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Community Corner

BHS Post-Graduation Party - June 8, 2014

For 23 years, the Burlington community has come together to host an all-night celebration for the graduating high school class.

For seniors, it’s a highly anticipated event. For their parents, it eliminates worries about their child’s safety on graduation night.

Since its inception, no Burlington graduates have been involved in alcohol-related accidents on their graduation night. Typically, more than 90 percent of graduates attend. Planning for the event began in January by parent-volunteers. The event also depends on donations from residents and businesses for money, prizes and food. The reward is an investment in students that is paid back each year as the tradition grows.

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On the Friday prior to graduation weekend, parent and student volunteers transformed the high school cafeterias into a Mardi Gras party.  On Sunday, graduates checked in between 10 and 11 p.m. The party continued until 5 a.m. Monday, at which time parents of seniors arrived to clean-up.

The Post-Grad Party is a night of food, festivities and friendship for all who attend. The evening of Sunday, June 8, 2014 began with a comedy-hypnotist show involving BHS graduates.  The acts included Nick Silva who thought toilet paper was $10,000 bills, so he stuffed his pockets and t-shirt with toilet paper.   Mike Gulesarian could not find his way to the bathroom, so he asked the hypnotist.  The hypnotist directed him to ask his principal and then a patrolman who was on duty at the party.  Mike was later Miley Cyrus.  April Adams, Kayla Mungillo, Kathleen Coveno, Allie Hardy and Raxa Patel took turns becoming Power Rangers, and later, beautiful and talented ballerinas.

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Shane Farley, Liam Noone, Mike Garcia, Tanaka Chibanda, Nick Silva, Mike Gulesarian  and Andrew Kolifrath were body builders, and then One Direction.  At times they were stuck to their chairs, and were champions of Hide & Go Seek.

 

The audience (their classmates) really had a lot of laughs.  Once the show was over, seniors enjoyed sumo wrestling; bungee relay race; casino roulette, texas hold ‘em and black-jack tables; caricature artists; a roving magician; 2 Tarot card readers, DJ, Microsoft video game console, ping-pong, air hockey, air-brush tattoos and more!  The Seniors participated and enjoyed the many activities right up until 5 am.

 

When the graduates left at 5 am, they took with them goodie bags and a Memory book.  A few lucky Seniors won Red Sox tickets (donated by Rick and Janice Bertolami), Bose earbuds (donated by the Desrocher Family) and 3-$50 Amazon Gift Cards.

The committee would like to thank all of the parents who volunteered to chaperone the event.  This party would not be possible without their help.

The Post Grad Party Committee also appreciates the following individuals and companies for their contributions:

Major funding: Burlington Police Command Officers Union; Burlington Police Patrolman’s Association; Atlantic Charter Insurance Co.; Roche Bros.; Microsoft

Sponsors: AAA; American Legion Millican-MacKenzie Post; Burlington Firefighters (IAFF Local 2313); Burlington Knights of Columbus; Burlington Project DARE; Burlington Recreation Dept.; Burlington Rotary Club; Burlington Schools Secretaries Union; Burstone Associates, Inc.; Brian & Gayle Curtin; W. Gochis Insurance Agency, Inc.;  Gulde Insurance Agency; K & R Tree Landscape Co. ; Joe & Marilyn Keohane; Mount Hope Christian Center; Northern Bank & Trust; Orange Leaf; The Printing Place; PTSO – BHS; PTO’s - Francis Wyman, MSMS, Memorial and Pine Glen; Riemer & Braunstein; Saint Margaret’s Church; Shea, Murphy & Gulde

 

Class of 2014 T-Shirts, with a logo designed by senior Erin Savage, are sponsored by the Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce.  The donors who funded T-shirts for every senior are: Bay Path College; Cambridge Savings Bank; Equity Office; EXIT Realty–Sonia Rollins; The Gutierrez Company; KINGS; Lahey Clinic; Long’s Fine Jewelers; Oracle; Riemer & Braunstein; Used Book Superstore.

Door prize donations: Bed Bath & Beyond; True North; Chateau.

Food donations: Delicious Desserts; Dunkin’ Donuts; Flatbread Company; LaCascia’s Bakery; Market Basket; Newtowne Grille; Not Your Average Joe’s; Sal’s Pizza; Schoolhouse Ice Cream; Shaws; Starbucks; True North.

Many parents of high school students also supported the event with donations matching their child’s year of graduation ($20.14, $20.15, etc.). The names of donors, along with our other sponsors, will soon be posted on our website:  http://bhspostgradparty.weebly.com/.

 

 

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