Teen Sculpture Garden at Natural Bridge State Park

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The public is invited to a special event at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 8, at Natural Bridge State Park to celebrate the opening of the Guardian Sculpture Garden.

This striking permanent installation, made up of nine cast concrete sculptures created by local teen artists, is the result of nearly four years of planning, collaboration, and hard work. The celebration will honor the project's artists and its many helpers and partners along the way.

The free event will include refreshments, live music, and the opportunity to meet the Guardians' young artists: Erica Varieur, Christopher Winslow, Jeffrey Filiault, Emily Jaramillo, Sean Carollo, Jordan Pagan, Erin Gerrity, and Anne Hyer.

"This project is exciting because it brings together three of our area's most valuable resources: art, nature, and young people," said Erica Schmitz, who organized the project as part of the UNITY youth program at the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition. "We hope that locals and visitors of all ages will enjoy the sculpture park. We also hope that this project will inspire more public works of art in our community."

The Guardian Project was funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The project owes its completion to the generosity of the Department of Environmental Management, Delftree Corp., Grady and Jennings Concrete, Dean Grimes, and H.L. Chesbro Co., the faith and commitment of Deanna Todd at Natural Bridge State Park, and the dedication of professional artists Ron Hyde and Bill Botzow.

For more information, please contact Erica Schmitz at 413-663-7588.

North Adams School Committee Applauds Award Winner, Hears Budget

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
02:42PM / Wednesday, April 08, 2026

Superintendent Timothy Callahan presents his first Superintendent's Award to Brayden Canales. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The School Committee on Tuesday voted to send a recommending fiscal 2027 budget to a public hearing and congratulated the newest recipient of the Superintendent's Award. 

 

Drury High School senior Brayden Canales is graduating at the top of his class with 33 college credits and a grade-point average of 4.3.

 

"In addition to his impressive list of college courses, he has rounded out his transcript with several Advanced Placement and project based learning courses," said Superintendent Timothy Callahan, adding, "I had the honor to be Brayden's principal when he began a Drury."

 

Canales is a member of both the Nu Sigma and Pro Merito honor societies and received the Principal's Award for having the top five average in his class all four years and the Rensselaer (N.Y.) Institute of Technology award for science and math as a junior outside of the classroom.

 

He's also been a member of the soccer, hockey and baseball teams and this year was presented the Berkshire County Ice Hockey Officials Association's Sportsmanship Award for his leadership. Canales has also been a peer mediator, student ambassador, among other activities.  

 

He plans to pursue a major in architecture but has not yet selected a college. 

 

The Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Certificate of Academic Excellence is awarded to students who have achieved not only academically but in leadership and community service.