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Mt. Greylock Graduates Leave Legacy of Service

WILLIAMSTOWN — At every graduation, they talk about all the wonderful things the grads are going to do.

At Mount Greylock Regional High School on Saturday, they also kept the focus on everything the Class of 2013 has done.

Superintendent Rose Ellis praised the 81 grads for for logging more than 600 hours of community service this year alone, and she highlighted one service project that helped make graduation day possible for students that most of the youngsters in the Mount Greylock gymnasium would never meet.

"Your public service has already helped shape the world around you and has even reached the other side of the world -- to Afghanistan," Ellis said. "In April 2006, the Surkh Abat girls high school was established.

This all-girls school, built for 500 in the Logar province of Afghanistan was founded by local community members Don and Sally Goodrich and dedicated to their son Peter, who passed away on Sept. 11, 2011. Peter's brother attended Mount Greylock.

"With guidance from faculty members Larry Bell and Lisa Jennings, two of our student groups, Amnesty International and the Peer Team, committed themselves to help this fledgling school."

For the last two years, Mount Greylock students helped develop a science curriculum for students at the Afghan school. The lesson plans were translated to Pashtu in Afghanistan by former Mount Greylock international students, Ellis said.

"This year, the Surkh Abat all-girl high school that you have supported ... is graduating its first class of 17 students," Ellis said.

Not a bad item on the resume of a class that started its time at the school a little less auspiciously.

"By the end middle school, our class had gained a reputation by some of one of the worst behaved classes ever to come through Mount Greylock," said Hank Barrett, who was chosen by his classmates to speak at the ceremony. "Middle School is supposed to be a difficult couple of years, but our class seemed to have a little more trouble than most. While walking down the hall, you were likely to be met by a mixture of sweat, body odor, certain amounts of 'Axe' body spray and even the occasional scent of burning hair.

"Fights, which were rare at Mount Greylock, and some issues of bullying, were just a few of the things that reflected poorly on our class.

"But there were way more good memories than bad, even in the early days."

And Barrett, the son of a faculty member who said he "grew up at the school," was proud to report that the class some loathed is now lauded.

"Who knew the critical remarks we heard in middle school would turn to, 'This class is special,'?" Barrett said. "I have heard that phrase so many times this year, and it is true.

"Anything that this group of kids is passionate about really took off in the last couple of years. They have put on incredible theatrical performances ... we have dominated the county in almost every single sport as well as winning multiple Western Mass and state championships. And on top of our countless successful extracurricular, we have managed to continuously hold a high standard both in the classroom and in our community."

Ellis noted that 18 of the graduates -- or 22 percent of the class -- are members of the National Honor Society. Several of those students were singled out for class honors on Saturday.

Honorees included: Naomi Marie Day (English), Margot Louise Besnard (history), Jonah Abrams Majumder (math), Celeste Thoman Venolia (science), Miranda Caspian Park (foreign language), Jonah Abrams Majumder (Latin), Kristina Marie Fiske (art), Lindsey Johan Wick (music), Michala Jane Dean (business technology), Benjamin Scott Alley and Celeste Thoman Venolia (wellness).

Five students shared the John B. Clark Scholars Award, selected by the faculty and given to students who show outstanding promise of success in higher education: Michala Jane Dean, Molly Rosenthal Graether, Jonah Abrams Majumder, Nathan Abrams Majumder and Celeste Thoman Venolia.

The class turned around and honored math teacher and boys basketball coach Rob Thistle as the school's educator of the year.

Outgoing interim principal Christopher Barnes took advantage of his turn at the microphone to talk about how the graduates had exemplified the elements of "The Greylock Way," a set of core principles introduced during the seniors' time at the school built on the acronym ARISE: accountability, respect, integrity, stewardship and excellence.

"We've been together two years at Mount Greylock, and you've taught me a lot," Barnes said. "Over the past two years here at Mount Greylock, I've spent a lot of time in every classroom. I've been to dozens and dozens of sporting events. I've attended many drama productions, and I've chaperoned a lot of dances.

"Everywhere, in all of these places, I've seen The Greylock Way. It's more than just an acronym. It's a philosophy of living."

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