The Kevin C. Kynock Foundation grew out of an idea to memorialize the transformative impact of a teacher. Kevin Kynock, Mr. Kynock to his students at Boston College High School, shared his own love of the arts with generations of students in his classroom and the theater. He frequently told them: “good shows are made by supporting the good men and women who make them.”
After his passing in 2007, a small group of his former students banded together to create a gift in his memory to Boston’s Shakespeare on the Common. From this small seed grew the Kynock Foundation. Beginning first with support of Shakespeare (one of Kevin’s deep loves), it soon grew to supporting a scholarship for artistically talented students at BC High, where he taught for more than 40 years.
By 2018, support for the Kynock Foundation had continued to grow, and established itself as a nonprofit dedicated to supporting arts experiences for youth from all backgrounds. In 2019, the Kynock Foundation launched its flagship program of Arts Immersion Trips by bringing a youth program of 25 students from Mattapan to a performance of Sondheim’s The Frogs at Boston Conservatory.
Today, the Kynock Foundation continues to honor Kevin’s legacy by partnering with schools and community groups to bring students to live performances, as well as supporting both Shakespeare on the Common and students at BC High who show the same passion and leadership in the arts.