By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Suspended Waltham police chief Thomas LaCroix has been taken off the city payroll after his conviction last week of twice assaulting his wife Andrea in fits of rage at their Maynard house on June 12 last year, according to Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy.

LaCroix was placed on unpaid administrative leave following the Wednesday verdict, McCarthy said in an email, but she declined to comment any further.

"It would be inappropriate for me to make any further comment at this time," McCarthy said.

A Concord District Court jury convicted LaCroix on two assault and battery counts, one in which he picked up his wife and threw her in the couple’s garage and another that left her with a bloody, swollen lip.

He was acquitted on charges that he assaulted his wife by slamming her head on a kitchen countertop, that he attacked his wife’s friend Shannon Policano, and that he threatened to kill both if they went to police.

Andrea LaCroix testified earlier in the trial that her husband never attacked her.

Judge J. Elizabeth Cremens set sentencing for July 10. LaCroix faces up to 2½ years in jail for each assault and battery count.

Defense lawyer Thomas Drechsler said Monday that he will be asking that LaCroix be placed on probation.

LaCroix has been on paid leave from his chief’s job since his arrest by Maynard police on June 14 last year. He collected $182,358 in salary and other benefits last year, including a $16,814 longevity bonus he received after he was arrested, according to city payroll records.

McCarthy and Waltham Retirement Board administrator Joseph Juppe declined to comment on if the city would pursue taking away LaCroix's pension following last week's convictions.

By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

A Concord District Court jury on Wednesday found suspended Waltham police Chief Thomas LaCroix guilty of twice assaulting his wife, Andrea, in fits of anger on June 12 last year at the couple’s Maynard home.

The jury convicted LaCroix on two assault and battery counts: one in which he picked up his wife and threw her cross the couple’s garage, and another which left her with a bloody, swollen lip.

He was acquitted on charges that he assaulted his wife by slamming her head on to a kitchen countertop, that he attacked his wife’s friend Shannon Policano, and that he threatened to kill both of them if they went to police.

Reached by phone after the verdicts, Thomas LaCroix declined comment.

His defense attorney Thomas Drechsler said that he is considering an appeal in the case.

"My client, he's a fighter, and we will continue to review options in this case,'' he said.

Judge J. Elizabeth Cremens set July 10 for sentencing. LaCroix faces up to 2 1/2 years in jail for each assault and battery count.

LaCroix has been on paid leave from his chief’s job since his arrest by Maynard police on June 14 last year.

Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy said the city is going through an administrative process to stop paying LaCroix. She has said that Waltham officials would wait until after the trial before beginning an investigation into whether LaCroix should keep his job.

The guilty verdicts came after about six hours of deliberations and even though Andrea LaCroix had testified that her husband has never assaulted her.

"My husband has never laid a hand on me... ever," she in testimony during the five-day trial.

LaCroix said she injured herself in June last year when she fell while attacking her husband during a long and bitter argument.

But Policano, testified that Andrea LaCroix showed up on her doorstep on June 12 last year, shaking and with a swollen and bloody lip. She said LaCroix told her, "Tom just beat the (expletive) out of me."

Policano also testified that when she and Andrea went to the LaCroix home to retrieve Andrea's clothes and cell phone, she saw Thomas slam his wife's head into the kitchen counter and pick her up and throw her in the garage.

Also two employees at TJX headquarters in Framingham, where Andrea works as an audit manager, testified she told them, in separate conversations on June 13 last year that her husband had assaulted her. One of the witnesses said she noticed Andrea’s swollen lip and bruises.

On Wednesday, before the verdicts, jurors had asked to see a magnified version of a surveillance video that was taken of Andrea when she went to the Maynard Police Department on the night of June 12 last year.

In his closing remarks Tuesday, Drechsler pointed to the surveillance video, which, he said, showed that Andrea was walking normally and not with a limp. He also cited medical records in which a doctor wrote that Andrea's lip was not swollen, as Policano said, and that she did not have bruises on her arms and legs, as her work friend Claire Coen testified.

Drechsler said Policano made "gross exaggerations" in her accusations -- citing text messages to her friends and sister about the alleged attack -- and questioned her credibility. "[Shannon's friend] texted her, 'Isn't this town drama awesome?'... Instead of saying, 'No, this is a serious situation,' she said, 'I know right,'" Drechsler said.

He also chastised the government prosecutors for meddling in a married couple's private affairs.

"The only two people that were there during the argument was Andrea and her husband," he said.

But prosecutor Suzanne Kontz said that one of the surveillance videos Drechsler mentioned clearly showed Andrea having trouble sitting down and standing up.

Kontz also said the doctor who examined Andrea only reported spending 2 minutes with her - versus the one hour and 10 minutes a nurse did. The nurse, Angela Jean, testified Monday that she reported that Andrea told Jean she was "pulled and thrown."

Kontz questioned the credibility of Andrea's testimony, noting that Andrea had stated that from the beginning she was worried about her husband's job, and that she was a benefactor of his pension.

"She has an absolute motive for the testimony she told you," Kontz said.

She also said Andrea tried too hard to explain her answers on the stand, and defended Policano's texting, noting that Drechsler did not read aloud texts right after the alleged incident where Policano recounted the attack, and how Policano texted her sister "I don't think you understand... It's pretty serious."

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Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at jaclyn.reiss@globe.com

By Jaclyn Reiss, Globe Correspondent

A Concord District Court jury deliberated for over an hour Tuesday without returning a verdict in the trial of suspended Waltham police Chief Thomas LaCroix, who is charged with assaulting his wife Andrea and her friend on June 12 last year at the couple's Maynard home.

The eight men and one woman on the jury will return Wednesday to continue weighing evidence from the four-day trial in deciding Thomas LaCroix’s fate.

LaCroix has been on paid leave since his arrest by Maynard police on June 14 last year. He has pleaded not guilty and is free but is wearing an ankle monitoring bracelet to be sure he stays away from witnesses in the case.

During the trial Andrea LaCroix testified that her husband has never assaulted her.

"My husband has never laid a hand on me. Ever.'' she said.

LaCroix said she injured herself in June last year when she fell while attacking her husband during a long and bitter argument.

But several of Andrea’s friends told a different story.

Shannon Policano testified that she saw Thomas LaCroix slam his wife’s head on a kitchen counter on June 12 last year. Policano said then Thomas LaCroix came after her, causing her to trip backward down some stairs. She also testified that Andrea had told her June 12 before the confrontation in the kitchen that LaCroix had beaten her.

Also, two employees at TJX headquarters in Framingham, where Andrea works as an audit manager, testified she told them, in separate conversations, the day after alleged attacks that “Tom beat the [expletive] out of me.” One of the witnesses said she noticed Andrea’s swollen lip and bruises.

But in closing arguments Tuesday, defense lawyer Thomas Drechsler said Policano made "gross exaggerations" in the charges -- citing text messages to her friends and sister about the attack -- and he questioned her credibility.

"[Shannon's friend] texted her, 'Isn't this town drama awesome?'... Instead of saying, 'No, this is a serious situation,' she said, 'I know right,'" Drechsler said.

He also chastised the government prosecutors for meddling in a married couple's private affairs.

"The only two people that were there during the argument was Andrea and her husband," he said.

Dreschler also pointed to surveillance videos from the night of and day after the alleged incident, showing that Andrea was walking normally and not with a limp, as Policano and others testified. And he pointed to medical records that showed doctors wrote Andrea's lip was not swollen, as Policano said, and she did not have bruises on her arms and legs, as a work friend Claire Coen testified she did.

However, prosecutor Suzanne Kontz questioned the credibility of Andrea's testimony, noting that LaCroix's wife stated from the beginning she was worried about her husband's job, and noted that she was a benefactor of his pension.

"She has an absolute motive for the testimony she told you," Kontz said.

Kontz said that the testimony from Andrea's friends and coworkers showed "no inconsistencies."

But the prosecutor sought to poke holes in Andrea's story, saying Andrea overcompensated in covering up for her husband, testifying that she attacked him three times, and that she couldn't recall him badgering her with cell and work phone calls on June 13.

Kontz said that several TJX employees, however, testified that Andrea's constantly ringing cell phone was notable and distracting, and that she grew upset each time it rang.

Kontz also said Andrea tried too hard to explain her answers on the stand, and defended Policano's texting, noting that Drechsler did not read aloud texts right after the alleged incident where Policano recounted the attack, and how Policano texted her sister "I don't think you understand... It's pretty serious."

Kontz also said that one of the surveillance videos Drechsler mentioned clearly showed Andrea having trouble sitting down and standing up, and said the doctor who examined Andrea only charted spending 2 minutes with her - versus the one hour and 10 minutes the nurse did. The nurse, Angela Jean, testified Monday that she charted the cause of Andrea's injuries as being "pulled and thrown."

During her cross-examination of Andrea, Kontz also read aloud from a letter the chief's wife sent to Policano mid-August last year pleading her not to speak to authorities.

Andrea wrote in the letter that the chief, who was then separated from his wife and ordered to live with his mother under house arrest, offered to buy out Andrea's half of their Maynard home. She ended the letter with "I am no longer in fear of Tom," which Drechsler, on re-direct, said Andrea meant fear of her husband breaking more things around the house.

Because LaCroix has been on paid administrative leave he has continued to collect his $146,305 annual salary. Last year, he collected $182,358 in salary and other benefits, including a $16,814 longevity bonus he received after he was arrested, according to city payroll records.

Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy previously told the Globe that the suspended chief could lose his job if he is found guilty on the criminal charges, as well as if the city finds that his conduct was in violation of Police Department rules.

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Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at jaclyn.reiss@globe.com.

Follow her on Twitter: @JaclynReiss

By Jaclyn Reiss, Globe Correspondent

Andrea LaCroix, wife of suspended Waltham police Chief Thomas LaCroix, testified at her husband's assault trial Monday that he has never attacked her.

"My husband has never laid a hand on me. Ever.'' she said in Concord District Court where he faces charges that he assaulted her and her friend Shannon Policano on June 12 last year,.

Andrea LaCroix's testimony came after Policano told the court that she witnessed Thomas LaCroix slam Andrea's head into a kitchen countertop at the LaCroix's Maynard home. Policano also testified that LaCroix told her on June 12 last year that "Tom beat the (expletive) out of me."

Another of Andrea's friends Claire Coen testified Monday that she saw Andrea with a swollen lip and bruises on her body around the time of the alleged assault.

But Andrea said that whatever injuries she suffered came because she attacked her husband on June 12 last year in the midst of an argument and ended up falling down and injuring her tail bone.

Andrea LaCroix said that the argument started because she had broken a date with her husband the night before, which the couple has set up in order to spend more time together in the midst of their busy schedules.

But the dispute escalated as he drank 10 beers, smashed her laptop and kicked a ceramic vase.

"I elbowed him, pushed him, fell sideways and fell on my butt,'' LaCroix answering question from defense attorney Thomas Drechsler.

"He never hit me,'' she said.

LaCroix testified that she had told Policano that she and LaCroix had argued for eight hours and that she was "sick and tired of beating the subject to death."

Andrea LaCroix testified on the third day of her husband's trial. She is scheduled to resume her testimony Tuesday.

Thomas LaCroix, who is on paid leave from his job, was arrested June 14 last year by Maynard police.

On Monday, two police officers from Maynard and one from Waltham, who works with the department's stress unit, testified about how LaCroix tried to keep from being taken into custody when he was arrested last year, causing the Maynard officers to struggle to get him in handcuffs and into the back of a cruiser.

"He said, 'Come on guys, is this necessary,' and I stated that yes, it was necessary," said Maynard police Det. Paul Maria.

LaCroix has pleaded not guilty and is free but wears a an ankle monitoring bracelet to make sure he doesn’t go near witnesses in the case.

Earlier Monday, Coen testified that Andrea LaCroix was distraught on June 13 last year while at work at TJX corporate headquaters in Framingham.

Coen said LaCroix was crying and walking slowly as she ushered Coen into a company conference room, where she lifted up her pant legs and rolled up her sweater sleeves to show several bruises. Coen said LaCroix complained of back pain.

"She pointed out her lip was swollen, and I saw swelling in her arms and legs," Coen testified before a jury of eight men and one woman. "She had her head down and was wearing a lot of makeup, and she had her hair in her face more than usual."

Coen didn't mention whether Andrea LaCroix told her who inflicted the bruises and other injuries on her.

But in testimony Friday, Policano said that Andrea LaCroix had arrived at her house on June 12 with a bloody and swollen lip and had told her: "‘Tom just beat the [expletive] out of me,”

Policano also testified that when she and Andrea went to the LaCroix home to retrieve Andrea's cell phone and some clothes, Thomas LaCroix grabbed his wife and slammed her head into a the kitchen counter. He then lunged at Policano causing her to stumble backwards down some stairs.

Drechsler has argued that the description by Policano of what occurred on June 12 last year has been exaggerated and made into town gossip.

Coen said LaCroix "agreed" to go to Newton-Wellesley Hospital with her, and they walked into the emergency room around 10:30 a.m., where LaCroix changed into a hospital frock and showed doctors her back.

However, in cross examining Coen, defense lawyer Drechsler read from medical records that showed that, other than "tenderness" in Andrea's tailbone, doctors and nurses reported Andrea was physically fine, including her mouth and extremities.

"I did not see them examine her arms or legs," Coen said, noting she was with LaCroix during the whole exam except for an x-ray.

Phone records presented Monday by prosecutor Suzanne Kontz showed that Thomas LaCroix called his wife's cell or work number several times June 13 - in the morning, most calls were only two or three minutes apart - and also placed over a half-dozen calls to Coen, who noted she was Andrea's close friend for about seven years and was friendly with her husband as well.

Coen said during those calls June 13, the then-chief of police told her: "It's not my fault she weighs what she does and flies across the room." Coen said LaCroix also said over the phone, "I don't know my own strength" and "She lost so much weight that when I pick her up and push her she goes 15 feet in the air."

Because LaCroix has been on paid administrative leave he has continued to collect his $146,305 annual salary. Last year, he collected $182,358 in salary and other benefits, including a $16,814 longevity bonus he received after he was arrested, according to city payroll records.

Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy previously told the Globe that the suspended chief could lose his job if he is found guilty on the criminal charges, as well as if the city finds that his conduct was in violation of Police Department rules.

However, McCarthy said, no matter what the verdict is in the criminal case, the city must conduct an independent investigation in order to dismiss LaCroix from the force, and the investigation can be completed only after the trial.

Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at jaclyn.reiss@globe.com

By Jaclyn Reiss, Globe Correspondent

Claire Coen was settling into her office routine at TJX corporate headquarters in Framingham on the morning of June 13 last year when she received a frantic call from her friend and coworker Andrea LaCroix.

LaCroix, who was also at TJX, wanted to see her immediately.

"She said, 'Come here right away, I need you,'" Coen testified Monday in Concord District Court on the third day in the trial of suspended Waltham police Chief Thomas LaCroix, Andrea's husband, who is charged with assaulting Andrea and Shannon Policano, one of her friends in Maynard on June 12 last year.

Two police officers from Maynard and one from Waltham, who works with the department's stress unit, also testified Monday, talking about how LaCroix tried to keep from being taken into custody June 14 last year, causing the Maynard officers to struggle to get him in handcuffs and into the back of a cruiser.

"He said, 'Come on guys, is this necessary,' and I stated that yes, it was necessary," said Maynard police Det.Paul Maria.

Earlier, Coen testified that Andrea LaCroix was distraught on June 13 last year. She was crying and walking slowly as she ushered Coen into a company conference room, where she lifted up her pant legs and rolled up her sweater sleeves to show several bruises, and complained to Coen of back pain.

"She pointed out her lip was swollen, and I saw swelling in her arms and legs," Coen testified before a jury of eight men and one woman. "She had her head down and was wearing a lot of makeup, and she had her hair in her face more than usual."

Coen didn't mention whether Andrea LaCroix told her who inflicted the bruises and other injuries on her.

But in testimony Friday, Policano said that Andrea LaCroix had arrived at her house on June 12 with a bloody and swollen lip and had told her: "‘Tom just beat the [expletive] out of me,”

Policano also testified that when she and Andrea went to the LaCroix home that night to retrieve Andrea's cell phone and some clothes, Thomas LaCrox grabbed his wife and slammed her head into a the kitchen counter. He then lunged at Policano causing her to stumble backwards down some stairs.

Policano's testimony came after Thomas LaCroix's lawyer Thomas Drechsler told the court that Andrea LaCroix will testify in her husband's defense.

In a brief interview last week, Andrea confirmed that that is her intention, saying: "My husband is not guilty."

Drechsler has argued that the description by Policano and others of what occurred on June 12 last year has been exaggerated and made into town gossip.

On Monday, Coen testified that during their conversation, Andrea LaCroix's cell phone rang continuously. Sometimes she would silence it; other times she would answer it "exasperated and upset," she said.

Coen said LaCroix "agreed" to go to Newton-Wellesley Hospital with her, and they walked into the emergency room around 10:30 a.m., where LaCroix changed into a hospital frock and showed doctors her back.

However, in cross examining Coen, defense lawyer Drechsler read from medical records that showed that, other than "tenderness" in Andrea's tailbone, doctors and nurses reported Andrea was physically fine, including her mouth and extremities.

"I did not see them examine her arms or legs," Coen said, noting she was with LaCroix during the whole exam except for an x-ray.

Phone records presented Monday by prosecutor Suzanne Kontz showed that Thomas LaCroix called his wife's cell or work number several times during the day - in the morning, most calls were only two or three minutes apart - and also placed over a half-dozen calls to Coen, who noted she was Andrea's close friend for about seven years and was friendly with her husband as well.

Coen said during those calls June 13, the then-chief of police told her: "It's not my fault she weighs what she does and flies across the room." Coen said LaCroix also said over the phone, "I don't know my own strength" and "She lost so much weight that when I pick her up and push her she goes 15 feet in the air."

LaCroix was arrested by Maynard police June 14 of last year and charged with assault. He was placed on paid administrative leave from the Waltham department.

He has pleaded not guilty and is free but wears a an ankle monitoring bracelet to make sure he doesn’t go near witnesses in the case.

At LaCroix's home at the time of his arrest were two Maynard officers and a Waltham lieutenant from the department's stress unit.

The Maynard police officers testified Monday that they struggled to get the police chief into handcuffs and the back of their cruiser as he put up a physical protest.

LaCroix pleaded with the officers not to arrest him on his front lawn, and threw a set of keys he held in his hand on top of the Waltham police lieutenant's car scratching the car, said Maynard Police Sgt. Michael Noble.

Maria, the lead detective on the LaCroix case, said the police chief began to become red in the face, and "grabbed the passenger's side mirror" of Waltham Lt. Antonio Nele's black Lexus, squeezing it so hard "it made a plastic cracking sound," Maria said.

Both Noble and Maria said LaCroix "headbutted" a car in the driveway, and that he tensed up and became upset when officers tried to handcuff him.

Noble also said as officers tried to guide LaCroix into the back of a police car, he threw a knee up into the door to try and stop from entering the car.

Officers said no damage was done to any of the vehicles, and that LaCroix appeared to be intoxicated.

Nele, who helps officers sort through personal issues, testified Monday he saw LaCroix throw the keys, grab the car's mirror, and hit his head on the window of a Jeep that sat in the home's driveway.

During Nele's testimony, LaCroix frowned and stared at the lieutenant on the witness stand.

Because LaCroix has been on paid administrative leave he has continued to collect his $146,305 annual salary. Last year, he collected $182,358 in salary and other benefits, including a $16,814 longevity bonus he received after he was arrested, according to city payroll records.

Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy previously told the Globe that the suspended chief could lose his job if he is found guilty on the criminal charges, as well as if the city finds that his conduct was in violation of Police Department rules.

However, McCarthy said, no matter what the verdict is in the criminal case, the city must conduct an independent investigation in order to dismiss LaCroix from the force, and the investigation can be completed only after the trial.

Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at jaclyn.reiss@globe.com

By Rajashree Ghosh, Guest Columnist

Making international calls to India used to be for most Indians (that is not to exclude other immigrants and there may be commonalities) living in the US a weekend affair. Not BBQ, or a child’s little league game or grocery shopping or nail and hair appointments. End of the work week, everyone that matters is available night time in India and there is time to talk at length. Some people chose to make the calls every other weekend, others every week.

Saturday or Sunday mornings often all Indians on US soil would be glued to their phones calling parents, siblings, friends taking stock of their own emotional need to be connected, as well as reach out to those far and out and assure them that things were alright. That living in foreign land was a fine experience - food was available, apartments and homes were comfortable, money was being spent only on the most important things and enough was being saved up toward a trip home soon. Missing out on important family events like weddings, festivities, births and even deaths – all the life cycle rituals that make the culture what it is – made life somewhat not as rich. And then there were some of us who were worry warts felt that something bad might happen in our absence and only a phone call might help prevent it! The invaluable call had several purposes – communication, connection with family and most of all a task that made us feel we have done the right thing. And hoped that our effort to make the calls and reach out was being appreciated…well not really, but we continued to make the calls anyway.

This was during the times when internet chat had not taken off in the way it has now. Well, some homes did use cheap web assisted telephone messaging system. And phone calls were expensive – they added up as the minutes piled up with the phone being passed on from one family member to another. Regular phone companies charged anywhere from 40 cents a minute to 50 cents a minute and then there were connection charges, dropped calls and with all the taxes, the bill was no less than whopping figures but what was the option?

During family emergencies, Indians often received “collect calls” in the US which meant that a call was being placed in India to a US phone and the cost would be accrued to the person in the US. This was pricey as well. The option was to deny it and then make a call from the US to India – that was a more reasonable way out.

Crafty and entrepreneurial immigrants devised messaging systems. Do you remember “Navin mail?” It was a flawed albeit, fun way to leave messages in a voice mail system that either side could access and was notified on email. It did not last very long – not in my household anyway. ICQ was a lovely program before MSN chat and Yahoo chat provided the instant messaging options. But most households in India did not have computers and chatting online was possible at that end only at cyber cafes. One way or the other costs were abominable. Gradually things started to change – not on the US end of things. It was India’s booming cellphone industry or the mobile phone industry as they say that made the difference. Text messaging was far more advanced in India and was the rage much before it made its presence felt in the US. Our emails in the US were flooded with messages from ten digit mobile phone numbers and quite often left us perplexed about how it was possible for India to advance in the mobile phone based “SMS” (short message service) technology when none of that had happened here. With low tariffs, mobile phone subscribers grew in India and people avoided using landlines. The in thing was GSM technology (Global System for Mobile communication) that afforded efficiency and international roaming.

We in the US caught on. Texting happened and how it has taken off! And then there was VoIP (voice over IP) that succeeded broadband internet connections. The internet based phone service provided the much needed respite from international call charges. So there was that and there is fiber optics which although tore up streets and yards and then patched it all up, presented internet that could make possible Skype calls and streaming videos if you wished “fast” and cheap! Can you imagine how much cricket and IPL was missed until then? But Skype came before that and subscribers found themselves hooked with the messaging and computer to computer calls and following some more technological advancements video chats and webcam assisted conversations was a big boon. Every Holi, Diwali, and Christmas, Indians are watching relatives in India and abroad and feel that they are able to partake of the important things in life. Grandparents were up to date about their grandchildren’s activities and developments. Most of all, people are on top current news and events – national and international. Phone calls are no longer the responsibility of Indians residing in the US. It sure feels good to communicate on par if not less than the relatives in the country. Since one can’t leave voice messages on calls made to India – facility not existent there, you leave what is called a “missed call.” Believe you me, your call will be returned. And making a call or not is no longer imbued with a sense of investment, guilt or relief. Saturdays are freed up for existential things because calls can and are made anytime one feels like.

Rajashree Ghosh is a resident scholar at the Women's Studies Research Center at Brandeis University in Waltham.

By Jaclyn Reiss, Globe Correspondent

Shannon Policano testified Friday that she visited Maynard Police headquarters three times the night she allegedly saw suspended Waltham Police chief Thomas LaCroix attack his wife Andrea at their home last June, but did not report the assaults because LaCroix threatened to kill her and her family.

"I was scared to death,'' Policano said in Concord District Court where Thomas LaCroix is on a trial for allegedly assaulting his wife and Policano at hiis home in Maynard on June 12 last year.

Policano said she also didn't report the alleged assault because Andrea LaCroix had asked her not to do so since Thomas was the Waltham police chief at the time.

But defense attorney Thomas Drechsler questioned Policano's state of mind that night in cross examining her Friday.

Drechsler asked how scared she truly was as he quoted text messages from that night where Policano and her friends used lighthearted lingo like "LOL" while discussing the situation. He also noted that she had a friend over to drink wine and smoke cigarettes that same night.

And he wondered why Policano drove by the LaCroix house later that night to see if Andrea was there.

"If you were so afraid of this man, why did you leave your house, where your children were sleeping, get in your car, and drive to the LaCroix residence, where this man was?" Drechsler asked.

In questioning Policano on re-direct, however, prosecutor Suzanne Kontz pointed to texts from that night in which Policano spoke of the seriousness of the alleged assault..

In one text Policano tells her sister: "I don't think you understand it's pretty serious." And in another text about the alleged assault she said: "This is a nightmare."

Policano's testimony came in the second day of the trial before a jury of eight men and one woman. The trial resumes Monday.

In her testimony Policano described how Andrea LaCroix showed up crying at her doorstep on June 12 last year.

She said that LaCroix had a bruise on her lip and a little bit of blood on her mouth.

Policano said when she asked Andrea what had happen, LaCroix said ‘Tom just beat the [expletive] out of me.”

Policano said she gave Andrea a towel and some ice and she and Andrea when to the LaCroix house a mile and a half away to retrieve Andrea's cell phone and some clothes.

Thomas LaCroix was in the kitchen holding the phone and when Andrea tried to get it, Policano testified, Thomas grabbed her and slammed her head into the kitchen counter. Thomas LaCroix then lunged for Policano, causing her to back up and trip over some stairs, she said.

Policano’s testimony came a day after Drechsler told Judge J. Elizabeth Cremens that he intended to call Andrea LaCroix as a defense witness.

In a brief interview between court sessions Thursday, Andrea LaCroix confirmed that she will testify in her husband’s behalf.

“My husband is not guilty,’’ she said. She declined to provide any more information.

Drechsler said that the only injury that Andrea LaCroix suffered at the time of the alleged assault was a bruised tail bone which happened because she fell.

Following the alleged attacks, LaCroix was arrested by Maynard police and charged with assault. He is on paid administrative leave from the Waltham department.

LaCroix has pleaded not guilty and is free but wears an ankle monitoring bracelet to make sure he doesn’t go near witnesses in the case.

Because LaCroix has been on paid administrative leave he has continued to get his $146,305 annual salary. Last year, he collected $182,358 in salary and other benefits, including a $16,814 longevity bonus he received after he was arrested, according to city payroll records.

Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy previously told the Globe that the suspended chief could lose his job if he is found guilty on the criminal charges, or if the city finds that his conduct was in violation of Police Department rules.

However, McCarthy said, no matter what the verdict is in the criminal case, the city must conduct an independent investigation in order to dismiss LaCroix from the force, and the investigation can be completed only after the trial.

Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at jaclyn.reiss@globe.com

By Jeremy C. Fox, Town Correspondent

The YMCA of Greater Boston will provide free meals and snacks for children and teenagers this summer at about 20 sites across Boston and in neighboring communities, the organization announced.

The Summer Food Program will offer nutritious food at more than 10 YMCA sites as well as other community gathering places, including seven different locations in East Boston. Anyone 18 or under is eligible for the program, which will run from June 24 to Aug. 30.

In a statement, Kevin Washington, YMCA of Greater Boston president and CEO, said the program will address the needs of underprivileged families who struggle to supply extra meals through the summer.

“In order for kids to maintain good health, they need proper nourishment as well as activities to keep their minds and bodies active,” Washington said. “The YMCA’s Summer Food Program will help kids stay well-nourished, active and energized, and also provide some relief to families who need support in providing more food when school is out.”

The program is supported by a $70,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation as part of a national partnership between the foundation and the YMCA of the USA that focuses on addressing child hunger by serving children who lose access to free or reduced-price meals when school is out.

Across the country, the YMCA’s 900-plus Summer Food Program sites plan to serve 4 million meals and snacks to 100,000 young people.

The YMCA of Greater Boston also serves meals and snacks in its afterschool programs throughout the school year, the organization said.

Meals and snacks served through the Summer Food Program vary by location. For a complete list of program sites and meals served at each, visit www.ymcaboston.org/summer-food-program or contact Gail Klimas at (617) 569-9622.

Jeremy C. Fox can be reached at jeremy.fox@globe.com.
Follow him on Twitter: @jeremycfox.
Follow East Boston on Twitter: @YourEastBoston.

By Jaclyn Reiss, Globe Correspondent

Shannon Policano testified in Concord District Court Thursday that the wife of suspended Waltham police chief Thomas LaCroix showed up crying at her doorstep on June 12 last year.

“She was white as a ghost and crying, and she had a bruise – a fat lip – and a little bit of blood on her mouth,” Policano said, crying and at one point putting her hand over her face.

“When I asked her what happened, she said, ‘Tom just beat the [expletive] out of me,” said Policano, who said she has known Andrea LaCroix since she was 8.

Policano testified at the opening of Thomas LaCroix’s trial on charges that he assaulted his wife and Policano at the LaCroix home in Maynard last June.

Policano’s testimony was delivered before Judge J. Elizabeth Cremens as part of a “voir dire,” or preliminary, hearing. Policano will deliver the same statements tomorrow before the eight men and one woman on the jury that will decide Thomas LaCroix’s fate.

Policano’s testimony Thursday came after LaCroix’s lawyer Thomas Drechsler told the court that he intended to call Andrea LaCroix as a defense witness.

In a brief interview between court sessions, Andrea LaCroix confirmed that she will testify in her husband’s behalf.

“My husband is not guilty,’’ she said. She declined to provide any more information.

Prosecutor Suzanne Kontz said in her opening statement that after Policano gave Andrea an ice pack and a wet towel to wipe the blood from her mouth, she drove her friend a mile and a half down the road to the Maynard house the LaCroixs shared to pick up Andrea’s clothes, house keys, and cell phone.

But after Andrea let them in using a spare key outside the home, they found her husband in the kitchen, clutching her cell phone. When Andrea reached for her phone, her husband became “visibly enraged” and grabbed his wife, slamming her head into the kitchen countertop, Kontz said.

When Policano tried to intervene, LaCroix lunged toward her, causing her to flee backwards over a set of a half-dozen steps, missing the bottom few, the prosecutor said.

LaCroix was arrested by Maynard police and charged with assault. He is on paid administrative leave from the Waltham department.

LaCroix has pleaded not guilty and is free but wears an ankle monitoring bracelet to make sure he doesn’t go near witnesses in the case.

In his opening statement, Drechsler said that Policano and other witnesses to be called by the prosecution are telling exaggerated stories. Their motive is publicity, he said, and they are reveling in town gossip.

Drechsler said that the only injury that Andrea LaCroix suffered at the time of the alleged assault was a bruised tail bone which happened because she fell.

Because LaCroix has been on paid administrative leave he has continued to collect his $146,305 annual salary. Last year, he collected $182,358 in salary and other benefits, including a $16,814 longevity bonus he received after he was arrested, according to city payroll records.

Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy previously told the Globe that the suspended chief could lose his job if he is found guilty on the criminal charges, or if the city finds that his conduct was in violation of Police Department rules.

However, McCarthy said, no matter what the verdict is in the criminal case, the city must conduct an independent investigation in order to dismiss LaCroix from the force, and the investigation can be completed only after the trial.

Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at jaclyn.reiss@globe.com

Girl Scouts of Eastern Mass. announced Thursday that 51 Girl Scouts have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award-- the highest recognition a member of the organization can achieve.

The award recognizes a service project within a girl's community that creates change and becomes ongoing while also portraying a girl's organizational, leadership, and networking skills. To earn the award, girls must complete the Silver Award and a minimum of 80 hours of service, according to a press release.

The awards were given in a ceremony on June 19 at the Marlborough Holiday Inn.

Here is a list of the girls and an explanation of their projects:

Emily Allard, Stoneham
Allard's project, Lindenwood Cemetery Visitors Project, helped visitors easily locate the cemetery plots of their friends and family. She replaced the street signs and poles and created a detailed map of the cemetery near the entrance. Smaller paper maps are also available for visitors to take with them.

Claire Bagnani, Chestnut Hill
Bagnani’s project, Elder Youth Connection, helps senior citizens who are living alone or lacking support systems. Children of Brookline regularly spent time with the elderly and provided assistance by grocery shopping and running errands. The partnership between elder housing communities and the youth of Brookline formed a strong bond among the two communities. The program, titled SHOP, will continue this relationship between the senior citizens and high school students.

Andrea Bourke, Kingston (she moved to Maryland but remained in her Kingston GS troop through Skype and other technology)
The Chesapeake Bay is one of the unhealthiest waterways in the world, due to human habitation, development, deforestation, overfishing and nutrient pollution. Bourke's project, Save the Bay, aimed to promote awareness for this regional issue and brought about change by educating others on how they can affect the problem. She worked with a school that bordered the bay to create a rain garden designed to catch rainwater off the roof of the building closest to the bay. The garden was 800 square feet and contained native plants. Bourke also created posters and brochures to educate others on how to keep the bay clean. The EcoClub at the school will maintain the garden.

Meckila Britt, Ashland
Britt's project, One Skein of Yarn, helped bridge the gap between generations through knitting and crocheting. She managed a group of individuals, ages 10 to 101, who spent time together learning to knit and crochet. The group made hats, scarves, and mittens for the homeless. In December, they assembled their projects into gift baskets that were delivered to a local family shelter. They also provided a basket of home-baked goodies for the shelter staff. The group continues to meet and make additional items for other shelters.

Emily Buckley, Canton
Buckley's high school requires that each student complete 20 hours of community service. The only source of these opportunities is through the Career Center website, which was not maintained properly and needed to be updated with more current and diverse opportunities. Buckley's project, Career Center Website Rehabilitation, provides easy access to information on local nonprofit organizations, as well as organizations outside the community, offering students more diverse service opportunities to choose from. Members of the school's chapter of the National Honor Society will update the website annually.

Rachel Cabitt, Rowley
Cabitt's project, Painting History, combined art and history to educate the community about the town's history. She painted a mural in the town hall and held workshops in the library to share the historical aspects depicted in the mural. She then had participants express what they learned artistically.

Kathryn Chiffer, Topsfield
Chiffer's project, Project Lunchbox: Let's Eat!, educates elementary school students and their families about the link between healthy eating and positive school performance. She taught multi-generational nutrition and cooking classes, which included reading labels and understanding marketing strategies used by manufacturers. She maintains a blog to educate the wider community about the importance of healthy eating and writes a weekly column in her school's newsletter. Chiffer also convinced the school cafeteria to add one of her healthy recipes to the menu. Her school will continue to support her endeavors by applying for a grant to fund an expansion of her program.\

Arianne Chipman, Hingham
Chipman's project, Green Thumbs Gardening, teaches local elementary school students the value of growing local produce and supporting local farms. She helped them plant a garden that was maintained over summer break by students and their families. An autumn harvest was shared by the school community, allowing for cost savings on the school's produce. The school will be continuing this program.

Jennifer Crawford, North Reading
Crawford's project, Interfaith Leadership Summit, addresses religious intolerance. Through the summit and a video documentary, she educated local youth groups about different faiths and encouraged them to teach others what they learned. High school students from the area participated in workshops on diversity, acceptance, tolerance, religious pluralism and identities. Crawford's church youth group plans on making this an annual event.

Danielle Davies, Boxford
For over 15 years, the Boxford Town Library has been in poor condition, with limited storage and very little usable space for programs and activities. Davies' project, Boxford Library Rescue, gave the library a much needed update and reorganized the library's storage space. Davies worked with volunteers to clean out the library barn, providing the library with more storage and better access to materials stored there. In addition, they reorganized and repainted the current space, giving the library a fresh look and more space for community programs and events. The Friends of the Library have agreed to maintain the storage space.

Jessica Desmond, Chelmsford
Women and children are often victims of violence and do not know how to protect themselves. Desmond's project, A Fighting Chance, collaborated with self-defense instructors and local police officers to provide workshops on basic self-defense, while also educating participants on laws related to domestic violence and rape. She created a video to be used by her dojo, which has decided to run a six-week course on self-defense for women and girls.

Emily Doucette, Maynard
Doucette's project, Organizing for the Future of the Choral Program, organized her school's choral collection based on music type, artist, and title. Doucette created a log documenting resources and a new storage system that holds more music, and updated file cabinets with new paint. She also created a Guide to Being a Chorus Librarian to ensure that her new organized system would be maintained. She utilized Facebook and a blog to recruit volunteers.

Elizabeth Driver, Topsfield
Driver's project, Read, Reinforce, Reach Out, provided supplemental materials for classrooms with autistic students. She assembled binders containing literacy materials and activities that reinforce concepts taught in classroom books. Driver created two displays, one aimed at adults and the other toward children, at the local library to educate the public about autism. She also visited some elementary classrooms to emphasize the importance of understanding autism and inclusion.

Jazmin Eltoury, Quincy
Eltoury's project, Creating a Safe Environment for Youth in Town, provides the children in her community safe opportunities to participate in outdoor activities on a regular basis. She started a teen group that met regularly at the local sportsman club. She also created an instructional video to teach the fundamentals of archery and help parents get their children involved in archery and outdoor activities in a safe environment.

Claire Faddis, Boxford
Faddis' project, Water Conservation Education and Promotion, promotes water conservation through education. Faddis worked with second graders in her community, educating them about wasting water and the important role water plays in their daily lives through classroom activities. Students now conserve water by turning off the water when brushing their teeth and checking for leaking faucets. She also taught adults in the community about using rain barrels to capture water, which can be used to water gardens and lawns. She wrote numerous articles on rain barrel usage for the local paper and created a website which will continue the education process.

Caitlin Fitzmaurice, Scituate
Fitzmaurice's project, A Child's Sanctuary: Go Green for Marine Life, brings community awareness to marine biodiversity and teaches the community to protect this special habitat. She ran two events for families that held a number of interactive, fun and educational activities about marine life and the harmful effects humans can cause. She worked closely with NOAA/Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and trained their volunteers, who will continue to provide Fitzmaurice's workshops to the community.

Colleen Fitzpatrick, North Reading
Fitzpatrick's project, Parish Park Rededication and Cleanup, constructed a memorial garden in North Reading's Parish Park to honor the town's veterans. She, along with volunteers, created a beautiful, reflective space where townspeople can remember and appreciate the veterans. Upon completion, Fitzpatrick organized an event to honor the veterans and to dedicate the space to them.

Kiersten Flodman, Rowley
Flodman's project, Babies on the Go, gave access to developmental toys for families with new babies. She worked with community groups to gather supplies, make blankets, and assemble bags containing rattles, books, blankets and laminated cards explaining the importance of developmental play. Local physical and occupational therapists and service providers distributed the bags to their patients.

Alicia Healey, Canton
Healey's project, Mission Pet Safe, is an educational campaign for pet owners. The campaign addressed pet safety, including accidental poisoning, car accidents, proper restraint practices, pet first-aid kits and heat-related deaths from dogs left in cars. Healy, with the help of volunteers, created bookmarks, a traveling display, first-aid kits, brochures and puzzles for preschoolers. She gave presentations at the library and the middle school and high school. She also wrote an article for the newspaper, shared the information on global websites, and created a website and blog.

Emma Holland, Hingham
Holland's project, Sounds of the Past, involved working with fellow student musicians to compile and bring back historical 19th-century American music to the town's historical society. She researched, transcribed and learned the music with help from her fellow musicians. The group recorded the music, which is now available for use by the historical society and can be found on YouTube. They also held a live performance of the music for the local elementary school. To view her project blog, visit www.gssoundsofthepast.tumblr.com.

Caroline Hultin, Sudbury
Hultin's project, Up and Out for Gold 2012, addresses homelessness. She worked with Heading Home, a nonprofit that provides emergency, transitional, and permanent housing to low-income homeless and formerly homeless families. Hultin, with the help of volunteers, furnished and cleaned an apartment for a homeless family. She also recruited younger Girl Scout troops to collaborate with Heading Home to set up additional homes.

Anna Krah, Medfield
Krah’s project, Coexisting Cultures, expanded cultural education in her community. She created a Chinese Club at Medfield High School and introduced the plight of people in Nicaragua to children in the third grade. As a result of their experiences, high school students expressed greater interest in a Chinese exchange program and the third graders gained a better understanding of the global impact of community service.

Danielle Lapierre, Chelmsford
After being used by the community for years, the Lady of Fatima statue at St. Mary's Church has become overgrown and inaccessible. Lapierre's project, Create St. Mary Parish Marian Grotto, involved designing and building a beautiful grotto with the help of many volunteers. The newly transformed space is now a place where the community can meditate, reflect or pray. A dedicated group of parishioners will maintain the area and already plan to add a waterfall feature.

Katherine LaScaleia, Sudbury
LaScaleia’s project, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Reducing Idling in the Community of Sudbury, educates both youth and adults about the environmental, economic and health hazards of idling. She ran a bike rally to inspire children to ride their bikes while also teaching them about the dangers of idling. She used various methods to bring awareness, such as writing a series of articles for the newspaper on the hazards of idling and created a website where people can take a pledge to reduce their idling.

Whitney Ligonde, Dedham
Ligonde's project, Educational Inequality, organized high school students to tutor younger students one-on-one through the middle school's homework club. Working with school staff, she changed the policy that only National Honor Society students were allowed to tutor middle school students. She worked with the math department to train the tutors and develop a curriculum. Her high school will continue her work by making this an official club.

Christina Liotti, Danvers
Liotti's project, Seniors on the Move, aims to inspire senior citizens to become more active. With the new Danvers Rail Trail in mind, she created a club called Walk with the Seniors. Students from her school walked with seniors as a group, giving them a sense of security and the option of assistance if needed. Her high school has made this an official community service option for students.

Anne LoVerso, Southborough
LoVerso’s project, Childhood Health and Fitness through Circus Arts, addresses childhood obesity and the lack of childhood health and fitness. She worked with a local circus school to develop a static trapeze curriculum with step-by-step instructions for tricks, spotting, warm-up exercises and conditioning. She, along with a team of volunteers, held a workshop for 4th and 5th graders to share circus activities and provided information on healthy eating at a large community event. Her curriculum will be used by gym teachers in elementary schools. The National Honor Society has also agreed to hold a fitness booth at their opening day event.

Alison McDermott, Hingham
McDermott's project, Teens Teach Technology, helps senior citizens feel more comfortable with using technology. She and her peer volunteers provided workshops on Skype, Twitter and Facebook. The senior citizens are now able to connect with family overseas, reconnect with old classmates and share photos with loved ones. McDermott created a binder and PowerPoint presentation for future workshop leaders.

Samantha McGoldrick, North Reading
McGoldrick's project, Raised Beds for North Reading Food Pantry, involved creating and maintaining four raised garden beds behind the food pantry building. These gardens help supply the North Reading Food Pantry with fresh fruits and vegetables to serve families. The local garden club has agreed to care for the gardens and will donate plants to keep the project going.

Molly McGowan, Waltham
McGowan’s project, The Imagination Station, addresses the lack of imaginative play present in many children’s hospitals. For a hospital play room, she created a cabinet that is filled with imaginative play toys and that can be accessed 24/7 by children and their families. She worked closely with a Child Life Specialist to determine appropriate activities for hospitalized children of all ages. McGowan created a committee of volunteers who will maintain the imagination station.

Jessica Merritt, Pembroke
Merritt's project, Water Safety, brought community awareness to drowning and how it can be prevented. She created informative and interactive activity stations that included open water education and CPR demonstrations. In addition, she created a binder with all the information needed to continue this awareness program, which the town landing chairman has agreed to do.

Melissa Moody, Newton
Moody’s project, Wetlands: The Final Frontier, brought community awareness to the local wetlands. She worked with DCR officials and local volunteers to install informational posts throughout the Charles River Wetlands. Each post has a QR code that visitors can scan with their smart phones. The code directs them to a website (www.qbqtrail.org) with information about that particular part of the wetlands.

Katelin Oberlander, West Yarmouth
Oberlander's project, Mini Clinic for Field Hockey, gives younger girls a better understanding of field hockey before they enter high school. She held field hockey clinics where girls practiced the sport, learned to work as a team, enjoyed exercise and learned about proper nutrition to keep their bodies fueled.

Leda Olia, Newton
Olia’s project, Will Run for Fun, introduced elementary school children to long-distance running to promote enthusiasm for the sport at a younger age. She created an afterschool long-distance running program and employed high school volunteers. She also produced a handbook, which will be used by future volunteers to continue the program.

Ann Pastorello, Tewksbury
Pastorello's project, Operation Blanket, helps educate the community about animal shelters and animal adoption. She worked with local children and members of the senior center to create blankets and treats for cats at the MSPCA shelter. Pastorello created a PowerPoint presentation and flyer that she shared at various workshops. She also made a YouTube video demonstrating how to make the blankets.

Hannah Peternell, Westford
Peternell's project, New Student Protocol, creates a welcome program for new students at Westford Academy. She designed an infrastructure of support, such as welcome phone calls to new students, invitations to a new student orientation banquet and appointing peer counselors to show new students around, to help ease their transition into a new school. The program will be continued by the school's guidance staff and peer counselor group.

Samantha Rizzo, Canton
A can is recycled in 6 weeks, but takes hundreds of years to decompose in a landfill. Rizzo raised public awareness about the need to recycle through her project, Recycling Receptacles. She gave a presentation to her local Board of Selectmen to show why the town needed public recycling receptacles and explained the costs between different types of receptacles. She made a public service announcement on recycling, which will air annually on Canton Community Television. Rizzo also created recycling stickers to encourage the public to use the new receptacles.

Kristina Ryan, Burlington
Ryan's project, Heartbeat Awareness Program, addressed teen pregnancy and provided support systems for teen moms. Ryan partnered with Heartbeat Pregnancy Health Center, a nonprofit organization that provides free resources to pregnant teens such as free ultrasounds, prenatal and infant care, counseling, and items needed for the baby. Ryan gave community presentations to teens and their families about the health center and the resources available. She also collected supplies for the teens and newborns that the organization will distribute.

Meredith Scheiring, Hingham
Feeling inspired to help teens who are newly diagnosed with diabetes, Scheiring's project, Diabetes Domain, created a website for those with diabetes. On the site, people can share inspirational and personal stories, advice, regrets, words of encouragement and information on developing technology for diabetic care. The College Diabetes Network will maintain the website: diabetesdomain.wix.com/dd.

Kristen Shevlin, North Reading
Shevlin's project, Backyard Gardens, addresses the issue of limited access to healthy foods. She worked with members of the community to build raised-bed gardens. Some fruits and vegetables are for community consumption while others are donations to the local food pantry. She also provided healthy recipes for the food pantry to hand out to patrons. A younger Girl Scout troop will continue her project.

Charlotte Skolnick, Pembroke
Skolnick's project, Self-Guided Historical Tours of Pembroke, provides the community with an interactive experience of the town's rich and interesting sites. She worked closely with the Pembroke library staff to develop accurate descriptions of the historical sites. With a team of volunteers, she created two walking routes and three driving routes through town. Skolnick held a kickoff event to introduce the walking tours to her community.

Gabriella Smith, Andover
Smith's project, Rediscovering Haggetts Pond Through Modern Technology, promotes the trails surrounding Andover's Haggetts Pond. She used modern technology to make the trail's information more accessible and appealing. Using GPS and cartography software, Smith created a detailed map of the area. She worked with volunteers to develop an informational website about Haggetts Pond as well as a kiosk displaying a QR code that brings smart phone users to the website.

Eliza Lily Snow, Hingham
Snow's project, Middle School Circle Club, is a club for middle-school children, with and without disabilities, to interact and socialize in a safe, judgment-free environment. The bi-monthly club focuses on the importance of inclusion and acceptance. The Circle Club helped to strengthen friendships and inspired members to participate in the high school's Best Buddies program. Students from the Best Buddies program will continue the Circle Club at the middle school.

Amelia Steeger, Medfield
Steeger’s project, Cranes for Change, created environmental educational clubs at the local afterschool program for children in grades 2–6. She also set up a monthly group at her church to explore topics like chemicals in body care products, recycling and repurposing materials, and growing organic foods. She worked in conjunction with Medfield Green to sponsor a Forever Green Family Night Out. Each participant created a paper crane to symbolize their pledge to help the environment. This event will be continued by Girl Scouts working on their Sow What? Journey.

Jennifer Sullivan, Wakefield
Sullivan's project, Replacing Missing House Numbers, addresses the issue of house numbers not being visible to emergency personnel. With the help of volunteers, she checked approximately 5,000 houses in Wakefield and notified owners that their house numbers were missing or not easily visible from the street. Sullivan worked with the local fire chief to send letters informing residents of the safety issue. A local hardware store offered a discount on the purchase of new house numbers if residents showed the letter. The local fire department will continue her crusade.

Samantha Traficante, Kingston
Traficante's project, Kiosk and Signage Maintenance at Open Spaces, brought public awareness to Kingston's conservation properties. The properties were run down and vandalized, and Traficante worked with a team of volunteers to clean up the properties and repair information kiosks. She also created map boxes to hold site maps at each location.

Katerina Tsoutsouras, Rowley
Tsoutsouras' project, Loving Literature: Helping Children Develop a Love of Books and Reading, addresses illiteracy by finding ways to motivate children to read more. She scheduled weekly book club sessions at the Ipswich Library and United Methodist Church for children ages 5 to 8. Volunteers offered reading sessions for different skill levels and time for crafts to further engage the children. When parents were surveyed, they expressed that the children were more interested in reading at home in their free time after attending the sessions.

Emily Van Laarhoven, Southborough
Families with children who have special needs have trouble finding qualified babysitters. In order to have child care they have to hire a specialist at $25-30 an hour, or rely on older siblings. This is often detrimental to the family dynamic and creates additional strain both financially and mentally on parents. Van Laarhoven’s project, Training Course for Babysitting Kids with Special Needs, trained volunteers to recognize and understand specific special needs diagnoses, creating a pool of knowledgeable and skilled babysitters at a reasonable rate.

Stephanie Wasiuk, Maynard
Wasiuk’s project, Music for the Future, organized the high school band’s music into an easy-to-use system, making resources easily available to students. She restored over 200 boxes of organized material, made note of missing pieces, and documented the contents. She also created a how-to manual for the system and a shelving unit to track music being returned and ensure its proper storage.

Laura White, Reading
White's project, Spreading Shakespeare, helped people appreciate Shakespeare by exposing them to his work. With the assistance of volunteers dressed in costumes from the 1500s, she held workshops for teens at the library's Teen Summer Reading program and worked with younger children at Camp Rice Moody. She also helped middle school students put on a performance of Twelfth Night. A recording of the performance and how-to videos can be found on YouTube.

Anna Willms, Wellesley
Willms' project, Preparing Children for an Eye Examination, addresses children's fear and anxiety concerning eye exams. She created a video and booklet to educate children on what an eye exam entails. The video and booklet have been given to Mass Eye and Ear and Children's Hospital to help alleviate their young patients' fears.