State Sen. Adam Gomez was honored with the Legislator of the Year award by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees during the Springfield School Committee’s final meeting of the calendar year.
Photo credit: Focus Springfield
SPRINGFIELD — State Sen. Adam Gomez was honored at the Dec. 19 School Committee meeting for winning the Legislator of the Year award from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.
The last committee meeting of the calendar year was a celebratory one, as Gomez was joined by MASC Executive Director Glen Koocher and other district lawmakers to accept the award, which is given yearly to a state senator and representative “for contributions to and service on behalf of Massachusetts public schools, children and families.”
“The award recognizes Sen. Gomez’s respective efforts for continuing leadership in the areas of collaboration, cooperation, civility, and for advocating for social and economic justice for the students and family,” said Mayor Domenic Sarno, during the committee meeting.
A lifelong resident of Springfield, the Democrat has long been engaged with young people in the city, working with the YMCA and as a lifeguard. Gomez’s first elected position was on the New North Citizens’ Council in 2013. After 18 months in that position, Gomez ran an 80-day campaign for the Springfield City Council. He went on to serve on the council for five years.
Since being elected to the state Senate seat in 2020, Gomez, the first Latino from the Hampden District to be in the senate, has served on the committees on education; redistricting; elder affairs; community development and small businesses; economic development and emerging technologies; ways and means; and juvenile and emerging adult justice. He has been the chair or vice chair on committees for cannabis policy; racial equity, civil rights and inclusion, election laws; and children, families and persons with disabilities.
When announcing the award, the MASC noted how Gomez has helped pass several pieces of legislation into law through bills he has sponsored, including ensuring the state’s Victim and Witness Assistance Board membership has equitable and fair representation; providing undocumented immigrants the ability to have a driver’s license; and eliminating hair discrimination from workplaces and schools.
In his remarks to the School Committee, Gomez said that the Massachusetts legislation “made significant strides” in the realm of education with “unprecedented investments” to ensure that every child, regardless of their background, has access to “quality learning opportunities.”
He said that the legislature increased funding to public schools across the state to help those districts enhance programs, hire more qualified teachers and invest in “essential resources.”
Gomez added that he has been “very proud” to promote early childhood education during his time in office. In 2023, the city began offering free pre-K to three and four year olds.
“I stand before you today, deeply humbled and grateful to be recognized as legislator of the year by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees,” Gomez said. “This award is not just a reflection of my efforts, but a testament to the collective dedication of educators, parents, students and community leaders who tirelessly advocate for our schools and our children’s future.”
When she announced the award during the meeting, Springfield Superintendent Sonia Dinnall said that Gomez has championed students on Beacon Hill “time and time again” through his advocacy.
“I had the pleasure of meeting Sen. Adam Gomez when I was a principal at the High School of Commerce, and he pledged his support to us,” Dinnall said. “He made good on that pledge for the duration of my time there and far beyond my time at Commerce…. to say that he cares about the educational wellbeing of the students in the city is a gross understatement.”
School Committee member LaTonia Monroe Naylor; who also serves as the vice chair of the Inclusion, Diversity and Equity division for MASC, described Gomez as a friend and a colleague who “advocates tirelessly” for the school district.
“People don’t know the half,” she said. “And yet, you press your way through to advocate for our community, for our children, for our schools and make sure that we have what we need; that we have the funding that we need, and not just the schools, but also our community centers, our youth development programs that support our children.”
Aside from the MASC award, Gomez was also honored in May with the legislator of the year award from the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance.
MOVA, an independent state agency governed by the Victim and Witness Assistance Board, strives to advance victim rights by ensuring all victims and survivors of crime across the commonwealth are supported and empowered through access to high-quality services that are trauma-informed, culturally responsive and reflective of diverse communities.
