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Date: 10/2/2015
CHICOPEE – The city officially dedicated its newly renovated $39 million middle school, located on the site of the former high school, in honor of 1st Sgt. Kevin Dupont, a Chicopee native who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country.
City officials, military leaders, educators and state legislators met on the steps of 1st Sgt. Kevin Dupont Memorial Middle School on Sept. 26 to celebrate Dupont’s life and the refurbished school that bears his name.
Gov. Charlie Baker said naming the middle school was a fitting tribute to Dupont, who graduated from the former high school in 1976 and served for 20 years in the Massachusetts Army National Guard.
Dupont first served the U.S. Marine Corps and later joined the Massachusetts Army National Guard counter drug program full time, before volunteering for a tour of duty in Afghanistan. He was badly injured from improvised explosive device while serving his tour of duty and passed away months later from his wounds in 2009.
“Six months before he retires from active duty, he volunteers to put himself in 
harms way,” Baker said. “Because that’s what men and women in the armed services in this country do. The words courage, determination, grit and perseverance – we throw those words around these days like change. They’re meant for people like Kevin Dupont. They’re supposed to be for the people who put themselves before everybody else. They’re meant to honor those who serve others. Your community today, by dedicating this school to Kevin Dupont, sends a loud and clear message to everybody in town, to every student who walks through that door for eternity.”
Congressman Richard Neal said the dedication was not only a celebration of Dupont’s life and the school that bears his name, but also Chicopee values – particularly when honoring veterans.
He noted that Dupont was 51 years old when he was volunteering on active duty.
“For the thousands that will come through these doors for generations to come, they become part of the Dupont family – it is that sacrifice, that nature of Chicopee,” Neal said.
Also in attendance were Maj. Gen. L. Scott Rice, commander of the Massachusetts National Guard, state senators Eric Lesser and Donald Humason, state Rep. Joseph Wagner and members of the Dupont family.
Mayor Richard Kos said he was reminded of memories from the building in its past life as a high school and was amazed by the building’s transformation into a 21st century learning facility.
“There are shades of the past perfectly transformed into a state of the art facility where today’s students will learn and grow,” he added.
The renovation would not have occurred without the assistance of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), which reimbursed the city for 80 percent of the costs, Kos said.
Students in grades six through eight began classes at the middle school on Aug. 31.
Superintendent of Schools Richard Rege Jr. said he put forward the idea of refurbishing the former high school to the Chicopee High School Reuse Committee 13 years ago while serving as principal of Fairview Veterans Memorial Middle School and wasn’t sure if the potential project would ever see the light of day.
He added that project had its challenges – the building renovations needed to be finished by the start of this school year due to a redistricting plan.
Rege said the district had seven weeks to move the student populations, staffs and supplies from the three affected schools.
“When I stepped into this building after school ended this past June, my first thought was, ‘Oh my God, I better come up with another plan. We will not be ready to open this year.’” he added.
The new middle school building retains the iconic look of the 1921-built structure, while adapting to the needs of students today, Rege said.
“Just about everything that was in the old Chicopee High is in a different location,” he noted.