The Pride of the Wildcats

Wednesday, September 14, 2005 was a red-letter day in the history of the Waterbury School system and Wilby High School in particular. On that day Wilby High School retired the number of an exceptional student and basketball player. As far as this blogger can remember, this is the first number ever retired by a Waterbury Public School.

Ryan Gomes, Wilby High School Class of 2000, has done what every person who cares about the city of Waterbury hoped he would do. A star on the basketball court, Ryan went to Providence College, earned a degree along with his many basketball honors, and was drafted in the second round of this years NBA draft by the Boston Celtics.

But the awards, the honors, the money, they are all well documented in the local paper, and the NBA materials. What was most important though was the speech that Ryan delivered to the students of Wilby High when he returned to receive his special honor.

Ryan told the students what their teachers have been telling them for days, months, or even years. To succeed in life a student needs to be invested in their education, never give up on learning, and respect those who are trying to help them get ahead. Ryan paid tribute to his former teachers, his late coach Reggie O'Brien (in whose honor the Wilby Gym is named), and his parents. He didn't sugar coat the situation, he didn't brag about how easy it was, or how much money he had. Instead he simply told the students what all high school students need to remember...The world is open in front of you, if you are willing to work for it.

Ryan is a shining example of what a graduate from the Waterbury Public School system could be. Not only a great basketball player, he devoted his time to self-improvement and learning. That he completed his degree is a testament to his work ethic and sensibility. And his respect for his former teachers, even five years after graduation, shows just how much he loves his home town.

All Waterbury students, and a few Waterbury residents can take a page from Ryan's life. He never backed down, never gave up, and now has a (hopefully) prosperous career ahead of him in the NBA. I wish Ryan all the success he can handle, because he showed me, and all of Wilby on Wednesday, that no matter what happens, he will always remember, and honor, where he came from.

Forgotten Wonders

As the Labor Day weekend approaches the signs of fall in New England are all around us.  The students are returning to school, the summer heat and humidity is starting to break (hopefully), and a certain feeling of apathy creeps into the air.

It is this apathy that I wish to address in this post.  It seems that all to often we Waterburians forget about the wonderful gems that are right here in the city.  A classic example of this forgetfulness was seen in Waterbury’s own Farmers Market on the Green today.  First opening on July 14, the Farmers Market is a wonderful opportunity for local citizens to take a quick break from work and pick up some wonderful, Connecticut grown, produce.  As it is a new market, it is quite small, but that fact should not detract people from stopping by.  I have made it a point to visit the Market every week this summer, and I have almost always walked away with delicious fruit and vegetables from the vendors.

When the Market first opened it was a wonderful success.  People were coming out of the office buildings, musicians were playing, and everyone seemed excited about the opportunity that was provided them.  This is not the only Farmers Market in the city, but it is the only one that is downtown, on what was referred to at the opening as “Our Green”.  For the first few weeks, the organizers from Main Street Waterbury were quite happy with the turnout.  However, now that we have reached September, the aforementioned apathy has crept in.  The crowd on the Green on September 1 was atrocious.  To think that the workers and visitors to downtown good just think of this Market as just another novelty is insulting to the city.  Anyone who has lived in New England for any amount of time, knows how the weather and the fruit crops change throughout the year.  When the market opened there were peaches, as we reached August blackberries, and yellow watermelon.  Who knows what will be coming up through the weeks, before the Market closes on October 28?

Waterbury, you need to realize that there are great things happening in the city, and that these things are not all gimmicks.  The people who organized this farmers market are not looking for any gain, but for a new life in the city.  They remember the days when the green and downtown used to be a center of activity, especially when the high schools were all located there.  This is something that was setup to last, not only until October, but also for years to come.  We cannot allow this wonderful event fall by the wayside, just because of cynicism and apathy.

I’m not suggesting that everyone come downtown and lay out $20 to $30 each week for the next 8 weeks.  That would be overkill.  But the citizens and employees of Waterbury should at least stop down and enjoy the nice weather, and maybe pick up a $3 bag of apples, or some squash.  We owe it to the city that we call home to stop down and show our support, to remind ourselves that Waterbury is what we, as it citizens choose to make it.  I choose to make it a city on the way up, with wonderful opportunities to shop, and a plethora of things to do.  I see no reason why you should not do the same.

Welcome to the Second Generation

This will not be a place of political infighting or griping. Instead of long discussions of the topic of the day and all that's wrong with it, or how people are going to have their taxes skyrocket, we will instead discuss topics such as the accomplishments of Main Street Waterbury, the reconstruction of East Main Street, and especially the achievements of Waterbury Students.

This blog is intended to allow people to add their own events, topics, and opinions to the discussion. The tone of the blog will remain positive overall, however, no matter how negative the outside commentator may be.

As we know all to well it is easy for Waterbury residents to be jaded and frustrated with all the politicians and commissions who talk of change, improvement, and a better tomorrow, but don't deliver. This has created a group of people who are quick to criticize about the choices being made; yet they rarely offer a solution. Those people, whether they intend to or not, are polluting the spirit of Waterbury. They are leaving us with that familiar "Here we go again" taste in our mouth. We can change that, we can give them something else to feast their minds on, something that's a lot better then the same old negativity.

This is not just a chance for us to be on the internet, but also a chance to get the word out and help in the revitalization of Waterbury. As we all well know people need to start seeing Waterbury as a place to come to and a place to stay in. We may not reach a large audience on "blogger", but a small ripple, with the right help, can grow into tides of change. Fortunately, the tides of change are starting to move already; they just need a little extra push.

We are hoping that you will be willing to join us in providing this push. With enough support and people behind us, we can make Waterbury a city of the future, despite what the critics may say.