With each successive Homecoming, Everett shows itself to be a community with deep pride.
Homecoming is all about kids, parents, schoolteachers, administrators, athletes, cheerleaders, elected public officials and residents of this city in huge numbers. Homecoming is about tradition and caring.
Again, Homecoming is mostly about pride.
It is also about Superintendent of Schools Fred Foresteire’s absolute and unconditional dedication to everything about Everett and Everett’s public schools.
The show that was put on over the weekend has Mr. Foresteire’s imprint all over it.
In every way is was a tremendous success.
We know of very few communities in this state that have an event that involves so many residents of a smaller city in a citywide celebration.
The celebration itself also spans the generations with hundreds of former Everett residents – athletes, businesspeople, and men and women from every walk of life joining in the festivities.
Mr. Foresteire’s dedication to Homecoming is a noble thing at this point in time.
Many other cities throughout the Commonwealth stopped such celebrations long ago.
Here, the Homecoming grows larger each year.
Last week at School Department headquarters, the Everett High School Band crowded into the meeting room across from the superintendent’s office. With Everett High School cheerleaders leading the way shaking their pom poms, a rousing number of marching songs were played.
The room was resplendent in crimson. It was also alive with kids getting psyched up about the Homecoming.
It was kind of electric – the feeling from many years before about what life used to be about was alive in that room last week.
And this is what happened on a much larger scale over the weekend.
We congratulate and honor Mr. Foresteire once again for his steadfast belief that Everett is a far better place for a warm Homecoming attended by thousands and celebrated all over the city.
He is absolutely right.
Everett is a better place for the Homecoming.
It is a better place because of leaders like Fred Foresteire.