validates that sentiment.
“Even after all this time in education, Bruce still wants to learn and he’s still curious about how he can help students reach their potential,” says Lori Dunn, the director of CLAS. “He always has the most attended student appointments, and his follow-up and his follow-through with students is unparalleled. He will literally meet students where they’re at, whether that be an athletic court or in the lobby of Keefe. And he does it with a way about him that doesn’t embarrass them. He does it in a way that the students tend to embrace.”
St. John’s also presented Director of Student Accounts and Cash Receipts Angela O’Reilly P’27 ’31 with the School’s MLK Justice & Equity Award for her commitment to empowering all members of the Prep community by fostering an environment of inclusivity in which students come to know their unique gifts and talents to become the best version of themselves.
"I'm honored by this award and feel so blessed to be part of the Prep community,” she said in her acceptance remarks. “For the past six years, I’ve seen firsthand—not only as an employee, but as a parent—what a special place this is. The work that’s done here on a daily basis is shaping the future of our young men. In the world we live in today, they need it more than ever. I’m privileged to play a small role in what happens each and every day here on campus.”
The Office of Multicultural Affairs and Community Development Student Advisory Council
A member of the Finance Department since 2020, O’Reilly has partnered with the MACD team to support its mission and students as well as their families. She has also worked behind the scenes with multiple departments to ensure that all students who enroll at the Prep have access to the opportunities the School offers.
“She has such kindness and grace with all she does,” said Cindy Fanikos P’24, the chief financial officer at St. John’s. “She thinks outside the box all the time on how to make things work for a family financially. She always approaches it as a partner and a person who wants to empower them. Her manner is like: ‘We’re going to see this through together.’ I think her relationship with MACD and the constituents it serves is a true marriage of compassion. Angela genuinely embodies our mission as a school.”
The student emcee for the evening was senior Chibueze Anasiudu of Merrimac. The night also included powerful and poignant reflections and presentations from members of the Multicultural Affairs and Community Development Student Advisory Council, as well as student performances from SwingTown! and the St. John’s Prep Jazz Combo.