Monument Mountain Graduates Told To Reach Height of Potential

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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Mounument Mountain awarded diplomas to 119 students on Sunday. More photos can be found here.

LENOX, Mass. — On one of her last days at Monument Mountain, valedictorian Nicole Keefner took a snapshot of an empty classroom.

That photo tells more of a story than any taken of the school's exterior, she said.

"Anyone can take a picture of the school from the outside. But at Monument, it takes a student, a faculty member, janitorial staff to take a picture from the inside that has more meaning than what can be captured in the lens," Keefner said on Sunday while addressing her senior class at Tanglewood, when the 119 students gathered for the final time to graduate.

"That picture has no one in it. It is just desks and chairs. But it makes me laugh and cry every time I look at it."

Every student had their favorite place in the school where they learned life lessons and met great people, she said. But while that is now those four years in high school are coming to an end but she doesn't want her fellow classmates to stop being what made the Great Barrington high school special.

"Don't stop here. Meet new people, do great things and never stop learning. This unexplainable feeling we all felt in these last few weeks together, why it hurts so bad but feels so great and causes us to feel every emotion at once. It comes from our love of our time at Monument," she said.

Salutatorian Mikayla Morley hopes that when the students now head out into the world, that they find the passion to achieve the "height of our potential."

Morley told the story of a family vacation she took when she and her sister climbed a mountain where they "felt as though the world was at our fingertips."

"As the class of 2013 goes into the world, many of us may be feeling the way I did on top of that mountain — vibrant, capable and confident. I know I am also terrified. In the years to come, we hope to discover the interests and passion to make us feel alive and take us to the height of our potential," she said.

Superintendent Peter Dillon asked the students to "please stay in the Berkshires" or if they do leave, to come back.

"You all have so much to offer and it would be great for you to do it here," Dillon said.

And with a short walk across the Shed stage followed by a toss of their caps, the students had completed earning their high school education. They are at the "doorstep of your future," School Committee Chairman Stephen Bannon said, and charged the students to "continue to strive, to learn no matter where the future takes you."

The Graduates Scholarships & Awards Val & Sal Photos
Ian Akers *
Thomas Allen
Olivia Alon *
Cody Amstead
Nicole Andrus
Natalie Appel
Damon Armstrong
Luke Ban *+
Ciana Barnaba *+
Benjamin Baum *
Kelsey Belisle
Alexander Berliner *
Emily Blanchard
Liam Burns
Shea Caligari *+
Cindy Cambi *
Marcos Cando
Margaret Cardillo *+
Dylan Cole-Kink *+
Emily Condry
Dylan Cook
Rachel Couser *
Brandon Curtin *
Emma D'Alessio *
Malynda Davis *+
Julie DelGrande
Iolani DeRis *
Sierra Dewkett
Lia Douillet *
Jesse Dupoint
Lily Forfa
Van Forsman *
Courtney Freadman *
Althea Garivaltis *
Charles Gibson *+
Olivia Grochmal *+
Aimanda Gulick *+
Graham Hagenah *
Kristina Hallock
Timothy Hamilton *
Morgan Hammer *+
Colin Havill
Cassandra Houle *+
Aaron House
John Humes
David Humphreys
Mikayla Jenny *
Jai Kaminoff
Nicole Keefner *+
Kaya Kelley *

Colleen Kelly *+
Eitan Kiin *+
Paige Killiard
Mary Kirkby
Paula Krenicki
Ryan Lavalette
Alison Lee *+
Korey Leonard *
Joshua Lilienthal
Mette Linnet *
Katherine Lister *
Andrew Love
Ezra Marcus *+
Regan Martin *+
Kelsey Marzotto *+
Nicholas Masiero *+
Autumn Mawhinney *
Sheridan McAlister *
Daulton McDarby
Daniel Meandro *+
Bradford Moraweic *+
Matthew Moriarty
Mikayla Morley *+
Christian Mortelliti *
Logan Morton
Thorstein Murray *
Joseph Nowe
Kenneth Packie *
Brandon Page
Christopher Peretti *
Valentin Perez
Emily Perillo *
Marissa Peyron *+
Judah Piepho *+
Meghan Pothul
Meaghan Prince *+
Cody Ranolde
Curt Rathbun *
Mica Reel *+
Hannah Rolf *

Angela Russell *
Heather Ryan *
Austin Rybacki *
Zacharey Sexton *
Eli Shalan *
Nicholas Shapiro *
Miranda Shea *
Candice Slosek *+
Samantha Spirydowski
Sawyer Stewart II
Alexander Tellier
Fay Lee Thung *+
Joseph Tracy
Evan Troiano *
Danielle Tucker *
Nicholas Vance
Anthony Voudren
Seth Waag-Swift *+
Mary Olivia Wade *+
Sarah Ward *
Robert Warner *
Karley Louise Weiner
Michael Wessel
Matthew Whalan
Kelt Wilska *+
Jameel Winters *
Cotey Wojtowski *
Hannah Young
Emily Yvon *

* honors
+ National Honor Society

 


Tags: graduation,   graduation 2013,   high school,   

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Hancock Shaker Village 'The Big Chill' Celebrated Berkshire Winter

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Children have fun in the snow at Hancock Shaker Village. More photos.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Hancock Shaker Village's "The Big Chill" event turned out to be chillier and snowier than expected. 
 
The event is to celebrate all things New England in the winter, said Caroline Holland, the Village's executive director and CEO. Photos from the event here
 
It featured maple tree tapping, blacksmithing and woodworking demonstrations, live music, a fire pit, sledding and snow activities, live music, and more. 
 
However, the two-day event was cut short as snow and sleet covered the region.
 
Although it became a one-day event, the village is brainstorming ideas to make up for it. 
 
"We're a little sad that we had to cancel. We were thinking of, if we didn't do a Big Chill two-day festival, maybe we should do something like a big thaw festival in March," Holland said.
 
"So stay tuned for maybe a little something that we might add on to the calendar."
 
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