MCLA Honors Local High School Seniors Achievement

Adams Scholars from Berkshire County high schools pose with state Rep. Gailanne Cariddi and state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing. See more photos here.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. —  Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on Monday acknowledged Berkshire County seniors who received state scholarships.

Some 45 students were expected to attend from Drury, McCann, Berkshire Arts and Technology, Lee, Mount Greylock, Pittsfield High, Taconic, and Wahconah. They and family members filled the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation on Monday night to be recognized for qualifying for a John and Abigail Adams Scholarship.

The scholarship is awarded to students who scored in the top 25 percent of their district on their 10th grade Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests. It provides free tuition to any state school in the commonwealth.

Executive Vice President of MCLA Denise Richardello said the reception has continued to expand.

"We are really happy to expand the reception and have more students, some who may enroll at MCLA, attend," Richardello said. "It exposes them to opportunities in public education especially with some of the kids who are teetering and not sure if they want to go to college yet."

Joshua Mendel, associate director of admission, said this year marks the first class that participated in the "sixth grade goes to college" program. He said the Berkshire Compact initiative goal is to get students to see education as a 16-year cluster, not just 12.

"We are really proud of the fact … that after those sixth-grade visits, here you are going to college and taking that next step," Mendel said. "We are very proud of your academic success."

Interim President Cynthia Brown told the students and their parents that she hopes all of the nearly 330 Berkshire County seniors who received the award attend college because of its importance.

"You may have heard that there is some chat in popular culture about the worth of college," Brown said. "Let me assure you every study that has been done shows that the investment that you make in college and the investment that you make in yourself pays off year after year."

State Sen. Benjamin Downing also congratulated the students and said he was excited about their bright futures.

"Oftentimes people say a community is either a 'glass half full community' or a 'glass half empty community.' Sometimes in the Berkshires, I think we are a 'somebody drank our water and threw the glass back at us community', but … you are all part of the 330 reasons this year that we have to be hopeful."

Recent Drury graduate Allison Meehan also spoke to the students. Meehan is an MCLA student who also received the scholarship.

Meehan said senior year of high school is an "emotional rollercoaster." She also said after being waitlisted and put off by other colleges costs, she was at first hesitant to apply to MCLA because it was in her hometown.

She said MCLA had every program she wanted and she is glad she chose it.

"In the end, the school I desperately wanted to avoid became one of the happiest places I have ever been," Meehan said. "I am so glad that I am here and since I have been here I have made some absolutely amazing friends."

After the reception, students were given a tour of the science center.

North Adams Council Gives Initial OK to Zoning Change