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‘I couldn’t tell if they were kidding or not.’ 12-year-old wins contest to represent Boston in global LEGO competition. – The Boston Globe

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‘I couldn’t tell if they were kidding or not.’ 12-year-old wins contest to represent Boston in global LEGO competition. – The Boston Globe


Arlo, Boston’s newly crowned Mini Master Model Builder, spent about two months crafting a replica of the Tea Party scene for LEGO’s first global competition.

His creation, which features underwater and above-water scenes, will be sent to the LEGO House in Billund, Denmark, to vie against 27 other young regional winners from Shanghai to Arizona.

The Global Mini Master Model Builder will be announced in the fall.

“I‘m very excited,” Arlo said in a recent Zoom interview from his home in Dover, N.H., his shaggy blonde hair falling over his forehead. “This means a lot to me because I’ve been building LEGOs for a long time.”

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Arlo throws up a peace sign in front of his Boston Tea Party LEGO construction.Lindsay Humphreys

A sixth grader at Dover Middle School, Arlo started playing with LEGOs when he was a toddler and has completed more than 100 LEGO sets.

Still, he never considered entering a LEGO competition until a late February visit to the LEGO Discovery Center Boston in Somerville.

He had decided to make a hand out of LEGOs, not just any hand but “a celestial hand emerging from the depths of our ocean,” when an employee approached him.

Impressed by his work, the employee told Arlo he should enter the regional Boston Mini Master Model Builder contest.

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Arlo didn’t know what it was but accepted the challenge.

“So I was like, OK, yeah sure, I’ll enter into the tournament,” he recalled. “And I entered in, and I won.”

Kaleb Thome, the LEGO master builder at the Somerville LEGO center, said he saw Arlo’s hand depiction within a couple of weeks of the deadline for the Boston competition.

“He was one of the last ones to submit,” said Thome, 26. “I immediately knew this might be the one.”

The hand was a “very mature concept,” Thome said, but was “executed really well.” As artists know well, hands are a challenge to portray, Thome said.

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“It’s this hand coming up from the ocean,” Thome said. “I was like, dude, that’s a sick concept.”

Arlo and Kaleb Thome pose with his winning LEGO creation. Kaleb Thome

For Arlo, the hand was not a painstaking endeavor; it was simply another opportunity to “create anything,” the reason he was drawn to the building blocks in the first place.

“I think the fact that I could do anything,“ his imagination would allow, Arlo said, explaining his initial interest as a toddler.

When Thome, the judge for the Boston contest, selected Arlo on March 14 over some 50 other applicants across New England, Arlo was shocked.

“I couldn’t tell if they were kidding or not,” he said. “But I was definitely excited, no matter what.”

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The win made Arlo Boston’s Mini Master Model Builder and catapulted him into LEGO’s first global competition.

His work had just begun.

From late March to May 31, Arlo spent one to two days a week working in the Somerville LEGO facility on his greatest creation — the Boston Tea Party. His mom or dad would typically drive him down from New Hampshire around noon on Saturday, and Arlo would stay in his workshop until closing.

His Boston Tea Party includes sea creatures, a scene from Spongebob’s Bikini Bottom, and people throwing tea into the harbor. It’s about 10 inches by 20 inches (1 x 2 base plates in LEGO math) and even has a character named Arlo in a red shirt.

Arlo meticulously placed every piece, and Thome said its scale was “the most impressive thing.”

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“How much brick and plate he was able to put down,” Thome said. “He really set out some big expectations and goals for himself, and I think he achieved them.”

Besides size, the main rule for global competition is that the building represent the city or region the builder is from.

Arlo, a lover of history LEGO sets, jumped at the opportunity.

“The fact that sometimes they can be like small, little scenes cut into history,” Arlo said of historical LEGO sets. ”So you basically have your own history book without even having to read.”

Arlo said he spent a long time coming up his idea, deciding between Paul Revere’s ride and the Boston Tea Party, he eventually landed on the Harbor scene because of its size. Once he had the idea, he started and didn’t stop.

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“If I have an idea, I’m gonna just put it down,” Arlo said. “Once that’s done, I’ll just continue. So I’ll legitimately just build.”

His project will be sent to Denmark after June 30 for the LEGO masters to decide its fate. Until then, it will be on display in Somerville.

The honor of Boston’s Mini Master Builder has required some sacrifices. Arlo didn’t play lacrosse this spring to focus on the LEGO project and has been busy at school, with lot of homework in his favorite subject, science. But his mom, Lindsay Humphreys said it’s been worth it.

“It required the commitment, but knowing that it was such a big deal and probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, for sure, we were supportive of it,” Humphreys said.

Outside of LEGOs, Arlo enjoys video games and playing with his dog Bruno, a beagle and pug mix called a “puggle.”

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But LEGOs are his guiding passion.

He wants to be a LEGO master like Thome one day. His dream car, a Volkswagen bus, is from his favorite LEGO set.

Will he get the car one day?

“Maybe if he can get a job and work towards it,” Arlo’s mom said, drawing a grin from Arlo.


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Ava Berger can be reached at ava.berger@globe.com. Follow her @Ava_Berger_.





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Shay Maloney’s overtime goal lifts Boston Fleet to road victory

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Shay Maloney’s overtime goal lifts Boston Fleet to road victory


VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Shay Maloney scored 41 seconds into overtime and the Boston Fleet edged the Vancouver Goldeneyes 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Much of the game was a goalie duel, with neither side scoring until the third period.

Haley Winn was first to strike, getting the Fleet on the board early in the final frame with her second goal of the year.

Hannah Miller responded for the Goldeneyes with 3:26 remaining, blasting a one-timer past Boston goalie Aerin Frankel from just inside the blue line. Frankel stopped 25 of the 26 shots she faced, and the Fleet won its sixth straight game.

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Kristen Campbell made 25 saves in the Vancouver net.

The win moved the Fleet back into sole possession of first place in the league standings, two points ahead of the Montreal Victoire.

Vancouver was without goalie Emerance Maschmeyer, who is listed as day to day with an upper-body injury. Kimberly Newell served as Campbell’s backup.



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Boston Police Blotter: Southie pub brawl leads to alleged stabbing

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Boston Police Blotter: Southie pub brawl leads to alleged stabbing


Two people were stabbed following an alleged bar brawl in Southie over the weekend.

According to a police report, officers arrived at Tom English’s around 10:30 p.m., Friday for a report of a fight. When they arrived on the scene, a victim told police that he was sucker punched during a fight and pointed out a person who was the “main aggressor” throughout the incident.

The suspect was pat frisked by police, but the report said they did not find any weapons. “The suspect stated that he was jumped [by the party of the victim,” the report said. “The suspect refused to cooperate any further after repeated attempts by officers to get his version of events.”

Both the suspect and victim declined EMS.

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Then about an hour later, three more victims arrived at a nearby police station to report that two of them had been stabbed in the fight at Tom English. One of the unnamed victims said that the fight started after the suspect kept moving coins he put down to play pool. The suspect, according to one of the other victims, told them to meet him outside.

All parties were kicked out by a bouncer and “a large brawl ensued,” the report said. The victims told police that that suspect brandished a knife and the victims said they “fled the scene on foot fearing for their lives.”

In the report, police noted that they saw wounds on two of the victims. EMS was called to treat them.

BPD did not confirm whether the suspect was arrested.

Fireworks call leads to firearm recovery in Mattapan

Reports of fireworks led Boston Police to recover a firearm Monday night in Mattapan.

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Officers responded to the area around Callender Street at about 10 p.m. for a call of shots fire, but a supervisor alerted them that individuals were shooting off fireworks.

When police got to the scene, they said they saw a group of people standing near a car that had several packages of fireworks. As officers approached, one man started to sprint towards Blue Hill Ave., throwing a jacket off as he ran, according to BPD.

Multiple officers responded to detain the suspect and a pat frisk of the jacket uncovered a ghost gun with 7 rounds in the magazine, police said.

Kahnari White, 24, of Mattapan was charged with carrying a loaded firearm without a license, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of a firearm without an FID card, and possession of a large capacity feeding device.

While the foot pursuit and arrest of White unfolded, police said the group standing with the fireworks began to become “hostile and threatening to an officer who remained with them on scene.”

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One person allegedly continued to threaten an officer and bumped him on the chest as more officers arrived.

“Multiple de-escalation tactics were attempted, but the suspect continued to threaten officers,” Boston police said in a statement.

Eventually, officers were able to detain Sean Galvez, 40, of Quincy. Galvez was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and assault and battery on a police officer.

Both suspects are expected to be arraigned at Dorchester District Court.

Gun recovered after foot chase in Dorchester

A 22-year-old from Dorchester was arrested on gun charges after police said they approached the suspect for drinking in public Monday night.

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Officers saw a group on Draper St. drinking publicly around 8:30 p.m., and when they approached them, one individual started to walk away.

“When officers advised the male that he could not be drinking alcohol in public, he fled on foot,” Boston Police said in a statement. “A foot pursuit ensued, and officers stopped the suspect.”

Police recovered a Smith and Wesson M&P Bodyguard .380 with nine rounds in the magazine during a pat frisk and said that the serial number on the gun was defaced.

Denilson Pires was arrested and charged with carrying a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without an FID card, and defacing a firearm serial number.

He is expected to be arraigned at Dorchester District Court.

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‘More than just a game’: Free chess classes aim to reduce youth violence in Boston – The Boston Globe

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‘More than just a game’: Free chess classes aim to reduce youth violence in Boston – The Boston Globe


“I know we’re used to rushing, but this is a mind game. So we want to slow down and think,” Shaheed said. “Don’t move off of impulse.”

It’s a message that extends far beyond the chess board.

Organizers of Boston’s new Chess for Peace program are using one of history’s oldest board games to teach kids important life skills, including strategic thinking and conflict resolution. Their goals are to reduce youth violence and address the negative impacts of technology.

The program offers free chess classes Sunday afternoons in the basement of the Madison Park High School gym in Roxbury. It’s affiliated with a Boston Public Schools initiative that also includes basketball, boxing, yoga, rugby, and more, an effort to support families and keep students engaged throughout the week.

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Kids, including Jacquami Pierre, 7, participate in the Chess for Peace program at Madison Park High School.
Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

The 6-WON-7 program, which has grown significantly over the past couple years, is about to mark its 100th Sunday, said Cory McCarthy, director of student support at Boston Public Schools. School administrators launched the program partly in response to reports about unruly teenagers causing chaos at the South Bay shopping center and elsewhere on weekends, McCarthy said.

“School should feel like a community,” he said. “It’s the forgotten piece in the academic journey. It’s a safety issue. It’s violence prevention, it’s youth development, it’s all part of student wellness.”

While violent crime has decreased overall, youth violence remains a concern in Boston, largely concentrated among small groups of teenagers and sometimes fueled by gang affiliations. Social media often plays a role, experts say, with kids posting threats or bragging about crimes they’ve committed.

As technology shortens our attention spans, encourages rash decision-making and limits in-person interactions, playing chess can be a robust kind of antidote, said Renee Callender, a retired Boston police detective who spearheaded the program.

“It’s more than just a game. It actually mirrors life,” she said. “In the game of chess, like life, every action comes with consequences.”

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During more than three decades on the police force, Callender saw firsthand how cycles of violence start and end. She also founded a nonprofit called Promoting Conflict Resolution, Inc.

Instructed by Ishmael Shaheed, center rear, kids participate in the Chess for Peace program at Madison Park High School.Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

She said the idea for the program came from watching a youth chess tournament on TV; she was impressed by how poised and attentive the players looked. Maybe this could help kids in Boston stay out of trouble, she thought.

“It’s not only about how to play but how to lose,” she said. “How to gracefully lose. How to be humble.”

Indeed, it’s all fun and games until your king is in check.

Jacquami eventually lost to his opponent, 7-year-old Filip Rancic, who said his winning strategy involved steadily advancing his pieces toward the middle of the board.

“Sometimes he wins, sometimes he loses. So that’s good for him,” said Filip’s dad, Milan Rancic.

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“They need to learn to be patient enough to develop a strategy, and obviously avoid a tantrum when they lose — pretty much everything we want our kids to learn,” he added.

During the class, three sets of players sat across from each other at classroom desks, with Shaheed monitoring their games and offering instruction. Sometimes the clink of plastic chess pieces was the only sound in the room.

“I think I got checkmate,” exclaimed Henry Lee, 10, bouncing excitedly in his chair.

Shaheed inspected the board and confirmed — checkmate, indeed.

“Good game,” Lee said, reaching out to shake hands with his opponent, 11-year-old Jesus Beltran.

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“Can you believe you just lost to a 10-year-old?” he asked, grinning.

Beltran laughed, rolled his eyes and started setting up the board again; he had won the previous match. In addition to chess, the boys play soccer together. They agreed their friendship can easily withstand some light-hearted competition.

Kids, including Zoya Thurston, 10, participate in the Chess for Peace program held at Madison Park High School.
Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

A few turns into the next game, Lee made a move he instantly regretted.

“Can I have that turn back?” he asked Beltran, who smiled and shook his head no.

“So often, they’re focused on just one piece,” said Rhodes Pierre, another instructor with the program. “I tell them to examine the entire board.”

Pierre, who grew up in Mattapan, has experienced firsthand the impacts of violence. His older brother was shot and killed in 1994 near their childhood home, about two weeks after he inadvertently witnessed another daytime shooting nearby. The case was later linked to a neighborhood drug gang, according to news reports at the time.

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Pierre said he started playing chess in college and quickly came to appreciate the life skills it teaches.

“Giving people another outlet to express themselves without having to revert to violence, that’s a good thing,” he said. “Making people sit down and think. It’s a better avenue than what we have right now.”

While kids participate in the Chess for Peace program, parents and other family members watch nearby in Madison Park High School.Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

While sprinkling in the basics of chess strategy, Shaheed sends a similar message.

“It’s about seeing the moves behind the moves,” he told the class. “It takes paying attention, hearing your own self think. Most games are won or lost because of focus.”

It’s something he personally learned the hard way, Shaheed said.

Now 45, he spent much of his youth caught in a cycle of poverty, crime, incarceration, and mental illness. From foster care and psychiatric institutions to jails and prison, he ended up playing a lot of chess.

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The game took on a central role in his life, an overarching metaphor that changed the way he approached decision-making, Shaheed said. Especially when he found himself in a hostile environment, he would think about the moves available to him and their potential consequences. That finally helped him leave the streets behind and forge a new path.

“The easy money, it wasn’t working. It was almost like a setup — nothing made sense anymore,” he said. “I needed a better move.”

Instructed by Ishmael Shaheed, kids participate in the Chess for Peace program, held at Madison Park High School. At left is Filip Rancic, 7, Levi Ilse, 7, at right.Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

He still plays chess regularly with various partners he’s befriended around Boston. He said he hopes younger generations will find some of the same benefits he’s experienced.

“Chess is a game of distress, tribulations, defeat, obstacles, resistance, competition, sorrow, and conquest,” Shaheed wrote in his recently published book, “Games Over: The Real Story About Chess and Life.”

“And that’s what life is all about — overcoming barriers and making progress.”


Lea Skene can be reached at lea.skene@globe.com. Follow her on X @lea_skene.

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