Mount Greylock Student Leads Charge To Improve Hiking Trails
 Luke Costley received the committee's support in improving the trails. |
Luke Costley, a Mount Greylock Regional High School senior, is the director of the new Outing Club and asked the committee for support in adding signage and a kiosk on the school's eight miles of trails. He hopes the additional signage will be more welcoming to the public.
"For the past few years I've worked to improve the outdoor community here at Mount Greylock and my first initiative was creating the Mount Greylock Outing Club," Luke Costley told the committee. "The second initiative, which I am here to talk about tonight, is a two-fold project that I hope will improve the trail system."
Costley has taken charge of administering a grant from the Fund For Williamstown and the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation to mark the 10 primary trails with plastic markers as well as place a kiosk with a trail map near the head of the trails — on the north side of the school.
The 6-foot-tall kiosk would be built by a local contractor and installed by school staff.
"The goal would be to complete the installation by June 18," Costley said. "The Mount Greylock Outing Club would maintain the kiosk and the trails."
The School Committee was unanimous in supporting the efforts with member Heather Williams referring to it as "wonderful improvement." However, she did ask about the effect the trail system would have on the neighbors.
 Superintendent Rose Ellis honored Elizabeth Costley for her role in the Williams Fellows program. |
Superintendent of Schools Rose Ellis said the school will benefit from his efforts by creating more of a "community feel."
The other Costley on the agenda, Elizabeth Costley, was given a farewell to running the Williams Fellows program, which partners Williams College students with high school students for literacy education.
That effort was one of the reasons she also was honored with the Faith Scarborough Award last week.
Costley founded the program in 2008 and is now stepping down from the position.
"We are so disappointed that you are leaving us," Ellis said while presenting Costley with flowers and a certificate honoring her efforts.
In other business, Ellis said the search committee received about 40 applications for the open principal position.
However, many of those were unqualified. A pool of about 10 have risen to the top. The committee will be identifying semi-finalists in the next few weeks and interviews will begin in June.
Tags: hiking, MGRHS, outdoors, recognition event,
