Why is Wilmington Unique?

The Fourth of July building in Wilmington.

In America every summer on the fourth of July we celebrate our country's Independence from Great Britain in the American Revolution. This holiday is celebrated with barbecues, fireworks and family. Patriotism can be tasted all around the states and especially in Wilmington, Massachusetts. Here, in Wilmington, one of our oldest and most patriotic buildings is our 4th of July building. Located in the center of Wilmington the 4th of July building sits behind our town's common, dressed appropriately in red, white and blue (the colors of the American Flag). Here during the fourth of July in Wilmington you can find our 4th of July building swarmed with people as our annual 4th of July carnival overtakes our town common and is filled with family and friends all coming together to celebrate our country's independence. Not too far behind our 4th of July building lies Wilmington’s Senior Center.  The people who work here make it their mission that everyday be full of fun to keep the residents happy.  By having the senior citizens participate in the town’s activities, we are able to maintain a common celebration that allows Wilmington’s residents to work together and become closer as a community.  

The destruction of the old Wilmington High School.

The self-refilling water station in the high school.

The memory of an important piece of Wilmington’s past lies destroyed outside the windows of a new, high-tech high school.  While school is in session, students have the ability to look out their classroom windows and see their old school being torn down.  It is uncommon for this to happen; to have a demolition zone right next to a school full of people does not sound like a normal thing, but as of the moment, it is normal for us.  As a community, we take pride in not only our town, but also our school. This new school was long overdue, but it was worth the wait with all of the 21st century features it offers to us, the students. In my opinion, one of the coolest advancements is the self-refilling water station. This means that anyone can take their empty water bottle and fill it back up in seconds. It’s a perfect way to encourage recycling of plastics and to save money. Another interesting feature are the lunchrooms that offer small side rooms where people that want to escape the noise and chaos of the main cafeteria can go to sit and talk with their friends in a quieter environment. They’re practically soundproof. The final thing that I really like about the new school is the large emphasis on safety. Wilmington puts a large focus on protecting their students, which makes coming to school everyday that much easier. In every hallway there is a red AED safety kit. In the case of an emergency, the kit will provide an electric shock to someone whose heart stops beating. Another piece of safety equipment are yellow lifts that are by each window and can be used to get to the ground outside in the case of a fire.

A club form in the hallway of Wilmington high school.

Out of the many events and activities there are provided in Wilmington, there is a significant common theme involving school clubs and organizations. There is a variety of school clubs open to numerous abilities and interests, that are offered after school. From academic clubs to other activities, you will find a broad range of school club varieties. There’s also a noticeable emphasis involving the school community about being together and forming friendships. For example, one of the clubs offered is called Best buddies. This is primarily targeted for students who have disabilities, such as special needs. This helps to bring them together and encourages interaction, often within their interests. Another special organization is the Bread and roses. Bread and roses serves the community by providing meals for needy people in the area. Students who participate in Bread and Roses project have come together from a diverse student organizations. These students are dedicated to helping others and have committed to providing Bread and Roses with one meal a month. A great organization we also provide is the Environmental club which is a student-centered club to to help form, improve and protect the environment. This club also raises awareness.

By Mike Gake, Sammy Rideout, Mikaila Russell, & Saira Bhatti