Berkshires Beat: Fishing Derby Winners Announced
Fish tales: The 25th annual Harry Bateman Jimmy Fund Fishing Derby was held on June 3. More than 286 people attended. The winners are as follows:
Children's Heaviest Game Fish: first place, Ryan Russo, pickerel, 4 lbs. 7 oz.; second place, Jason Sweetser, rainbow trout, 2 lbs. 1 oz.; third place, Aubrey Phifer, largemouth bass, 1lbs. 15 oz.
Children's Heaviest Non Game Fish: first place, Logan Barde, pumpkin seed, 9 oz.; second place, Tessa Materazza, pumpkin seed, 6 oz.; third place, Zack Caropresso, pumkinseed, 5 oz.
Adult Heaviest Game Fish: first place, Alex Kent, pickerel, 4 lbs. 7 oz., second place, Jim Cassavant, largemouth bass, 2 lbs. 9oz., third place, Nolan Foisy, smallmouth bass, 2lbs.
Special Heaviest Fish First Place Awards: bass, Greg Taikowski, largemouth bass, 3 lbs. 13oz.; perch/crappie, Shane Cassavant, white perch 11oz.; carp, Mitch Scace, common carp, 10 lbs.
Trout Adult: Dave Christman, rainbow trout 2 lbs., 6 oz.
Sportsmanship Award: Jordan Bowers
Raffle Winners: first place, 60" television, Ryan Scapin; second place, gas grill, Maria Craft; third place, $100 lottery tree, Jake Burke; 50/50, $242, Doreen Sweet; door prize, kayak, Wiiliam Bragg; five hours fishing Berkshire Bass Club, Mike Stewart.
Reading into it: The Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires will serve as the primary Berkshire County center for the distribution of literacy backpacks on Wednesday, June 21 from 4 to 7 p.m. The event at the Club on 16 Melville Street in Pittsfield is part of the Berkshire United Way's "Day of Caring" campaign.
Berkshire Kindergarteners are invited to come a receive a backpack containing: a book and companion activity guide; a recommended reading list for incoming kindergarteners; a Berkshire Book House flier; crayons and various school supplies; and a personal note from the Berkshire Bank book bag volunteer who assembled the backpack. A total of 1,200 book bags will be distributed to children who will be entering kindergarten this fall. Seven other locations across the community will also be hosting literacy pop-up parties, all offered at no cost to children and families.
Other locations for the June 21 event include the Williamstown Youth Center, Childcare of the Berkshires in North Adams, the Dalton CRA, the Lenox Community Center, Lee Bank in Lee, Berkshire South Regional Community Center in Great Barrington and Bushnell-Sage Library in Sheffield.
Fired up: Two Hoosac Valley Middle School sixth-graders, Tia Kareh and Danielle Glasier, took the first- and second-place awards in the annual Arson Watch Reward Program-Fire Prevention Poster Contest. The contest is for any sixth- through eighth-graders in Massachusetts.
On behalf of all property and casualty insurance companies of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Property Insurance Underwriting Association (FAIR Plan) sponsors the Annual Arson watch Reward Program Poster Contest. The contest is to develop a visual concept for fire prevention. Twelve out of 14 counties participated in this year’s event.
Kareh won first place in Berkshire County and received a check for $200 and a plaque. Glasier won second place and received a check for $100 and a plaque. The girls were presented their awards at a banquet at the Sheraton Framingham in Framingham, Mass., on June 7, along with their family members and Terry Vivori, Hoosac Valley teacher coordinator, and Adams Fire Department representative PJ Goyette.
This was the 35th annual contest. The Adams/Cheshire students have participated in this program for the past 10 years.
Swim away: The Dalton Community Recreation Association will begin registration for Summer Swimming Lessons starting June 19. Lessons run from July 3-Aug. 25. A General CRA Jr. Membership ($40) is required and everyone must wear a swim cap.
The Dalton CRA offers a full range of swimming lessons including: Parent-Toddler (6 months to 3 years, parent needs to be in the pool with toddler); Pre-School (3-5 years, not in Kindergarten); Beginners (5 years and up); Beginners Deep End (5 years and up - no bubble); Advanced Beginners, Intermediate Swimmer and Advanced Swimmer. Cost for lessons is $60 (plus Membership). Parent Toddler lessons are $30 (plus membership).
Adult Learn-to-Swim class is also offered. Cost is $6 per class and a CRA Membership is not required. Register at the Dalton CRA. For more information and class schedule, please call the CRA at 413-684-0260 or go online.
Extra credit: Six underclass students at McCann Technical school have qualified to receive college course credit from Rochester Institute of Technology — each course being valued at more than $5,000 per student. To gain credit, students enrolled in the Introduction to Engineering Design (grade nine) and the Principles of Engineering (grade 11) courses needed to maintain an B course average as well as achieve a qualifying score on Project Lead The Way national engineering final examinations.
The students being recognized for this achievement are Aimee Dowling, Beau James Lahey and Lukas Zelazo (grade 11); Jayna Civello, Braedon Delmolino and Marshall Reese (grade nine).
McCann's Pre-Engineering program was certified through the Project Lead The Way Pre-Engineering and Engineering Technology Program by a visiting team from the engineering department of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Students who demonstrate exemplary work in their pre-engineering courses and pass the national examination may apply for transcripted college credit at a variety of colleges and universities.
Students enrolled in the program at McCann have an opportunity to continue to gain college credit as they progress through the courses. Entering its thirteenth year at McCann, the program is co-taught by a total of four academic and three technical teachers and is supported by two guidance counselors, all who have had specialized training (funded in large part by Williams College Olmsted grants) in exposing high school students to the the basic concepts of engineering. Since its launch, over one hundred McCann Tech students have become eligible for between three and twelve college credits through Project Lead The Way.
McCann began offering a new Project Lead The Way engineering course, Computer Science Principles, begun this year.
Taking names: The Berkshire Family YMCA is now accepting registrations for its new childcare center at 6 Holmes Road in Lenox. Registrations are open and ongoing.
Childcare participants aged 2.9 years to pre-kindergarten at the Lenox childcare site will receive a snack in the morning and afternoon. Full-time and half-time slots will be available, with a two-day minimum requirement. Children enrolled in the Y’s childcare would receive a free youth membership to the Y and be able to take swim lessons or sports programs at a reduced rate. The YMCA also offers financial scholarships to those who qualify and accept vouchers.
For more information regarding the new YMCA childcare site in Lenox, contact Childcare Director Laurie Vanuni at 413-499-7650, ext. 145, or email lvanuni@bfymca.org.
