Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 86 OCTOBER 2020 I N - D E P T H A flight of beer at Granite Coast. The YWCA Northeastern Massachusetts held their annual Tribute to Women this June, virtually. Each spring, the North Shore–based nonprofit honors a group of local women who have made outstanding contributions to the community. Though the event is typically a luncheon at the Andover Country Club, this year the celebration was virtual, accessible through Facebook. In addition to honoring remarkable women, the event also helped the YWCA raise funds for its 26 community programs, which include health services, rape crisis services, transitional housing, economic empowerment, workshops, and child advocacy. The YWCA Northeastern Massachusetts was founded in 1892 to help provide resources Meet four of the remarkable North Shore women honored by Y WCA Northeastern Massachusetts. BY NATALIE GALE TRIBUTE TO WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHS BY HANNAH DAIGLE to disadvantaged women moving to the area. Many immigrant and young women flocked to Lawrence for job opportunities in the late 1800s, and the YWCA helped provided them with safe housing, English classes, and job training. Later, in the mid-1900s, it began offering childcare services to working mothers. Today, under the leadership of executive director Susan Staples, the group continues that work and is an agency for social change, focused on eliminating racism and empowering women. It serves over 15,000 women, children, and families in Merrimack Valley and Essex County each year. Among the 22 honorees this year are these four remarkable women. D R . M A R G A R E T M A R OT TA SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HAVERHILL When Dr. Margaret Marotta noticed systemic issues in public schools, she decided to create change from the inside. The Lynnfield native, who started her career in social work, has degrees from Assumption College and Suffolk University, and a doctorate from Boston University. Over the past 20 years she's worked as a special education director in Boston, an assistant superintendent in Salem, and for the past two years, Haverhill's superintendent of schools. "I really felt like I saw some changes that needed to happen in education, particularly for disadvantaged students and students with disabilities," says Marotta. "[In Haverhill we have] a broad representation of backgrounds, economically and culturally, so we have a lot of learning needs. One of the problems that we have in Haverhill is that things are not necessarily equitable," Some of the most challenging work she's done since coming to Haverhill has been to shift resources to make sure students and teachers are getting their needs met. These past few months, Marotta has found herself at the helm of some hefty decision- making regarding bringing students back to school. Haverhill is taking a hybrid approach to classes. Marotta commends Haverhill's medical team, which gives the school system advice and guidance on how to digest and navigate this constant state of unknowns. "The most important thing that we're trying to remember is to stay child-focused," says Marotta. "Safety has to come first, but right after that we're focused on education and making sure that every one of our 8,000-plus students gets the education they deserve." Marotta says that schoolwork didn't come easy for her as a kid and she wants to make sure her students have all the tools they need to be successful. "It's a lot of work," she adds, "but it's really meaning ful work." PAT R I C I A A H E R N , R N , M B A , FAC H E PRESIDENT & CEO OF CARE DIMENSIONS, DANVERS Though she's only been here on the North Shore for three years, Pat Ahern has made herself a vital part of our community. Along with being the president and CEO of Care Dimensions, the state's largest hospice care Dr. Margaret Marotta is the superintendent of Haverhill's public schools.