Cutting the purple ribbon to open BArT's brand-new addition on Wednesday morning.

ADAMS, Mass. — Jeannette Lambert of North Adams played a big part in Wednesday morning's ceremonies at the Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School.

 

Lambert did the honors of cutting the ceremonial ribbon as the school unveiled its $4.5 million, two-story addition to students, staff and invited guests.

 

But unlike most of the students shivering in the school's parking lot to watch the festivities, Lambert will not be spending a whole lot of time in that addition.

 

As a member of BArT's senior class, she'll be moving on in a few months. Still, Lambert had no mixed emotions about seeing her soon-to-be-alma-mater take a big step forward.

 

"There are 21 seniors and then the rest of the school," Lambert said. "I just look at it as: There are all those kids who get to use this space, and if it wasn't for this school, I wouldn't get to use a college next year.

 

"So I have nothing but positive feelings. And I do get to use it this year. We have our play going on in two or three weeks. I'm in that play. Other seniors are in that play.

 

"As much as we'd like to have that extra year to use it, we're so happy there are kids behind us for years who are never going to have to worry about not having a stage."

 

Or a gymnasium, or a cafeteria, or space to exercise or learn dance.

 

All those uses are accommodated in the addition that BArT officially opened on Tuesday.

 

After Lambert did the honors with the scissors, the party moved inside, where another BArT senior, Pittsfield's Trevon Tarrance, had the honor of giving the first public performance on the new stage.

 

Tarrance showed off his skills as a bucket drummer and then talked about how BArT's senior internship program is helping him grow his passion for music.

 

"I went to my first internship meeting yesterday," Tarrance said. "I'm going to intern at Mass MoCA. Up there, they have a very articulate music program, where I can learn what I want to do in order to pursue my career in college. I want to go for music theory and composition. I'd like to eventually become a music producer and have a double major in college in music production and business management."

 

Fostering those kinds of dreams is the aim of any school. At BArT, administrators had a dream to replace the "cafegymatorium" that the school had long since outgrown.

 

One of the school's founding trustees said the school's successful expansion is a good example for its students.

 

"I think we show great optimism without magical thinking," Pamela Johnson said. "It will come if you put the work in. That's the message we want to give the students."

 

The expansion was one project that was worth the work, BArT Principal April West said.

 

"I am so excited that we are at a point that the community suport we've received has given you a facility to showcase the talent that is dripping from your feet, from your fingers, from your tongues, for performance," West said. "To give you a space to breath and stretch during the day.

 

"You are the hardest working group of students that I have ever met. We demand so much from you, and you've deserved this space for so long. I'm so excited that we finally have it to give you."

 

And, BArT hopes the new space will be a gift for the community as well. The school is partnering with Main Street Stage to hold productions in the gym/auditorium. Johnson noted that the school potentially could be a polling station to replace the town garage.

 

The community is already invited to enjoy a couple of upcoming events at the school. On Wednesday, March 4, at 5 p.m., BArT will hold its Arts Showcase, with a gallery in the cafeteria and a showcase of dance, music and theater pieces. March 13-15, it will host a student production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

 

Some things in the addition remain to be done. The project was funded by a bond and $1 million in donations, without public money. And it was scaled back in order to stay within budget. But officials hope soon to add things like a synthetic gymnasium floor, a partition that will allow the 1,000 square foot stage to be used for classes while physical education classes use the gym, and telescopic seating in the gym.

 

It sounds like a lot more work, but Johnson did not seem daunted by the challenge.

 

"I didn't believe we could raise $1 million either," she said.