Madison Frost hasn't missed a day of school since she started kindergarten at Stanley Elementary School in 2003.
When asked how she accomplished such a feat, she said humbly "I just wanted to go to school."
The 11-year-old old student was honored yesterday with a certificate of perfect attendance during a fifth-grade celebration at the school.
Students and parents gathered in the school's gymnasium yesterday, where the walls were decorated with construction paper silhouettes of students.
The children sang "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers and several awards were distributed honoring students' achievements. Assistant Principal Thomas Lefort read, class-by-class, the names of students ready to advance into one of the city's two middle schools.
"I'm feeling excited," said Even Chmura, wearing a white graduation cap with his tassel resting on the right fold. "I think I'm going to miss a lot of stuff here."
Yesterday's ceremony was special, being the first class to have spent its entire elementary school career at the school, which opened in 2003.
Former Mayor William Stanley, for whom the school is named, spoke at the ceremony.
"The school bears my name. Certainly it's something not too many people (experience) in their lifetime, a least not while they're alive," he said. "I come every year to give out awards. Now, hearing that this is the first class going all the way through, it's a unique situation. It makes me very proud."
Stanley said during his 14 years as mayor, he helped secure state funding in order to create new schools in the district. Because of his efforts, the school was named in his honor.
"During that timeframe we received permanent funding from the state to rebuild or renovate new schools throughout the city," he said. "Between the superintendent and I and the School Committee, we persevered in this effort. We went to the (then state Department of Education) headquarters in Malden and were successful in our requests to convince them this was necessary in Waltham."
Principal Marcia Pertuz, who is retiring this year, said goodbye to her students and also announced that LeFort would be taking over as principal next year.
"Of course this is my last group of fifth-graders. I think it's wonderful that it's their last year completing this cycle of a whole elementary school career here," she said. "Also, I feel very confident that I'm leaving the school in capable hands. I'm going to miss everyone."
Other honored students included George Papachristos, who was recognized for winning third place in the Massachusetts Science Poetry Contest, in which he competed against 1,500 students from different cities and towns and their poetry-writing skills earlier this year.
A William F. Stanley Outstanding Student Award was presented to Pranav Nagalamadaka, 11, for academic excellence.
"I feel really happy. I'm doing well and am looking forward to having a good year," he said. "(I'll miss) all the teachers and the students and my classmates."
Jeff Gilbride can be reached at 781-398-8005 or at jgilbrid@cnc.com
