Excitement filled the air bright and early last Tuesday morning (June 24), as over 600 students filed in to the Dedham Middle School on this, their 180th day of the year.
With their lockers cleaned out and the classrooms emptied of paperwork, the students from grade 6 had just completed their first year at the school, and were certainly ready to move up. The boys and girls from grade 7, now with two years at DMS under their belts, were excited to be next year`s lead group.
This day however, belonged to the 196 young men and women who were in grade 8. This was their graduation day – the 2014 Promotion Ceremony!
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As the school buses arrived and as parents dropped off their soon to be High School Freshmen, the group met in front of the school and lined up for the morning bell together, for one last time. A range of emotion prevailed as their numbers grew – with hugs, handshakes, high-fives, smiles, laughter, and of course a few tears.
Most of these Dedham students have been together since Kindergarten. In grade 6, the Town`s four Elementary schools empty out in to our Middle School and for the past three years these students have literally grown up together.
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At precisely 9am, the Pomp and Circumstance began, with the DMS students and their teachers filing in to the standing room only crowd of parents, relatives and well-wishers inside the Middle School gymnasium.
Representing Superintendent June Doe, Assistant Superintendent Cynthia Kelly, School Committee Chairperson Jen Barsamian, DHS Principal Ron McCarthy, and DMS Vice Principal Margo Fraczek, Dedham Middle School Principal Debra Gately welcomed those in attendance.
Scholar Leader Corey Kilroy and 2014 – Project 351 Service Leader Shanaya Theodore, were called to the stage to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and get the ball rolling. 8th grade chorus members, Isabella Badeau, Damya Stephen, and Shanaya Theodore then sang a moving rendition of our National Anthem, followed by a musical tribute to retiring Superintendent Doe.
Ms. Gately returned to the podium, joined by 8th grade Guidance Counselors Mr. Quaranto and Mrs. Pederson, Dr. Fraczek and Superintendent Doe, and the presentation of awards and Certificates of Promotion was underway.
From Nicholas Abril to Zuly Zuniga, the 196 students were called to the podium to be recognized for all of their achievements and to receive that precious certificate to let the world know they were on their way to High School. Sixteen students were then singled out for Academic Excellence – all A`s in all four terms – and the ceremony came to a close with Kalyn Ashby and Jason Leonard being chosen to receive this year`s Boylen Award.
There was a brief social in the cafeteria where parents and students got to mingle for the final moments before the bell rang, officially ending the 2013-2014 school year. Our best wishes to the graduating class, those students moving up and to the incoming students of grade 6 in September.
Story and Photos by: Joe Kilroy
