Page 22 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JunE 13, 2025 VOTES | FROM PAGE 10 “If it’s done wrong, it’ll come back and we’ll have to discuss the whole thing again,” Councillor at-Large John Hanlon added. “I’d rather not.” The matter came up for a vote after Matewsky spoke up. “Let’s get it over with,” he said vigorously. He also asked what was wrong with the word “luxury” being used in the description of The Sofia. Rogers countered, “The developers already agreed not to use it, so why go back on it.” Afterwards, Mejia said the changes will be incorporated into an agreement for DeMaria to sign. That will be reviewed by the Economic Assistance Coordinating Council in the state Executive Office of Economic Development. Lattanzi added that any changes will be grammatical in nature. 380 Second Street is in an area known as the Commercial Triangle Economic DeDIDOMENICO | FROM PAGE 9 gram that became law in last year’s budget. By again delivering free tuition and fees for residents, the FY26 proposal continues its support for this vital initiative that expands economic opportunity in a regionally equitable manner across the Commonwealth. Other education investments include: • $492M for the Special Education (SPED) Circuit Breaker (in addition to other funding) to fulfill the promise of 75 per cent reimbursement for eligible tuition and transportation costs, recommending $682M in total to reimburse school districts for the cost of educating students with disabilities • $183M for charter school reimbursements • $275.8M for scholarships to students • $103.7M to reimburse school districts for regional school transportation costs • $30M for higher education wraparound services • $16M for rural school aid support • $14.2M for early college programs and $13.1M for dual velopment District, between Revere Beach Parkway/Route 19 and the Mystic River, bordered by Lower Broadway to the west. A motion by Matewsky to have it renamed “to something more appealable to the neighborhood” was referred to the City Office of Planning and Community Development for consideration. Other business In other business, a motion to appoint John Russolillo as Director of Human Resources was referred to the Legislative Affairs Subcommittee, where all new appointments are reviewed before full Council action. A motion by Martins and Rogers requesting the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to not use municipal parking lots, including school and police areas, which was also a subject of a recent discussion with Police Chief Paul Strong, was sent to the Police Department for consideration. enrollment, along with $8M for Reimagining High School to empower high school students to take college courses prior to graduation • $5M to support continued implementation of the Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Higher Education law, including funding to help high school students with intellectual disabilities aged 18– 22 access higher education opportunities; and funding for the Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Trust Fund. • $3M for the Genocide Education Trust Fund • $3M for the Civics Education Trust Fund • $1M for Hate Crimes Prevention Grants to support public schools Community support Highlighting the Senate’s longstanding commitment to a sustainable state–local partnership, this budget provides significant resources to support all Massachusetts cities and towns, ensuring that the state can meet the needs of every region, DIDOMENICO | SEE PAGE 26 HART | FROM PAGE 18 erable time and energy into planning and facilitating tonight’s graduation ceremony. I am proud to be part of this team that gives your graduation ceremony the care and attention it deserves. I would like to call your attention to the flags that surround this stage, signifying the many countries of origin of our students and families, and which serves as a reminder of our commitment to celebrating diversity and inclusivity. Tonight is not like any other night in June. It is not like any other night on our school calendar. It is a night for Everett to honor and celebrate our amazing seniors, the dedicated faculty who prepared and mentored you during your time at Everett High School, and the proud parents, relatives, and loved ones who have filled this historic stadium for this momentous occasion. Being among the first to formally congratulate you has a BABCOCK | FROM PAGE 19 ‘Emilia said it was okay!’ That one’s on you (hopefully they laugh). But you gotta just do things you believe are right and worth it. This philosophy has had a profound effect on my life, and I would like to share some advice that it has taught me with you all today… in hopes that it will have the same effect on you guys. First off, you can’t plan your way into happiness. Some of us knew exactly what we wanted to do after high school. Some of us changed our minds every semester. And some of us are still figuring it out. And that’s okay because we are living in a very uncertain world. Sometimes, the best parts of life happen when you stop planning and just say yes. You don’t always find joy by following a script. Some of life’s greatest adventures begin the moment you stop overthinking and just go for it. If we’re always overthinking or overplanning, then we’re not truly present. We have to write our own story…one moment at a time. That means being aware, staying curious, and leaving room for change. My little extra significance for me. This is my first full academic year as Superintendent of Schools — a fact that several people have pointed out to me in recent days, including your Class Vice President, Manal Bouhou. In addition, as many of you know, my office has been temporarily located at Everett High School. And let me tell you — this has given me the unique chance to fully experience life inside one of largest and most diverse high schools in Massachusetts. I have been inspired by being with you and among you, observing and absorbing the rhythm and energy you create every day. Watching you learn. Watching you compete and perform. And, most of all, watching you interact with each other and your teachers, proves to me that we have not only educated you but have readied you to be influencers and change-makers in a more culmom has a passion for photography, and I’ve come to really admire how she freezes moments in time, creating little pieces of memories we can hold onto. But I’ve also learned something else: if you’re always behind the lens, you might miss the actual moment. Being fully present—eyes open, heart engaged—is the real memory-maker. Some of my favorite memories didn’t come from a todo list. They came from saying yes to something unexpected. Spontaneity is where the stories live. The kind that starts with, “Okay, so we weren’t planning to, but…” and ends with something you’ll talk about for years. For example, we planned our senior prank 12 hours before it happened. Now we have a story to tell. The truth is being spontaneous isn’t just about doing fun things. It’s about trusting yourself enough to take a chance. It’s about knowing that even if it doesn’t work out exactly the way you thought it would, you’re still going to have a story to tell, a memory that’s yours, or a mistake to learn from. Mistakes teach more than perfection ever could. Perturally sensitive and mutually accepting society. This was especially true over the past several weeks, as we held a series of celebratory events that led up to tonight’s graduation ceremony. Whether it was seeing you arrive at Senior Prom — all style and smiles — or graciously accepting academic honors and/or scholarships inside the Everett High School Auditorium, you have brought honor to your families, our school district, our city and beyond. We leave here tonight, with so much pride, and so much accomplished. We will wake up tomorrow to a new day, knowing that the future is yet to be realized by all of you. On behalf of the Everett Public Schools, we are proud of the mark you have left on Everett High School and the impact I know you will have on our futures. So, to the members of the Class of 2025: You did it! Let’s hear it for our graduates! fection might feel safe, but it doesn’t challenge us. Mistakes, on the other hand, force us to think differently, to adapt, and most importantly, to grow. Every wrong turn, every failed attempt, every “I wish I’d done that differently” moment all carry a lesson that perfection can’t offer. You don’t grow by staying in your comfort zone, and you don’t learn from the things you’ve never dared to try. Growth happens when we make mistakes, and wisdom begins the moment we embrace them. Look, even if you zoned out during the last few minutes and didn’t catch what I’ve been saying … just remember this … Nike was onto something with that motto. Sometimes, you’ve really gotta just do it. If we are always planning, then we are just humans doing rather than humans being. Listen to that again… If we are always planning…then we are just humans doing…rather than humans being. So to the Class of 2025, I hope you take the risk, ask the question, have fun, and say yes to something unexpected. You won’t always get it right—but you’ll always get a story. And sometimes, that’s even better.”
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