Jeanine, Nicolai, and I attended a combination celebration, fund-raiser, and launch for the Concord River Institute this evening at the home of presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Richard Goodwin, former speech writer for Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Their son, Michael, is one of three co-founders and a former CCHS teacher who pioneered the Rivers and Revolutions program in which Nicolai was an inaugural student.  The institute hopes to help transform our educational system by training teachers, administrators, and students in an experiential, interdisciplinary, student owned approach to the classroom experience. We made a generous contribution to support what we believe is the future of education and to recognize the transformative impact this approach had on Nicolai’s education.

Also in attendance, seated in the row in front of me, was Lewis Katz (pictured above), co-owner of the Philadelphia Inquirer and former co-owner of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and NBA’s New Jersey Nets.  Mr. Katz and his three guests along with the three-person crew of his Gulfstream jet all perished when it crashed on take-off from the Hanscom Field later in the evening.

When I made the connection, I was accutely reminded of the importance of living in the moment and without regrets.  The Calabria family extends our sincere condolences to all who suffered loss as a result of this tragedy.