MANCHESTER – The fourth edition of CelebratED drew thousands to Veterans’ Park, for a fun day full of performances, recognitions, and, for the first time, a lot of rain.
While organizers worried the persistent precipitation would dampen turnout, it turned out to be less of an issue than they feared. The all-day celebration of our public schools and community – held in partnership with Manchester Proud – drew large crowds to the park throughout the day.
“Despite the rain all day, Manchester School District students and staff shined!” said Manchester Proud’s Community Communication Director, Lauren Boisvert. “Each year, we are blown away by the school’s participation in musical performances, the display of artistry, robotics performances, and everything in between. This year especially, thousands came out in the rain to celebrate the Manchester School District. We are proud of our partnership with the Manchester School District, our community partners, and our business partners who make this event possible.”
Photos: You can find a gallery of photos online by clicking here.
For the first time this year, the District had its own pavilion area for the event, which allowed for representation of many areas of operations, including teaching and learning, human resources, school food and nutrition, school nurses and even the long-term facilities planning project – highlighted by a scale model of the planned new school at Beech Street.
“While our District team has always been involved in the event, this pavilion was a new effort this year,” said Superintendent Jennifer Chmiel. “We have so much great work underway on behalf of our students and families, and we will take every opportunity we have to show that off to our community. Thank you to the District team that was with us Saturday, and thanks especially to our students, families and community members who stopped by to say hello. We’re already looking forward to next year’s event.”
The District’s Fine Arts Director Ed Doyle was part of the organizing committee, and helped oversee student performances throughout the day. Throughout the day, 17 different student groups performed, with many on the main stage and others in the Music Café tent. The rain did have some impact, as student artwork was not on display in the Art Gallery in the Park area.
"It was an incredible experience to see so many students and families come together to support CelebratED,” Doyle said. “The student performances truly highlighted the talent and dedication in our schools, and the day gave us an opportunity to showcase the amazing work happening in our district. We’ve strengthened our connection with the community, and the positive feedback shows.”
Another returning element for this year’s event was the We Show Up contest, in which students announce their arrival by placing a sticker on their school’s sign. This year’s elementary winners were Smyth Road School, and the middle school winners were Hillside. Smyth Road will receive a party sponsored by the SEE Science Center and the Puritan Backroom, and Hillside gets a school-wide demonstration by Central High School’s CHAOS 131 FIRST Robotics team.
CelebratED by the numbers
731 – students who participated in the We Show Up contest
62 – community partner organizations in attendance
26 – business partners who helped fund the event
200 – Game Changer awards presented to students and staff
12,000 – plates handed out for our multicultural food court