FITCHBURG — The sun shone brightly over the Fitchburg State University campus for the Undergraduate Commencement on May 16, casting a golden glow on the sea of caps and gowns. For Kelly Calamari, a proud Fitchburg State alumna of the classes of ’96 and ’99, the day was a beautiful, emotional collision of her past and her students’ futures.
As Calamari stood among the fellow alumni, her mind drifted back nearly 15 years to a classroom at Templeton Elementary School. She had only taught first grade for two years, but that first class had left an indelible mark on her heart. In her mind’s eye, she didn’t see graduating young women; she saw three little girls with natural leadership abilities who practically ran her classroom.
“I could rely on any of them to lead the morning meeting while I prepared the day’s first lesson,” said Calamari…