Dyson Wins Jack H. Williams Award

By: Mac Kennedy

Homecoming (Alumni & Friends Reception)

COVID-19 forced the School to postpone its May Homecoming. However, by June, the restrictions eased a bit and the School rented a fabulous tent. Hundreds of alumni, family, and friends gathered under the “big top” – and in spite of heavy rains – had a grand time.

For the first time in two years, the School recognized the individuals who made significant contributions to the Boys’ Latin community over the years.

The Lake Show – A Night on the Lake

This past April, the Boys’ Latin Alumni and Parents’ Associations teamed up and virtually presented “The Lake Show – A Night on the Lake.” COVID-19 restrictions prevented the Annual Bull & Oyster Roast from taking place on Lake Avenue for the first time in 60 years, so it was decided to have a virtual event “on campus” to raise funds for these two important organizations.

Jennifer Gilbert St. John P’26, retired FOX45 News Anchor, hosted the event that included a fabulous silent auction and other donation opportunities during the program. The night was also filled with fun cocktail recipes, a message from Headmaster Post, a special tour around the newly acquired Western Campus, entertaining trivia, music from the BL Jazz Ensemble and talented BL alumnus Chris Wilcox, as well as the presentation of the first Jack H. Williams ’38 Award - to Dyson P. Ehrhardt ‘59. During the video Cal Ripken declared Dyson as the true “Iron Man.”

The 45-minute virtual event was a HUGE success netting nearly $100k for the Alumni and Parents’ Associations. Thanks to host Jennifer Gilbert St. John and to EVERYONE who participated in the evening. It was a night to remember.

HOMECOMING AWARDS

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD Bradford G. Y. Carney ’68 Ferdinand H. Onnen, Jr. ’71

JACK KERNS CLEARLY EVIDENT AWARD Gilson D. Rodgers HODGES LOYALTY CUP Joyce S. Barnett

RALEIGH BRENT ’44 AWARD Philip M. Sheehey

HONORARY ALUMNUS Joseph W. Cowan

CHARLES P. HOWARD III ‘82

By: Mac Kennedy ‘76

Charles P. Howard III ‘82 is an award-winning 30year creative executive in the film, television, and new media industry. He has extensive experience in leading cross-functional production teams and agency partners in the design, development, execution and delivery of complex integrated digital projects and innovative solutions for entertainment and Fortune 500 clients. Charles has expertise in multi-platform media strategies, graphic web design, full life-cycle production management, analytics, technical and creative writing, presentation design, interactive content, game development, web based applications, CMS programs, mobile apps, virtual and augmented reality, post-production and social media marketing. His production experience is vast. You name it – and he has probably “done” it. Some of his credits include Comic View, Johnny Skidmarks, Spark, Sliders, Pacific Blue, Dead at 21, The Huntress, The X Files, The Seat Filler and Alien III.

Charles speaks fondly of his Boys’ Latin days and looks forward to his 40th reunion next spring. He started at BL in the fall of 1974 as a fifth grade student. Known affectionately by his Laker friends as “Chuck,” he played four years of soccer, two on the varsity team. He also earned a varsity letter in wrestling. After graduating from BL he attended the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) and graduated from UMES with a degree in English and Communications.

Charles became interested in the film industry and enrolled at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) in California and received his MFA in Film Production. He remains involved with Loyola Marymount serving currently as an Adjunct Professor in the School of Film and Television, teaching producing classes in the graduate program at the LMU School of Film. He is also a regular guest lecturer for several of Film Independent’s Artist Development programs and their US Department of State sponsored Global Media Makers programs. In addition, he teaches international producing master classes in countries such as Brazil, Taiwan and Jordan.

Over the last 15 years, Charles has held a variety of leadership positions with the Producers Guild of America (PGA), having chaired several committees and contributed toward many of their initiatives. He is currently a delegate to the PGA’s New Media Council and a member of the PGA’s National Board of Directors. He chaired the PGA Seminar Committee, producing 120 seminars, master classes and training workshops for PGA members.

However, Charles is most passionate about his role as co-chair of the PGA’s Power of Diversity Master Producing Workshop. In 2005, he helped develop this three-month professional development program for rising producers to teach them the skills they will need to be successful in the film and television industry. The workshop is focused specifically on diversity and on teaching aspiring producers how to take projects from creation through post production, distribution, and marketing and especially helps women, minorities, and those with disabilities.

Charles was instrumental in developing the hands–on core curriculum for the no-cost program which includes: story and script development, budgeting, scheduling, packaging, pitching the idea, marketing, film finance, traditional social media distribution, brand development and most importantly, business planning. He has been a lead instructor and mentor to over 200 students who have come through his program. The application and selection process is rigorous, but those who are eventually selected to participate in the workshops complete the course with the tools necessary to carry them through the experience of getting a project completed. The primary goal is to help producers with diverse backgrounds overcome the tremendous hurdles of the business. This groundbreaking program helps find those producers who are right on the edge of “getting over the hump.” In doing so, many projects and ideas of these inexperienced and diverse producers become well-polished and ready for the marketplace.

He knows there is still a long way to go for true diversity in his field, but diverse actors, directors, and producers are starting to get the opportunities and win awards. Charles’ diversity workshops will continue to help those to develop the skills and tools needed to get into the industry and, as Charles stated, “make a change one step at a time and one project at a time.”

JP WOODWARD ‘17

By: Mac Kennedy ‘76

When southpaw JP Woodward ‘17 pitched for baseball coach Bill Greenwell here at Boys’ Latin, his fastball barely topped 80 mph.

After graduating from BL, he decided to attend Lafayette College, where his grandfather went and played lacrosse. He asked for and was given the opportunity to try out for the school’s baseball team as a walk-on. A long-shot to make the team, JP prevailed and earned a spot, first as a reliever, then as a starting pitcher. However, pro ball was not on JP’s radar screen. Not yet.

His sophomore year he made 12 starts and finished with a 5-7 record in 68.2 innings of work. After his sophomore season, he pitched in the Cape Cod League. As a lefthander and standing six-foot-six, pro scouts began to take note. During his junior year at Lafayette he flourished, albeit briefly, during the COVID-19 season. JP started four games for the Leopards, showing some dominance during the shortened spring. He ended the 2020 campaign with a 2-1 record over 20.1 innings, fanning 26 batters.

He was now catching even more attention from pro baseball scouts. He was scheduled to be drafted in the later rounds during the summer of 2020, but Major League Baseball – still dealing with COVID-19 – decided to shave the draft down to only five rounds.

JP had a tough decision looming. Should he return to school for his senior year or opt to go pro? When the Philadelphia Phillies offered him a free agent contract in the summer of 2020 he decided to take the chance and turn pro. He realized that if he didn’t pursue pro ball, he might regret it the rest of his life. He finished school online, while taking the opportunity to pitch professionally.

So far, it’s been a great decision. JP started the 2021 season with the low Class A Clearwater Threshers and in June was promoted to the high Class A Phillies affiliate, the Jersey Shore BlueClaws. Through early July, JP had a combined earned run average of 2.53, with 24 strikeouts in 21.1 innings of work over 17 games.

Varsity baseball coach Greenwell recently wrote that JP was always tough to hit. While at BL, “none of our guys wanted to hit against him in scrimmages.” Bill is proud of JP’s work ethic. “[JP] dedicated himself and put in the work and has turned himself into quite a pitcher.”