Brookline High School 21st Century Fund to Honor Theo Epstein at Fifth Annual Distinguished Alumni Award Gala; Boston Red Sox General Manager and Local Philanthropist to Be Honored at Benefit for Brookline High School.

BROOKLINE, Mass. -- The Brookline High School 21st Century Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides funding to address major challenges in public high-school education, today announced that Boston Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein is its 2005 Distinguished Alumnus honoree. Epstein will be honored at a black-tie gala on Nov. 5, 2005 at Brookline High School (BHS).

A 1991 BHS graduate and currently the youngest general manager in major-league baseball, Epstein helped lead the Boston Red Sox to the 2004 World Series Championship. He now joins the ranks of past BHS alumni honorees such as New England Patriots owner, Robert Kraft; late-night talk show host, Conan O'Brien; legendary broadcast journalist, Mike Wallace; and three-term Massachusetts Governor and presidential nominee, Michael Dukakis.

"Theo gave the city of Boston and 'Red Sox Nation' one of its greatest gifts--a World Series championship," said Michael Rafferty, 21st Century Fund executive director. "Though Theo is still a young man, we certainly consider him a distinguished alumnus, for his role in helping end an 86-year championship drought is quite the lifetime achievement. In addition, Theo and his family have contributed a great deal to Brookline High School and the Boston community, and we're proud to recognize him for his character, integrity, and philanthropy."

Epstein has devoted much of his energy to charitable endeavors. Most recently, he and his twin brother Paul, a BHS social worker, formed "A Foundation to Be Named Later," an extension of the Red Sox Foundation benefiting eight programs for at-risk, underprivileged and disadvantaged youth.

At last year's Distinguished Alumni Award Gala, 600 attendees--including many BHS alumni, parents, and Brookline residents--gathered to honor Robert Kraft at an event that raised more than $600,000. This year's gala, anticipated to be a sell-out event, will take place Saturday, Nov. 5, 2005, at Brookline High School. The black-tie event, planned by a volunteer committee led by Fran Hoy and Julie Joyal Mowschenson, includes a cocktail reception, dinner, a tribute to Epstein, and a live and silent auction. Other honoree co-chairs of this event include John and Peggy Henry, Larry and Stacey Lucchino, and Tom Werner. Tickets are $300 for individual seats and are available by calling 617-713-5211 or via the Web site www.bhs21stcenturyfund.org.

The BHS 21st Century Fund supports local solutions to national challenges in education by addressing teacher retention, narrowing the achievement gap, and increasing personalization in students' school experiences. Programs supported by the 21st Century Fund include Teachers Mentoring Teachers, The African-American Scholars Program, Good Citizens in a Good Society, and the BHS Tutorial Program.

About The Brookline High School 21st Century Fund

The Brookline High School 21st Century Fund is a non-profit organization founded in 1998 to serve as a sustainable source of funding for innovative approaches to major challenges in public high school education. In short, the organization provides "venture capital for public education." Since its founding, the 21st Century Fund has raised more than $4 million in support of four core program areas: fostering academic success for all students; supporting a world-class faculty; integrating technology into the curriculum of the high school; and educating students to be leaders and citizens in a changing world. Initiatives in these program areas are designed to serve as models for other public high schools in addressing similar challenges. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.bhs21stcenturyfund.org or call 617-713-5201.