Neighbor News
Melrose Grad Night 2021: It took a village
The 8th annual Grad Night was another success and the MGN team is grateful for everyone who helped and supported the committee.
Melrose Grad Night is an all-night, substance-free, chaperoned event put on each Spring by community members to celebrate the Melrose High School graduating class. The goal of the event is to give kids an alternative to risky behaviors that are often tempting on graduation night. It has been held each year since 2014 and has become a much-anticipated tradition. 2021 was our 8th annual event! And, if someone told us 8 years ago that in 2020 and 2021, we’d have to have outdoor events due to a pandemic, we never would have believed it! But here we are, having completed another Covid-safe event on Friday June 4 into the early hours of Saturday June 5. We appreciate Mayor Brodeur's endorsement of Melrose Grad Night 2021 and we thank him for giving us the support of City staff. It truly is a city-wide team effort.
We are very grateful to:
-Melissa Aveni, Kevin Cronin and DPW Staff. The DPW always goes above and beyond to make Grad Night work, and they have become valued members of our team. Melissa was instrumental in the planning process in 2020 and we were so glad to have her back on board for 2021. She was always available in the weeks leading up to Grad Night, and was at the event until the wee hours making sure everything happened properly, from a facilities standpoint. Kevin met with us the week of the event and helped us figure out some technical issues. And, we had various DPW team members assisting throughout the night. Their positive attitudes and hard work were invaluable. Every request was met with a pleasant “can-do” response. Special shout out to Brian from DPW for making sure the inflatables staking didn’t puncture an irrigation line!
-Joan Bell from the Park Department for coordinating our “big tent” and field needs.
-Dr. Julie Kukenberger and MHS principal Jason Merrill, and his staff, including Diane Carpenter, Bryan Corrigan and Cari Berman for their encouragement, advice and for helping us maintain communication with the senior class.
-Bob Savarino from the Melrose Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition.
-The MPD detail officers: We thank them for their kindness and good humor.
-Brianna Garcia from your office for helping us with neighbor communications.
-Lisa Lewis from The Bridge for administering volunteer CORIs
-Our volunteers and supporters: parents, community members, elected officials...they set up lights and tents; wrangled the Hippity Hop Ponies; served up iced coffees; assembled the “Wish Wall”; monitored exits; donated funds, and much more! As they do every year, so many good natured Melrosians came together to create this event. They paid it back and paid it forward and showed their love for our MHS kids.
-The Grad Night Committee, past and present. Often, people will praise the current committee, (and they are awesome!) but the success of Grad Night was built on the shoulders of the first committee, who began meeting in 2013. Educator Steve Turner proposed the idea and a group of optimistic and creative parents took on the challenge. The event grew and evolved as they learned lessons from each event. Committee members have retired, and new folks have stepped up to continue the tradition and put their own mark on Grad Night. We are so incredibly grateful to everyone who has been a committee member!
-And finally, we thank the Class of 2021! When they began school in September, they had no idea if they would have any Senior Week events. But, they plowed ahead, rolling with the punches, making the most of each opportunity. We are thrilled that we were able to provide them with a fantastic last night together! We wish them good luck and good health on their next journeys.
Gratefully,
Nancy Brincheiro
Michelle Carson
Co-Chairs
Melrose Grad Night