John and Beverly Caparco each had strong ties both to the city of Cranston and to Cranston High School East. Beverly, who passed away last summer, was born in Cranston and not only attended Cranston East, but was an English and business teacher there as well. John was also educated in the Cranston Public Schools and was a graduate of Cranston East where he was a three-year varsity hockey player. He later went on to teach woodwork and vocational cabinet making at East for 23 years and to coach hockey in the Cranston school district as well.

Married for 50 years, John Caparco and Beverly Samson met in September of 1960 at CHSE where they had one class together in B12, a world economic geography class-business math class. 

“Beverly was an honor student and a National Honor Society Member in her senior year. She achieved the highest score in the school on her SATs,” said John. “She was a three-year member of the cheerleading squad and in fact, her first hockey game, she cheered for me. I was the only player she knew.”

When John was in the Army National Guard Officer Candidate School and needed a date for the Colonel’s Christmas Ball, he called up Beverly.

“I called her up, and my life changed,” he said.

Together they built six houses, and although their lives took them in many directions over five decades, they were always connected to schools and to education. Beverly served as a school business administrator and business manager for schools in Rhode Island and in Connecticut. She was an avid UConn women’s basketball fan, after receiving one of her several advanced degrees and certifications from the school. John started a varsity hockey program at the Community College of Rhode Island, then known as RI Junior College, and was inducted into their athletic hall of fame. He also received several advanced degrees, including a doctorate from UConn in Educational Leadership. He took on school administration positions in both Connecticut and Rhode Island and was an adjunct professor at Rhode Island College and a faculty member at Eastern Connecticut State University.

However far they went, and no matter what they did, the family’s ties to Cranston East, to education and to students remained a common bond throughout their lives. Recently, they informed the administration at Cranston East that they would be creating on-going scholarships in each of their names which would benefit Cranston East students and leave a family legacy at the school for many years to come.

“So often we’d have the conversation, asking ourselves, where would we be without Cranston East,” John said. “That is what laid the foundation for success in both our personal and professional lives. Now we want to help other students take advantage of the opportunities available to them after Cranston East. This is our way of giving back.”

According to John, it is his intent to will a substantial six-figure amount to the school for two scholarships in their names to be given out yearly, beginning this year. A “John A. Caparco Scholarship for Industrial Arts” will be given out to an Industrial Arts student this spring at the Cranston East Convocation event held in May, and a “Beverly J. Caparco Memorial Scholarship” will be given out for an outstanding Business Education student CHSE. Scholarships will then be awarded to a CHSE student each year after that. Because the Caparcos are now settled in Florida, this year the scholarships will be presented to the students by John Judge, one of John’s former students, and by Michael Casey, one of Beverly’s former students.

“I have a lot of fond memories of the students we had, and how they’ve enhanced our lives,” said John. “I’ve lived a very full and productive life with accomplishments that affect the lives of my students. I have been blessed with unique, God-given abilities and I have always been willing to pass those on to my students, and to help anyone in need with those unique skills and talents. We have always believed that it is better to give than to receive. We owe a lot to our high school and this is our way of saying thank you, and this is truly a memorial to Beverly.”