Below Zach Cataldo ’19 — the chairman of the BVR Young Republican Club — talks about his experience in the club and reflects its most recent trip to the Massachusetts State House.
On April 5, 2019, the Beaver Country Day School Young Republicans club embarked on our second annual field trip to the Massachusetts State House. Throughout the year, the club held several guest speaking engagements at Beaver, culminating in a memorable field trip. This year, we were honored to have the unique ability to meet with top Republican elected officials who call the State House their place of work.
After taking a general guided tour of the historic building and its artifacts, we were brought to the office of State Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, who came to Beaver previously to talk with us about his almost three decades of state legislative service. Senator Tarr took us into the newly renovated Senate chamber, where we were able to learn about the history of the legislature and how the new room reflects its rich background.
Perhaps the most exciting part of our day was our unprecedented access to Governor Charlie Baker’s ceremonial office where he signs bills and holds functions commemorating various groups of people. Thanks to Secretary Michael Heffernan, the Governor’s finance secretary, we arranged for a meet and greet with the Governor.
The photo above, which also hangs in the Rogers Room, commemorates not just an incredibly memorable day, it stands as a reminder to the infrastructure that Jack Heffernan ‘19 and I built in our club over the past four years.
As I leave high school, I remain tremendously proud of the voice that we were able to create within a traditionally liberal school. I enjoyed every minute of it. — Zach Cataldo ’19
While there are so many people to thank, I have to mention our faculty advisors, Ms. Alkire, Mr. Smith and Mr. Gould; the school administration, Mr. Adjout, Mr. Hutton, Ms. Caruso, and Ms. McKnight; our field trip chaperones, Ms. González and Ms. Latour; and Secretary Heffernan, Senator Tarr and Governor Baker for taking time out of their hectic schedules to spend some time with our group.
Thank you to all.
Pictured: Back row: Aaron Javaheri ‘21, Will Jacobs ‘21, Zach Cataldo ‘19, Governor Charlie Baker, Jack Heffernan ‘19, Thomas Dies ‘21, Ben Wilmerding ‘19. Front row: Alex Cracraft ‘21, Danny Fassino ‘21, Christian Cataldo ‘21, Teddy Coes ‘20, Oscar Coes ‘22, Charlie Habermann ‘21, Jack Tuttle ‘21, Logan Rabe ‘22, Charlie Jacobs ‘19.
We are so proud of the amazing strides you made as a member over the last four years and now as Chairman. Your hard work with organizing meaningful field trips and guest speaker events has brought the club to a whole new level!
What a delight it is to read that Beaver has a Young Republicans Club. Not all of us who graduated from Beaver are liberal. At our 50th reunion five years ago, about three of us conservative old girls chatted in whispered voices on our disappointment that most of our classmates had never looked beyond the prevailing “East Coast political narrative” and were unwilling to explore the solid data that supported our views. Carry on and Bravo!