A TRIBUTE TO TED
As we all know, the official color of the City of Worcester is green and the official City flag has a red heart, symbolizing the “Heart of the Commonwealth,” centered in a field of green. As we stand in the new Worcester Technical High School the color changes to a brilliant emerald green and for one brief shining moment Worcester becomes the Emerald City . The Emerald City , of course, was somewhere over the rainbow and, more importantly, was a place where the dreams that you dared to dream really do come true. Many people thought that this technological masterpiece was the impossible dream and that a public project of this magnitude would never be built on schedule, within budget and be so advanced in its technology that it is regarded as the finest technical training facility in the nation. However, Ted Coghlin had a different dream and the dream that he dared to dream really did come true. The Worcester Technical High School , finished ahead of schedule and below budget, serves as a national model of public-private partnerships and as a shining example of how one mans passion and dedication can produce miracles and turn a personal labor of love into a crown jewel for the community.
Now, the heart of the Commonwealth can beat to the rhythm of hope and promise for the future and for generations of successful careers for those young people fortunate enough to attend this school. Thanks to Ted and his boundless energy and drive all of Central Massachusetts will prosper with this fabulous engine of workforce development and economic development that will serve the needs of both businesses and individuals. This project required the support of many people that made teamwork and partnerships an integral part of the great success that was achieved. It also took brains, heart and courage. In Worcester we didn’t need a scarecrow, tin man or lion; we had Ted Coghlin and the dream that he dared to dream really did come true. Thank you Ted.
