Tracy Fedak and Tracey Rogers

The Trac(e)y’s, Tracy Fedak and Tracey Rogers, were nominated for the Medfield Foundation volunteer awards by Ann Whitla for chairing the All Night Graduation Party (ANGP) for three years.

The Trac(e)y’s and all the other remarkable 2017 volunteer nominees will be feted and honored for their service to the town at the reception at 3 PM on March 19 at The Center.  The public is invited to attend and be inspired – come to hear the magical stories from the nine 2017 volunteers of what they have done, and leave amazed.

Brothers Marketplace is the generous sponsor of the 2017 Medfield Foundation Volunteer Awards, with support also from the Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation.

Below is Ann Whitla’s nomination of The Trac(e)y’s:

Representing an army of All Night Graduation Party volunteers who happily toil under
the brilliant leadership and tireless efforts of Tracy Fedak and Tracey Rogers, I enthusiastically nominate “The Trac(e)ys” for the Medfield Foundation’s Volunteer of the Year Award.

The All Night Graduation Party (ANGP), celebrating its 25th year in 2017, takes place at
Medfield High School from 9pm – Sam on graduation night and is one of the most highly anticipated traditions for Medfield graduates. Over 4,500 MHS seniors have celebrated their graduation at the ANGP and each year, 97% of the graduating class (200+ students) attend this extraordinary event. MHS is truly transformed for the ANGP, with 15 distinct areas of the school decorated in the spirit of that year’s theme. So complete is the transformation that students often forget they’re at school. Instead, they might enter the world of Harry Potter or Candy Land, or the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Beyond the phenomenal decorating, the party is buzzing all night long with activities to delight and entertain for eight full hours, from dancing and blackjack to jumping castles and magicians. At the ANGP, kids who have been together since kindergarten come together for one last joyous gathering – a festive farewell that requires a community of volunteers to pull off, and the leadership of The Trac(e)ys.

ACTION – what do the nominees actually do

2017 marks the third year Tracy Fedak and Tracey Rogers have co-chaired the ANGP, an eight hour event that requires nine months of planning and execution.

In 2016, work began even earlier, as The Trac(e)ys decided to participate in Medfield
Day to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the ANGP. Their award-winning booth raised
much needed funds and significantly raised awareness of the event within the greater
Medfield community.

Party planning begins in October, as The Trac(e)ys recruit captains to head up
decorating, fundraising, food and beverage, prizes and gifts, and chaperone
coordination. They also recruit the 100+ volunteers required to assist these captains.
They also oversee early stage meetings where the party theme is established and nine
month plans are put in place. Every decision is made with the graduating seniors in
mind – what will make it festive and fun and memorable for them.

Throughout, The Trac(e)ys also manage the enormous fundraising arm necessary to
pull off such a large scale event. The cost of the ANGP is typically $30,000-35,000, or
$150 per student – a bargain for an eight-hour non-stop extravaganza. The ANGP
receives no funding from the school and, while much of the funding comes through
contributions by graduates’ families, all contributions are voluntary. The party is open to all graduates regardless of their ability to contribute. The ANGP Fashion Show (another tradition, where senior students model the latest prom fashions), a solicitation mailing to all Medfield residents, and a one-day fundraiser at Roche Brothers provide additional funds, all managed by The Trac(e)ys. The Trac(e)ys’ fundraising efforts mean that every year they’re able to break even.

In January and February, The Trac(e)ys meet with the decorating captains  (one-on-one and at larger meetings) to ensure all the captains understand the theme and have a plan for their designated area. They brainstorm the design, needed materials, and how to display the theme in the best possible way, while still allowing for the safe movement of kids in each room. January is also the time when The Trac(e)ys work with the Fashion Show co-chairs to begin planning that event.
Every Wednesday night, from the first of March through graduation, The Trac(e)ys host decorating workshops, assisting the decorating captains and their teams of volunteers to help bring their artistic vision to life. The Trac(e)ys purchase supplies, coordinate collections of craft materials, and all the while, behind the scenes, continue to head up fundraising, safety, banking, prize and gift purchasing, chaperone recruitment, and record keeping.

And then the party weekend arrives. The Trac(e)ys coordinate the transformation of a school into a party in just a matter of hours. The school is turned over to the ANGP at 3pm on Friday. The Trac(e)ys lead the 100+ volunteers who work into the night (and often into Saturday morning), installing the elaborate decorations and setting up food stations and entertainment venues. Everything must be completed by Saturday, when the Fire and Police Chiefs come through to perform their inspections. Saturday afternoon The Trac(e)ys play host to the Medfield public, who are invited to tour and admire the amazing display (if you haven’t yet done this, I encourage you to go – you will be blown away!). The Trac(e)ys host another tour, for the graduates’ families, following graduation on Sunday afternoon. Graduates themselves are not allowed in ahead of the party – the theme and decorations are a closely guarded secret.

During the event itself, The Trac(e)ys oversee all aspects of the party. They manage the arrival and display of food and beverages (with multiple vendors providing a  variety of food choices, staggered throughout the night). Each student leaves the party with several gifts and prizes (typically dorm room items), which have been coordinated, shopped for and delivered to the school by another host of volunteers,  under the direction of The Trac(e)ys. They also oversee the Volunteer Chairs, who coordinate the staffing of chaperones across three different time slots. When the party ends at Sam, another team of volunteers comes in to disassemble and clean the entire space. Just two hours later, at ?am, undergraduates arrive for Monday morning classes.

Following the party, The Trac(e)ys catalog and store all reusable decorations and
supplies, conduct follow up meetings and surveys to collect feedback for the following
year, and wrap up the financial paperwork.

NEED – what community need do they address

The ANGP provides Medfield’s graduates with a phenomenal, inclusive, memorable, safe, and drug and alcohol-free evening – with nearly 100% participation. In fact, the Medfield ANGP is so good that The Trac(e)ys often host visits by other school committees looking to emulate Medfield’s success.

In the words of Police Chief Meaney, “In many communities, graduation night is a night when you hope that nothing bad happens. Unfortunately, having hope about anything is very nice but it is not a plan to deal with a situation. In Medfield, we have a positive event for each Medfield High School graduate to attend. That is what the All Night Graduation Party accomplishes with style and surprise each year. I went to several as a parent and I have attended each one since 2006 as Chief. The best part is watching the expression on the faces of the new alumni as they walk into a building that has been transformed. The number of young people who I watch and listen to each year as they come up to parent volunteers and sincerely thank them for their efforts is remarkable. You know you have filled a need when you see the expression on their faces. It is always the best part of the night for me.”

IMPACT – how does their work make a difference

The Medfield community comes together to ensure our children are well-cared for on a night that could otherwise go disastrously wrong. It’s an opportunity for parents and
friends of graduating seniors to give their children one last wonderful gift before leaving.

Again, Chief Meaney writes, “As far as impact, the record will show that nearly all the
graduates show up that night. Some of these young adults have been together since pre-K and this will be the last time that they are all together in one place. They don’t want to miss it. I rest much easier that night knowing where most of the graduating class is. There is a lot of supervision that night but you really don’t see the graduates’ fun being the least bit crushed. They have a brilliant time. All you have to do is be there for a couple hours to understand the positive impact of this night.”

INSPIRE – in what ways do they inspire others to contribute

From several ANGP volunteers inspired by the work and leadership of The Trac(e)ys:

“The Trac(e)ys exude enthusiasm, high energy, and fun, which is how they recruit the 100+ volunteers required for this event. For months, they roll up their sleeves and keep the laughs coming. They lead, they manage, they oversee – but by all means, they work, right alongside every other volunteer, to make every ANGP the best it can be. Volunteers are motivated to do their best because of the passion and commitment of The Trac(e)ys, and we have a great time along the way, enjoying the preparations as
much as the graduating seniors enjoy the party itself.”

“The Trac(e)ys together make an incredible team. Both have competencies that play off each other and allow them to successfully create and lead a huge team of volunteers to a truly fabulous result. Tracy Fedak has boundless energy and an artistic eye. Tracey Rogers is detail oriented, organized and works behind the scenes diligently to manage the administrative process. They bring out the best in each other as well as the best in everyone else. They inspire all of us to contribute, to work hard, and to have fun.”

“It seems a natural fit that Tracey Rogers and Tracy Fedak would take the reins as ANGP co-chairs. Both are born hostesses with a great knack for entertaining and hospitality. Oftentimes, Tracey and Tracy open their homes for ANGP committee and decorating meetings, putting out a spread of food and drink and making everyone feel welcome. Remarkably, they pulled off one of the most amazingly decorated ANGPs for a large class that included their own children. That gift of time and dedication speaks volumes.”

And finally, from Robert Parga, Principal of Medfield High School:

“The All-Night Grad Party is an event that our seniors look forward to each year. It’s an opportunity for them to celebrate one last time as a class and to share memories and reflect on their time as students in the Medfield Public Schools. Most importantly, the event provides a safe and supportive social environment for the graduates. I have always been amazed at the amount of work that goes into putting that whole night together. Tracy Fedak and Tracey Rodgers have spent countless hours over the past several years volunteering their time to the Medfield High School community. What
they have done with the ANGP is above and beyond what any school could ask for. They are creating memories for our students and their efforts are to be applauded.”

POST SCRIPT:

As if their work co-chairing the ANGP isn’t enough, The Trac(e)ys donate their time in other ways as well. Tracy Fedak joined the Blake PTO as co-president shortly after moving to Medfield and performs volunteer work at her church.

Tracey Rogers has been very active in Girl Scouts, is co-vice president at the Medfield Food Cupboard, ran the Rocky Woods Feast at Wheelock as well as the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon at Blake.

Thank you for your consideration of this nomination. For any additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Ann Whitla
419 Main Street
Medfield
617-763-8775
ann.humphrey@gmail.com