Can the Aurora Borealis be seen from Rhode Island?

Yes. They have even been seen on rare occasions as far south as Japan, in 1909. Look north after sunset and try to find a faint blue/green/red glow that increases in brightness towards the northern horizon. Look at times especially after an active solar storm. Unfortunately, as of October, 1996 there are no significant sunspots found on the Sun, so the Sun is rather quiet these days until the next cycle gets underway.