A sign celebrating the Class of 2021 waves outside AMSA’s campus in Marlborough.
By Dakota Antelman, Managing Editor
MARLBOROUGH – The Advanced Math and Science Academy in Marlborough moved forward with its graduation on June 4.
Held at the ForeKicks soccer complex just steps from the AMSA campus, the graduation featured messages of hope and gratitude as the COVID-19 pandemic looks to fade from prominence.
“I’m glad we made this happen,” Principal Michael Nawrocki said.
With Athletic Director Peter Jones spearheading planning conversations between AMSA and ForeKicks, the school and the sports facility it already leans on to host its athletic competitions organized seating and staging for a sprawling event.
By the time he took the microphone, Nawrocki estimated the crowd numbered over 1,000 people.
This alone, he said, marked a milestone.
“It’s been a long time since many of us have been in a crowd this big,” he said.
Celebrating lifted restrictions that allowed the AMSA community to celebrate its Class of 2021 with a semblance of normalcy, Nawrocki acknowledged lingering challenges that vexed their ceremony.
“We’re here right now,” he said. “[We’re glad] the weather held out for us.”
As the school gathered, rain from storms which doused the region over the weekend clung to signage and some seats.
This was a challenge schools across the region faced this year as many transitioned their events, long held indoors, back to outdoor facilities.
For AMSA, that tradition was especially noteworthy as it moved its events from their traditional home at the Hanover Theater in Worcester to ForeKicks.
In that, though, Nawrocki found a silver lining.
“It feels good to be so close to home,” he said.
See the complete livestream of AMSA’s graduation at https://www.facebook.com/AMSACharterSchool/.
