Page 10 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2021 2021 | FROM PAGE 9 of their senior year on Zoom, the members of the Everett High School Class of 2021 united for the traditional graduation ceremony they deserved. Looking out over a sea of crimson, State Senator Sal DiDomenico said “perseverance” is the word he would use to describe this year’s senior class. “You persevered through one of the worst times in world history,” he said during the June 9 ceremony at Everett Veterans Memorial Stadium. With two children in high school, DiDomenico said, he was all too familiar with the challenges of learning from home. “Remote learning was not easy,” he said. DiDomenico also said that oftentimes residents who live in the suburbs will simply say they are from Boston or the Boston area. However, he advised the graduates not to do that. “Don’t forget where you came from; say you came from Everett, Massachusetts,” he said. “You will forever be connected to Everett High School.” DiDomenico reminded the graduates that being a good person exceeds any other accomplishment. “At the end of the day, no one is going to care how much money you have in your bank account or what title you have,” he said. In addition, he told the graduates that they were only in first grade when he joined the Senate in May 2010. “I’ve seen you grow. I’ve seen how you act in the community,” he said. State Representative Joseph look for the helpers,” he said. During her keynote address, Tahiliani said she had only been at the helm for nine days when the pandemic struck in March 2020. “You’ve all gotten here on a very similar road together,” she said. “You are a graduating class that will go down in history.” She also said the graduates had a firm understanding of the greater good and had always conducted themselves with “integrity and grace.” In April, State Senator Sal DiDomenico was instrumental in garnering millions of additional dollars for Everett from the American Rescue Plan Act. (File Photo) McGonagle said the past 14 months were challenging not just because of the pandemic, but also because of political and social turmoil. “It was real easy to look at the negative, but you didn’t,” he said. McGonagle said that early on in the pandemic, a massive effort was underway to distribute meals to students, purchase hundreds of new Chromebooks and ensure that everyone had Internet access. “Teachers worked twice as hard to adapt to remote learning,” he said. “Everywhere we looked there were helpers, all of you were helpers.” Therefore, McGonagle advised the class to seek out the good even in the darkest of times. “Remember to always “Our wishes for you are very simple: We just want you to enjoy,” she said. With the pandemic being so unpredictable, Valedictorian Karen Portillo said, for several months she and her classmates were unsure about graduation. “We didn’t even know if this was going to happen at all,” she said. Portillo recognized her fellow graduates as being champions of the Black Lives Matter movement and as defenders of the Asian American Pacific Islander community. “We believe that love is love,” she said. “We will not sit by while injustice still exists.” In addition, Portillo said it was her hope that Everett had made a “lasting impression” on her classmates as they ventured out into the world. “Know that Everett has your back,” she said. Salutatorian Tina Nguyen remembered when the schools were forced to close because of the pandemic. “We didn’t think it would last that long,” said Nguyen, adding that she and her classmates were certain they would be back in school by June 2020. However, she said, the lack of social engagement and the infamous senioritis began to take their toll as the months wore on. “We just had to go with the flow,” she said. “Life isn’t always smooth like butter.” Having graduated from Everett High School 30 years earlier, DeMaria also recognized the resilience shown by the Class of 2021. “You’ve had more obstacles than any other class in Everett High School history,” he said. “COVID tried to knock you down, but you didn’t let it.” DeMaria also encouraged the graduates to pursue their passions. “Things are going to happen that you don’t expect,” he said. “Don’t let others tell you that you can’t do it. Love who you are.” Matewsky returns to City Council Having been sidelined by a heart attack while vacationing in Florida earlier in the year, Wayne Matewsky was finally able to resume his duties as City Council president. “Three months ago, I went to Florida for a rest,” he said during the council’s June 14 meeting. He never imagined that eight days later he would suffer a massive heart attack that almost took his life. However, there happened 2021 | SEE PAGE 11 New Residential Parking Sticker Program to take effect Jan. 3 M ayor Carlo DeMaria recently announced the official start date for the 2022 Residential Parking Sticker Program. Effective Monday, January 3, vehicle owners must submit an online application in order to obtain their parking sticker for 2022. After a resident has successfully submitted an online application, they will receive a confirmation email. Once the resident’s information is verified, they will receive an additional email to confirm that the order has been successfully processed. The parking sticker will then be mailed to the resident. Residents may apply for up to four stickers per online application. Information required to complete the application includes: • Full name • Address • Phone number • Email address • License plate number • Name that appears on the registration Resident stickers for 2022 must be obtained and displayed on the vehicle prior to March 1. As a courtesy, from January 3 to February 28, stickers may be obtained for free. The $10 fee per sticker will be reinstated on March 1. Please be advised that in order for a resident sticker to be approved, the vehicle must be registered to the City of Everett and be in good standing. If the vehicle has overdue parking tickets or unpaid excise tax, a sticker will not be issued. For residents applying for a first-time sticker, those with new plates or vehicles, please visit City Hall, Room 13 to apply. Please bring your vehicle’s registration and proof of address, such as a driver’s license or current utility bill, to obtain a parking sticker. Please note that beginning on January 3 residents of the Lower Broadway area must visit City Hall, Room 13 in order to renew your Lower Broadway sticker and visitor placard. Please bring your registration, proof of Lower Broadway area address, such as a driver’s license or current utility bill, and last year’s visitor placard to renew. The online application for the Residential Parking Sticker Program can be found at https://epay.cityhallsystems. com. For questions regarding the program or the online application, please contact 311 at 617-394-2270 or the Parking Clerk’s Office at 617394-2295 or 617-394-2275. If you have questions regarding your sticker order status, please contact City Hall Systems at 508-381-5455.
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