For 60 years, METCO has connected Boston students with Brookline schools. Now, the community is being asked to help preserve the stories behind the program.
The METCO 60 Writing Project is recruiting 100 contributors — including current and former students, families, staff, and community members — to share personal reflections about their experiences. Each writer will receive $100, and selected pieces may be shared publicly in November 2026 as part of METCO’s 60th anniversary celebration.
Writers of all ages are welcome, from current students to the original community members who helped launch the program.
Brookline was one of seven original METCO districts when the program began in 1966. The first 220 students traveled from Roxbury, North Dorchester, and the South End to attend Brookline schools.
Today, METCO is the largest and second-longest continuously running voluntary school desegregation program in the country, serving about 3,200 students across 34 Massachusetts districts. Brookline enrolled 303 METCO students during the 2024-25 school year.
Brookline METCO Director Malcolm Cawthorne said the program’s future depends on supporting the families who trust the district with their children.
“We're trying to find these avenues to support these families who trust us and send their kids to Brookline schools, as well as recognize the power of family.”
Organizers say the writing project is a chance to capture the personal side of METCO — the friendships, challenges, opportunities, and experiences that have shaped generations of students.
How to participate
- Who: METCO students, alumni, families, staff, and community members
- Compensation: $100 per selected writer
- Deadline: Thursday, October 1
- Details: brooklinehub.com/metco-60-writing-project
