image description
Blair Mahar's timber framing class at Hoosac Valley High School designs and builds a structure each year.
image description
Joe Nowak offers assistance during construction at Bowe Field.
image description
image description
image description

Hoosac Valley Students Raise Structure For Aggie Fair

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story

The timber-frame class poses for the traditional topping off ceremony.

ADAMS, Mass. — This year's Adams Agricultural Fair will have a more suitable structure for welcoming fairgoers to Bowe Field thanks to Blair Mahar's timber framing class.

Mahar said the introductory class at Hoosac Valley High School just finished its third year and the students designed and built the post-and-beam structure.

He said students can learn a lot through building the simple structure.

"It offers elements of math, science, history, engineering, and tech-ed," Mahar said. "It encourages our students to work collaboratively in small groups using information and technology to create an original product."

Timber framing is a sustainable form of construction. Each frame is composed of large wooden beams held together with wooden pegs.

Mahar said along with the tech skills, students have to work together.

"Students are required to communicate verbally and to work independently as they assume different leadership roles throughout the project," he said.  



Students involved in raising the structure were Austin Mendel, Will Malloy, Brandon Sumner, Ray Fillion and Tyler Lancia.

Selectman and Aggie Fair co-founder Joseph Nowak was also on site assisting in the construction.

Mahar said the class is partially funded by an ACE Grant from the Berkshire Taconic Foundation. Each year, the timber frame structure is sold and the money goes back into the class.

Local businesses and residents also kicked in funds and supplies to make the program possible.

The Home Depot, Adams' Lumber, Stanley's Lumber, Adams Trucking Co Inc. Century Acquisitions Inc., Stash & the Boyz Tree Service, C.W. Construction, and Atlantis Equipment provided supplies and resources for the project.

Other individual donations came from Jim Hoellerich, Chris Diesz, Ted Jayko, Dennis Pinsonneault, and Jeff Randall.


Tags: carpentry,   construction,   HVHS,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Adams Sees No Races So Far

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — With less than a week left before nomination papers are due, there are currently no contested seats.
 
Only selectman incumbent John Duval has returned papers. Selectman Howard Rosenberg has decided not to seek re-election. 
 
Rosenberg, who was elected in 2021, said he has chosen not to run again to make room for younger candidates.
 
"I feel strongly, we need younger people running for public office,  as the future of our town lies within the younger  generation. The world is so fundamentally different today and rapidly changing to become even more so. I believe we need people who are less interested in trying to bring back the past, then in paving the way for a promising future. The younger generation can know that they can stay here and have a voice without having to leave for opportunities elsewhere," he said.
 
The only person to return papers so far is former member the board Donald Sommer. Sommer served as a selectman from 2007 to 2010 and before that was a member of the School Committee and the Redevelopment Authority. He ran unsuccessfully for selectman in 2019 and again in 2021 but dropped out of before the election.
 
Incumbent Moderator Myra Wilk and Town Clerk Haley Meczywor have returned papers for their respective positions.
 
Assessor Paula Wheeler has returned papers and incumbents James Loughman and Eugene Michalenko have returned papers for library trustees.
 
View Full Story

More Adams Stories