The new science wing at Melrose High School was unveiled Thursday morning.
At 10 a.m., the ceremony kicked off with opening remarks by Mayor Rob Dolan.
The science wing, created using federal stimulus funding, was completed on deadline and under budget thanks in part to City Planner Denise Gaffey, according to Dolan. After the presentation, Dolan noted the project came in about $400,000 under budget.
In October 2012, the Massachusetts School Building Authority awarded $3.1 million in grants for the science lab project, according to a Boston Globe report. The 18,000-square-foot science wing, which features state-of-the-art equipment inside nine classrooms, was estimated to cost $6 million, according to Dolan.
Local and state officials were in attendance, including State Treasurer Steve Grossman and Secretary of Education Matthew Malone.
Grossman called Melrose a "city of pioneers" for their efforts to improve the educational atmosphere. According to Grossman, Dolan was the first to apply for school science project funding and first to complete a project.
Malone praised Melrose for being "trailblazers" in their commitment to education and the students of the community.
Barbara Hansberry, deputy executive director of the MSBA, lauded Melrose Public Schools for being able to complete the science wing in five months and before the start of the 2013-2014 school year.
Superintendent Cyndy Taymore and Melrose High School Principal Marianne Farrell deemed the unveiling as one of the great days in recent memory at the school.
Check back later with Melrose Patch for more coverage from the unveiling, including video from tours of the new science wing and the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
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