05/18/2026
🎉 BPE turns 40, and our celebration continues as we honor the champions who have helped shape education in Boston and beyond.
Today, we are proud to recognize Alma Wright as part of our 40th Birthday Bash. Alma dedicated 56 years to teaching in Boston Public Schools, building an extraordinary legacy of innovation, service, and commitment to Boston’s students.
Alma began her teaching career in 1964 as a first grade teacher at the Dudley Elementary School in Roxbury. In 1969, she joined the William Monroe Trotter School, where she taught first and second grades and later became the school’s computer teacher. Over more than four decades at the Trotter, she became known for her creativity, embrace of new ideas, and unwavering dedication to student growth.
During the 1980s, Alma was an early leader in bringing technology into the classroom. Working with Seymour Papert and Mitchel Resnick at the MIT Media Lab, she helped students use Lego building blocks and the Lego Logo programming environment to design and program moving toy cars. She also played a key role in the school’s NetDay project and other technology initiatives in Boston Public Schools.
Throughout her career, Alma’s work extended beyond the classroom. She taught in the Boston Public Schools Adult Education Program for more than 20 years, served as an instructor and supervisor of student teachers at Wheelock College, and contributed to math curriculum development as an author and reviewer for Laidlaw and Houghton Mifflin.
Alma’s remarkable contributions have been recognized with many honors, including the Golden Apple Teacher Award, the Henry L. Shattuck Public Service Award, and the Milken Award. She also worked with fellow board member Mary Smoyer and her students to help develop Stepping Back, the Roxbury Women’s Heritage Trail.
Join us as we celebrate Alma and all the educators, leaders, and partners who have made the last 40 years possible.
🎟️ Get your tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bpe-birthday-bash-tickets-1982092365622
🤝 Become a sponsor: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/sponsor-the-bpe-birthday-bash