Amber Brown, Emma Blazick, Abigail Cobb, Holden Kotelnicki and Emily O'Neill were signing letters of intent on Friday to pursue the field of education at their respective colleges.
DALTON, Mass. — The importance of educators echoed during a Teacher Signing on Friday in the Wahconah Regional High School auditorium.
This type of ceremony has been held to celebrate student-athletes signing to play a particular sport in college but the State Department of Education realized students committing themselves to become educators deserve just as much if not more "fanfare," Wahconah Principal Aaron Robb said.
Amber Brown, Emma Blazick, Abigail Cobb, Holden Kotelnicki and Emily O'Neill signed letters of intent to pursue the field of education at their respective colleges.
Several state officials attended the event, including state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, who now represents Dalton in the Third Berkshire District.
Pignatelli said he comes from a long line of teachers -- his grandmother was the first woman hired by Springfield College and his sister was a longtime educator.
When he watched his sister retire after 37 years of teaching, he saw the sadness in the students' faces because of their loss of such a "classic" teacher who empowered them, he said.
Not only has his family affected future generations through teaching but he also felt the impact when his daughter's teacher instilled in her a love for school and set her on the path to success.
"I owe so much of it to those couple of teachers in high school that gave her that opportunity, that believed in her, and encouraged her to do great things," Pignatelli said.
"That's what you folks are going to be able to do. So don't ever take for granted the power of a teacher. The impact that you can make and the difference you're going to make in people's lives."
There are still things that lawmakers are working on to make the lives of educators better and encourage people to enter into this important career, he said.
State Sen. Paul Mark echoed this adding that educators are not paid or as valued as much as mainstream celebrities like Tom Brady or Madonna despite the importance of the profession.
"What students in the future will learn from you will inspire them, will shape who they become, and their children and grandchildren as well," Mark said.
"It's amazing to have that impact. To have the ability to answer a question for someone, to connect with them, to have someone tell you afterwards, and you're going to experience it someday, 'Thank you. What you taught me was amazing and helped me' is so much more valuable than I think any football game or any rock concert."
The impact educators have on future generations is extensive. Many years after graduating students will remember the teachers that inspired students and got them excited to learn, state Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa of Northampton said. "So, you're not only signing up to be teachers, you're signing up to be mentors, to be shapeshifters, and to really inspire a whole new generation. So thank you for that."
Central Berkshire Regional School District Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said the students' commitment to the teaching profession inspires hope.
An educator's dedication to their work is driven by the students through their passions, hopes, and dreams, Blake-Davis said. "I can think of no better calling than to know you are working toward the betterment of all through the education of society's youngest learners. ...
"Teaching is a craft. It is a lifelong commitment to serving humanity and working toward a world where we all feel like we belong."
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Belchertown Stops Pittsfield Post 68
By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Belchertown Post 239’s Cooper Beckwith set the tone when he crushed the game’s first pitch to left-center field for a double.
The visitors went on to pound out 14 more hits in a 9-1 win over Pittsfield Post 68 in American Legion Baseball action at Buddy Pellerin Field on Monday night.
Beckwith went 3-for-4 with an RBI and scored twice, and Chase Earle went five innings on the mound without allowing an earned run as Post 239 improved to 15-0 this summer and completed a regular-season sweep of Post 68 (12-4).
“He’s a good pitcher,” Post 68 coach Rick Amuso said. “Good velo[city], kept the ball down. We didn’t respond.”
Pittsfield did manage to scratch out a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, when it already trailed, 7-0.
Nick Brindle reached on an error to start the inning. He moved up on a single by Jack Reed (2-for-2) and scored on a single to left by Cam Zerbato.
That was half the hits allowed by Earle, who struck out three before giving the ball to Alex West, who gave up a leadoff walk in the sixth and retired the next six batters he faced.
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The $25,000 raised will directly assist the Berkshire Humane Society in funding its various programs aimed at improving the lives of animals in need throughout the Berkshire County area. click for more
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On Thursday, the commission issued 36 conditions for the city project that include a new boardwalk, access stairs, paring improvements, seasonal docks, and a new swimming beach on the park’s two properties at 1447 North St. and 40 Hancock Rd. click for more
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