Perkins School Library Director Recognized as a 'Hero Among Us'

Kim Charlson of Watertown was recently honored by the Boston Celtics and the Massachusetts State Lottery as a local hero.

Boston Celtics Salute Perkins School's Librarian

The NBA teams honored Kim Charlson, while the school's choir sang the National Anthem before the game at the TD Garden.

  The crowd at Boston's TD Garden went wild last week and the Celtics were not even on the floor!  The game against the New York Knicks on March 26 was Perkins Night at the Celtics, an annual event spotlighting Perkins’ long-running partnership with the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation. Thirteen singers from the school for the blind got the night started by singing the National Anthem before 18,600 fans. The night was far from over for Perkins, however. Between quarters, Kim Charlson, library director of the Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library, and her dog Dolly took center court so Charlson could receive the “Heroes Among Us” honor for her leadership and advocacy on behalf of people who are blind. To wrap things up, Perkins …

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Perkins Puts Up $25,000 for The MassChallenge

The money will go to entrepreneurs who create new products to help the disabled.

Perkins School for the Blind will see if anyone is up to the challenge by offering $25,000 to anyone who creates new products to assist those with disabilities.  The Perkins Assitive Technology Prize is part of MassChallenge 2013, a competition to provide entrepreneurs with funding to start their business. “Perkins sees first-hand how assistive technology can provide gateways to opportunity for people with disabilities,” said Akhil Nigam, Founder and President, MassChallenge Inc. in a release from Perkins. “Their continued support demonstrates their commitment to spurring more entrepreneurs to create practical accessibility solutions that breakdown barriers.” The prize helps further the school's mission to "empower individuals with …

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Driver Accused of Kidnapping Perkins Student Did Not Have a License to Drive Children

WBZ-TV reports that the Clinton man accused of drunken driving and kidnapping also did not have a license to drive kids because of a criminal record and numerous driving infractions.

The bus driver arrested after he allegedly drove drunk and took a Perkins School for the Blind on an unwanted joyride does not have the proper license to drive children. Michael Tantillo, 41, of Clinton, did not have the 7D driver's license required to drive the school van because he had a criminal record and a bad driving record, according to a report by WBZ-TV. On Thursday, Tantillo was held on $50,000 bail and faces charges of drunken driving, kidnapping and child endangerment charges, WBZ reports. The Registry of Motor Vehicles told WBZ-TV that Tantillo's application was denied because of his record. He has 15 driving offenses since 1988, WBZ reported. Fox 25 reported that Tantillo's criminal record includes drug possession charges.  …

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Bus Driver for Perkins Student Busted on OUI Charge

The driver is accused of drunken driving after taking student on an unwanted excursion.

A bus driver who shuttles a student to Watertown's Perkins School for the Blind faces driving under the influence of alcohol charges after taking a student the very long way home. Michael Tantillo, 41, of Clinton, was arrests Wednesday night after the boy's parents called to say he had not showed up after school, according to a report on Fox 25's website, www.myfoxboston.com. The boy, who also lives in Clinton, was picked up by Tantillo at Perkins at 4:30 p.m. As of 8 p.m. that night, he still had not turned up at home, according to Fox 25. Police tried to contact Tantillo by cell phone, but could not communicate with him. When he finally showed up at the boy's home, police were waiting, Fox 25 reports. Police administered field sobriety …

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The School for the Blind in Watertown Will Now be Known Simply as 'Perkins'

Perkins School for the Blind announced it is streamlining its name and unveiled a new look logo, which also features the name in Braile,

Perkins School for the Blind has a new look and a streamlined name, officials announced today. The school based in Watertown that serves the blind and vision impaired in 70 countries around the world will now simply be referred to as "Perkins," announced School President Steven Rothstein. “We are no longer just a small school for the blind in Watertown, Massachusetts; we are a global NGO with considerable reach. We constantly work to ensure that the 4.5 million children in the world today who do not go to school simply because they are blind or deafblind get the opportunity to get an education,” Rothstein said. A new logo was official unveiled today, too, although passerbyers may have seen the new logo on the school fence for a few weeks. …

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A Local Harvest at Watertown's Perkins School for the Blind

Perkins School for the Blind celebrated the season’s bounty at the third annual Farm to School Fair.

Farmers brought a wide variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables grown in the region to Perkins School for the Blind on Sept. 20. Perkins students had a hands-on, educational experience identifying plants, making herbal tea, and sampling a mouth-watering smorgasbord made from local ingredients, including vegetables from the campus garden. Two baby dairy goats stole the show and students’ hearts. The event was part of the Massachusetts Farm to School Project.

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Perkins Welcomed Local Residents, Business Owners at Event Celebrating 100 Years in Town

The event raised money for the school, and celebrated Perkins' 100 years in Watertown.

The following information was provided by Perkins School for the Blind: The Perkins School for the Blind held the first event dedicated to local individuals and business owners as part of the celebration of the school's 100th year in Watertown.  Belmont and Watertown residents and business owners gathered in June at Perkins School for the Blind’s new Grousbeck Center for Students and Technology, to raise awareness for the school. This group of about 70 friends – mostly from Watertown and Belmont – was brought together by two fabulous co-hosts of the event, Sonia V. Boyajian, President of Real Estate 109 in Belmont, and Mona Jomaa, parent of a Perkins student and Watertown resident. The evening included a raffle of prizes from all local …

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Liverpool Soccer Players Have a Ball with Perkins Students

Soccer legends Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler joined the students at the school for the blind for a coaching clinic on Wednesday.

A group of students at Perkins School for the Blind got soccer lessons from some of the best teachers in the world – former Liverpool Football Club stars Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler.  The soccer legends stopped by while the soccer club is in town for a tour of the United States, including a game next Wednesday at Fenway Park. Rush, who played for Liverpool in the 1980s and '90s, told the students he wanted them to have fun out there. "I scored 346 goals for Liverpool, but those days are gone," Rush said. "Now I am a coach, and I tell the other coaches is the most important thing for the kids is to train and play with smiles on their faces." See photos from Liverpool FC's visit to Perkins School for the Blind above. The students played with …

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PHOTOS: Revels Team Up with Perkins School for Springtime Concert

The Revels and Perkins secondary students joined together to perform the 12th annual Celebration of the Spring Concert.

Singers from the Revels and Perkins School for the Blind harmonized on the stage at Dwight Hall at Perkins on May 31.

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