image description — McCann Technical School graduated 31 from its postsecondary programs on Monday night.

McCann Postsecondary Graduates Urged To Excel

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
10:15PM / Monday, June 11, 2012Print Story | Email Story

Jamie Drennan, class of 1981, was presented with a lifetime achievement award in surgical technology by Drs. Michael DiSiena, left, Laurence Cohen, Jonah Marshall, Mark Sprague, and Kevin Mitts (not pictured). See more photos here.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Life got in the way of Erica Holman, but on Monday night she was back on track with a certificate in medical assisting and date with a national competition later this month.

"I've been wanting to do this for a long time," said Holman, as friends and families snapped pictures of her in her graduation getup, or grabbed a congratulatory hug. "It just took a little while, I was doing life ... and life gets in the way of things.

"But I eventually got into it and I pushed myself hard."

Holman was one of 31 graduating from the McCann Technical School postsecondary programs for 2012. The number of graduates may have been small, but the crowd gathered in the school gymnasium to watch them pinned and presented was outsized and cheering.

Graduates completing coursework in cosmetology, medical assisting, dental assisting and surgical technology received certificates from their instructors, Principal Kathleen Millard and School Committee Chairman Daniel J. Maloney Jr.

"We are extremely proud of these 31 young adults for the ongoing committment they have made to their careers by participating in one of our fine programs," said Millard. "These graudates take the traditions of McCann Technical School seriously and through their hard work and, your continued love and support, we are confident they are prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century."

Maloney encouraged the graduates to be aware of what their patients, clients or residents are trying to tell them so they can better understand their needs.

"We hear thousands of sounds a day," he said. "Effective listening, by contrast, involves not only hearing but comprehending and understanding the message."

Holman, of North Adams, didn't complete high school, instead going to work full time for awhile. But she earned her General Educational Development diploma with high scores and entered the McCann program last fall.

"It was very intense, it was like a two-year course in a 10-month period," said the Clarksburg native, who adds she's got interviews lined up and resumes out. "You pretty much have to devote yourself to school."

Erica Holman gets her certificate in medical assisting from Chairman Daniel J. Maloney Jr.

She's done well. So well, that she earned a gold medal in SkillsUSA and will be attending the national competition in Kansas City, Mo. Also attending will be Josephine Deeley of Clarksburg who scored a gold medal in dental assisting.

The skills that she and her classmates have attained will give them pride, direction and define who they are, said keynote speaker Dr. Mark Sprague of Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates, and was one of two words he wanted to give them. The second: commitment.

"Regardless of which career you choose, commit yourself to excelling in your craft beyond your education," he said. McCann truly has fingerprints in every corner of Berkshire County and beyond, and through this continued committment you can make our community better."

He had a role model for them: Jamie Drennan of Pittsfield, a surgical technician at Berkshire Medical Center and 1981 graduate of the McCann program. Sprague, with four surgical colleagues Drs. Leonard Cohen, Jonah Marshall, Michael DiSiena and Kevin Mitts, presented Drennan with a lifetime achievement plaque for her dedication and professionalism.

"The only one thing absolutely certain about technology is it will change, no question," Sprague said. "No matter what you see now, it will be different 10 years from now.

"She had an unbelievable ability to adapt to new technology ... Every single day enjoy what you do and think of the people who came before you and their ability to adapt ... and her wonderful ability to have fun all the time regardless of what it was."

Marshall said she was a friend and colleague, and an outstanding teacher who "was lively and entertaining but a truly professional individual who helped me with my career."

A teary Drennan quipped that she had told her instructor nearly 40 years ago that she knew this job was a calling. "She said you need a sense of humor, and I said, 'well, I can keep them in stitches.'

"It's the best job I ever had."

The Graduates:		Scholarships & Awards
Cosmetology Morgan Brittany Boucher, Cheshire Jessie Ferdinando, Adams Ashley Perkins, Drury Shauna Lavigne, Monroe Tammy Goodell, North Adams Kacie Mills, North Adams Billie Jeanne Philips, Pittsfield Dental Assisting Brandi Gennette, Adams Amy Krutiak, Adams Josephine Deeley, Clarksburg Amber LaBonte, Dalton Kayla Aldam, Pittsfield Bridget Breault, Pittsfield Jacquelyn Conroy, Pittsfield Christina D'Ascanio, Pittsfield Metal Fabrication Christopher Cirullo, Clarksburg	Medical Assisting Hannah Martin, Adams Ashely WeatherWalks, Florida Alison Borey, North Adams Linnie Renee Ferrara, North Adams Stephanie Guzman Alvarado, North Adams Maryjean Haden,North Adams Erica Holman, North Adams Jennifer Martin, North Adams Ramsey Scott, North Adams Lynn Pinsonneault, Savoy Surgical Technology Becky DeBlois, Adams Svetlana Korsakova, Adams Yvon's Nicolas, Lenox Julie Griffin, North Adams Hannah Goodrich, Pittsfield Tina Pause, Savoy	Adams Mountain Club Scholarship: Hannah Martin, medical assisting Sharon Ferguson Memorial Scholarship: Josephine Deeley, dental assisting Massachusetts Dental Society Scholarship: Amber LaBonte, dental assisting Dental Assisting National Board Stipend: Amy Krutiak, dental assisting SkillUSA State Competition Awards Bronze Medal Winners: Cosmetology (more than 500 hours): Morgan Boucher Job Interview: Christina D'Ascanio, dental assisting Gold Medal Winners Dental Assisting: Josephine Deeley Medical Assisting: Erica Holman

Tags: award, graduation 2012, McCann, postsecondary,

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Capeless Students Raise $5,619 for Charity

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
11:13AM / Friday, December 19, 2025

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Students at Capeless Elementary School celebrated the season of giving by giving back to organizations that they feel inspired them.

On Monday night, 28 fourth-grade students showed off the projects they did to raise funds for an organization of their choice. They had been given $5 each to start a small business by teachers Jeanna Newton and Lidia White.

Newton created the initiative a dozen years ago after her son did one while in fifth grade at Craneville Elementary School, with teacher Teresa Bills.

"And since it was so powerful to me, I asked her if I could steal the idea, and she said yes. And so the following year, I began, and I've been able to do it every year, except for those two years (during the pandemic)," she said. "And it started off as just sort of a feel-good project, but it has quickly tied into so many of the morals and values that we teach at school anyhow, especially our Portrait of a Graduate program."

Students used the venture capital to sell cookies, run raffles, make jewelry, and more. They chose to donate to charities and organizations like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Berkshire Humane Society and Toys for Tots.

"Teaching them that because they have so much and they're so blessed, recognizing that not everybody in the community has as much, maybe not even in the world," said Newton. "Some of our organizations were close to home. Others were bigger hospitals, and most of our organizations had to do with helping the sick or the elderly, soldiers, people in need."

Once they have finished and presented their projects, the students write an essay on what they did and how it makes them feel.

"So the essay was about the project, what they decided to do, how they raised more money," Newton said. "And now that the project is over, this week, we're writing about how they feel about themselves and we've heard everything from I feel good about myself to this has changed me."

Sandra Kisselbrock raised $470 for St. Jude's by selling homemade cookies.

"It made me feel amazing and happy to help children during the holiday season," she said.

Gavin Burke chose to donate to the Soldier On Food Pantry. He shoveled snow to earn money to buy the food.

"Because they helped. They used to fight for our country and used to help protect us from other countries invading our land and stuff," he said.

Desiree Brignoni-Lay chose to donate to Toys for Tots and bought toys with the $123 she raised.

Luke Tekin raised $225 for the Berkshire Humane Society by selling raffle tickets for a basket of instant hot chocolate and homemade ricotta cookies because he wanted to help the animals.

"Because animals over, like I'm pretty sure, over 1,000 animals are abandoned each year, he said. "So I really want that to go down and people to adopt them."

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