The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) will honor John and Trudy Macero of Winthrop for their sustained commitment to providing children in Winthrop with quality arts education in school and afterschool. The award presentation will take place at Wednesday, March 11 at 8:30 a.m. at Winthrop Community Access Television, 165 Winthrop Street.
The husband and wife team of educators are among the winners of the 2015 Commonwealth Awards, recognized in the category of Creative Youth Development. John Macero is Superintendent, Winthrop Public Schools; & Trudy Macero is the founder and Director of the Winthrop School of Performing Arts.
“John and Trudy Macero have been cultural leaders in the town of Winthrop for over 25 years and are synonymous with performing arts in the community,†said Joanne Hillman, Chair of the Winthrop Cultural Council. “Both have been long-time advocates and artists in their own right. Together, they are a powerful force.â€
Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo of Winthrop will join MCC Executive Director Anita Walker and other arts and education leaders at a special ceremony at Winthrop High School on March 11 to present the Commonwealth Award to the Maceros and celebrate their achievements. The event is part of Youth Arts Month, a nationwide celebration of the arts’ central role in quality education and youth development.
As Superintendent of Schools, John Macero has fostered the development of Music Matters, a non-profit bringing music back to the public school curriculum. Winthrop now has bands in the elementary school and a choral group in the high school, the “Vocal Vikings.†In his career as an educator and school administrator he has consistently emphasized the importance of the arts to learning.]
John Macero began his career in education as an English and drama teacher at Everett High School. In Saugus, he accepted a music teaching position where he was instrumental in the creation of the elementary school band. He eventually became the fine arts director for the entire Saugus school system and in 2004 was named principal of the Lynnhurst Elementary School in Saugus. He became principal of the A.C. Whelan School in Revere in 2006. He also served on both the Saugus and Winthrop School Committees.
John Macero is an alumnus of The School of Theatre in the College of Fine Arts at Boston University.  In recent years he has received acclaim for his standout roles as Wilbur Turnblad in Reagle Theatre’s production of “Hairsprayâ€, Joe Keller in Marblehead Little Theatre’s “All My Sons†and John Proctor in Winthrop Playmakers’ “The Crucibleâ€.
Trudy Macero is the founder and director of the Winthrop School of Performing Arts, where John had worked as the acting coach for many years. Trudy was a professional singer and dancer touring as a performer for the William Morris Agency. A mentor and role model to hundreds of children as director of her school, Trudy has also been a generous benefactor to the drama program at Winthrop High School. She has produced and directed several fundraising shows that resulted in the purchase of much-needed equipment, such as a new light board, sound system, and curtains. She has allowed the Winthrop Playmakers free use of her school for rehearsals and performing space. Also, Trudy served many terms on the Board of Directors of the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce, including two years as President, in which she ran several community festivals and cultural events.
“Together, John and Trudy have inspired countless children to develop their talents and nurtured their love of the arts,†said Hillman. “They are passionate about the performing arts and developing the arts in Winthrop. They are civic-minded individuals and generously give their talent and time to a very appreciative community. “
Presented biennially since 1993, the Commonwealth Awards honor the extraordinary contributions made by the arts, humanities, and sciences to education, economic vitality, and quality of life in Massachusetts. Other 2015 Commonwealth Award winners include Malcolm Rogers, Director, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Beverly Morgan Welch, Director, Museum of African American History; Barrington Stage Company of Pittsfield; the Cambridge Science Festival; and the Barr Foundation. A complete list is online here.
About the Massachusetts Cultural Council
The MCC is a state agency supporting the arts, sciences, and humanities, to improve the quality of life in Massachusetts and its communities. It pursues its mission through grants, services, and advocacy for nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists. MCC’s total budget for this fiscal year is $13.5 million, which includes a $12 million state appropriation and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. MCC also runs the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund in partnership with MassDevelopment.