Augustine Vu
Features Reporter
Throughout Newton South’s 61 years of teaching, there have been a fair share of notable alumni such as John Krasinski, B.J. Novak, Joe Rogan, and Eli Roth.
Many students have most likely heard of the hit sitcom The Office, which first aired on March 24th, 2005. The program was the most-streamed television show of 2020 on Netflix with over 57 billion minutes streamed.
Despite the popularity of the show and its cast members, many may be surprised to hear that two of the members were former Newton South students. John Krasinski, more formally known on the show as Jim Halpert, and B.J. Novak, who played Ryan Howard, were both in the class of 1997.
After graduating from Newton South, both actors went on to study at prestigious universities, as Krasinski attended Brown University, while Novak studied at Harvard University.
Krasinski, known for his acting in The Office, A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place Part II, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, and Some Good News, was known in high school for his cross-country and baseball talents. He was born and raised in the city of Boston and growing up, he and Novak played on the same little league baseball team, The Orioles, which first sparked the two’s friendship.
Although there is much success from Newton South’s alumni, many are not completely aware of the significance of these two actors. Sophomore Athena Cheung said, “I have been told previously that these actors graduated from Newton South High School. I didn’t know [that] Joe Rogan went to Newton South though.”
“I have watched The Office, and I found it kind of cool that they went to our school,” explained sophomore Jaray Liu.
While some students know more about Krasinski and Novak than others, most students are pretty familiar with the two Newton South alumni.
Overall, many notable alumni such as John Krasinski and B.J. Novak are well-known amongst the students of Newton South. Additionally, knowing that very successful people attended Newton South adds a sense of community and an easy conversation starter among students.
“I don’t think it makes me feel any different to be a part of Newton South High School because they went here, but I do think it is a unique part about our school since almost everyone has heard about The Office,” Liu concluded.
