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Thunderbolt Ski Museum Opens In Adams Visitor's Center

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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Original Thunderbolt Ski Runners Steve Nowicki, 90, Art Bourdon, 89, Donald Linscott, 88, and George Verow, 93, cut the ribbon the new ski museum at the Adams Visitor's Center.
ADAMS, Mass. — The storied history of the Thunderbolt Ski Trail is now preserved in the Adams Visitor's Center.

The Thunderbolt Ski Runners cut the ribbon on the new museum that honors the trail down the east side of Mount Greylock. The Thunderbolt was home to the state championship in the 1930s and was considered one of the most difficult trails in the state.

The new display in the Adams Visitor's Center includes vintage skis, boots, clothing, pictures, film and awards from both the heyday of skiing in Adams to modern races held annually.

At the ceremony four skiers from the 1930s cut the ribbon: Steve Nowicki, 90, Art Bourdon, 89, Donald Linscott, 88, and George Verow, 93.

According to Town Administrator Jonathan Butler, the Thunderbolt Ski Runners have eyed creating the ski museum for a few years now. When the Berkshire Visitor's Bureau moved out of the center, they had a location.

"If anyone had the creditability to do this in Adams or anywhere, it was this group," Butler said of the idea that many thought would have been impossible.

The revitalization of the Thunderbolt race has "put Adams back on the map," Butler said, and the museum helps build on that history. There are only about half dozen or so ski museums in the country.

The Thunderbolt Ski Trail was originally cleared as a public works project. It quickly became known for the annual world-class race that attracted top skiers from across the country and Europe. The trail fell into disrepair after World War 2. In 2008, the Thunderbolt Ski Runners revived the race and the trail.

Of those 1930s downhill trails, the Thunderbolt is the only one that is still in the same state that it was then.

"The Thunderbolt is a time capsule. It truly is like going back in time," Blair Mahar, who headed the effort to not only bring the historic race back on the trail a few years ago but also the museum, said at Sunday's ribbon cutting. "Only the Thunderbolt exists as it did in the 1930s."
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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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