Mayor Promises to Pay For Out-of-State Travel for Band, Choir, Percussion Ensemble and STEM Team
Leader Herald Staff
By a unanimous voice vote Monday evening, the School Committee approved out of state travel for Everett High School’s award winning band, choir, percussion group, color guard and STEM students.
It was a complete turnaround from the announcement made two weeks ago by the mayor who imposed a travel ban on the EHS musical and engineering groups.
In fact, Superintendent of Schools Fred Foresteire announced at the beginning of the meeting that the mayor had reversed his edict and had promised the EHS kids that the city will pay for them to travel out of state and to compete.
The announcement and the subsequent vote by the School Committee caused a spirited round of applause and even a bit of shouting by members of the STEM group who attended the School Committee meeting.
STEM Team leaders Ms.Anna Seiders and Mrs.Nancy Cianchetta spoke before the vote.
Both of them told the same story – of how EHS’s STEM Team had won 6 championships in six years and pleaded with the School Committee to approve out of state travel so their team could compete for the national championship, again.
“We are widely recognized throughout Massachusetts as the model by which all other schools should use as a guide,” said Ms. Cianchetta.
Percussion ensemble and color guard leader Mr. Charles Poole told the School Committee that to remain viable as a force “we must travel out of state to compete in competitions.”
He added: “The prospect of performing out of state keeps the kids involved.”
Marching band leader Mr. Gene O’Brien said the invitation for the EHS national champion marching band to march for Massachusetts in the annual Memorial Day parade in Washington DC was an incredible opportunity and not one to be squandered.
“This is a distinguished honor and without us, Massachusetts is not represented,” he said.
Chorus leader Ms. Monti echoed the others. “I would hate to see these kids lose this opportunity to compete,” she said.