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Governor Patrick Honors NHS Inductees

By Selma Nuhic: This year's National Honor Society Induction Dinner on March 7th 2007 was one to remember, especially as I was part of it. The event was rehearsed for several days and thought out carefully. Mrs. Debbie Miller, The NHS advisor, insisted on nothing short of perfection. Why? In case you hadn't heard, our keynote speaker was Massachusetts's new governor, Deval Patrick!

It was an honor to have him come to our school. He took time out of his busy life to join us on this evening, and we all thank him for doing so. And like dropping a large stone in a small pool, word that the governor was coming had weighty effect. Other prestigious attendees were Dr. Robert Brown, President of Boston University, State Representatives Kathi Anne Reinstein and Eugene O'Flaherty, City Manager Jay Ash, School Committee Chairman James Dwyer. Of course all the administrators from our district and the high school were there along with lots of faculty, proud parents, and friends. The induction went very smoothly; there was a huge crowd, a lot of media, and everyone was looking great! None of this was possible without Ms. Miller. As Governor Patrick said in his speech, her letter of invitation to him was so heartfelt and compelling, "“It made it to the top of my pile."

As the evening began cameras started flashing and more people started coming in. As we were all called to come on stage, all the members walked in smoothly, said the pledge, and sat down in their seats, just like we rehearsed. NHS's president Krystal Crespo began the induction by giving a speech and introducing speakers.

Not to downplay Deval Patrick, but perhaps the most important speech of the night was the short address given by B.U. President Brown. He noted that the next school year was the final one in the Chelsea-B.U. Partnership. Despite the conclusion of B.U.'s management of Chelsea School District, Dr. Brown said that B. U. would continue to provide four full scholarships to CHS graduates. His announcement drew loud applause from all present.

A few minutes passed and Deval Patrick came into the auditorium. Mr. Orlov introduced him as the audience clapped. Mr. Patrick came in with a few bodyguards - after all he is the governor! Governor Patrick took his seat on stage and looked very happy to be there. After the new members were inducted, Governor Patrick gave his speech. He said he was there to honor and celebrate the young people's accomplishments and achievements in the community. He basically told us that anything is possible; he told us that we have a chance to do something. He influenced us by saying that he started out in a similar situation as we are in today, and we can do the same thing that he has done. He grew up in the Southside of Chicago, a bad neighborhood, but he still made it to being a leader in society. Following Governor Patrick's speech the actual inductions took place. The new members were called up one by one and were given their membership card, certificate, and were pinned by the governor himself!

Jacqueline Feregrino, '06 was the Honor Society Alumna speaker. She injected humor into her discussion of the challenges and delights of college and her debt to CHS teachers and friends.

Governor Patrick seemed to thoroughly enjoy his evening at Chelsea High. After the Induction was over, the governor stayed on stage to take many pictures and sign autographs. After all, the induction was pretty close to perfect, except for the difficulty lighting the candles, which actually added some appreciated levity to the ceremony when Governor Patrick and Principal Orlov came to the rescue. Everyone was dressed to impress, the governor himself was there to honor us, there was a good vibe, and lots of proud parents sat in the audience. A feast of hors d'oeuvres and scrumptious desserts followed the ceremony. On a final note, on behalf of the whole National Honor Society and our school, I'd like to thank Governor Patrick for joining us, and Ms. Miller, the administration, and all the NHS members for making our night possible.

Article posted to chs.chelseaschools.com: .

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Learned all the SAT words already, you snicker? No problem, overus achieverus.
Random step you can take to help reduce global warming number 5 is...

• Do not leave appliances on standby -- Use the "on/off" function on the machine itself. A TV set that's switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode.