NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A change in career, a chance to do something interesting, a desire to follow a passion.
The 14 graduates of McCann Technical School's postsecondary program had a variety of reasons for entering the nearly yearlong program. And at Monday night pinning, they celebrated their successful completion in the fields of cosmetology, dental assisting, medical assisting and surgical assisting.
"I like working with people. I worked at the nursing home for eight years now. I really enjoyed it so I wanted to pursue something a little bit more involved," Kathleen Lyon of North Adams said. "So I chose to come in and do medical assisting."
She enjoyed the course but acknowledged it was easy.
"It was a lot of hard work, but I did it," she smiled.
Lyon is taking a couple weeks off but but Kenzie Oblisk of Pittsfield already has a job lined up next week with Dr. Natalya Yantovsky.
"I'm excited to start working for real," Oblisk said.
"I guess I always was interested in dental hygiene, but this is a much more local program for me," she continued. "One year was more doable when you have a little one."
Superintendent James Brosnan described the graduates as the "most persevering people that are know."
Monday was also a time to thank the family members, he said, because without them, the graduates could not have succeeded.
"There is no program out there that is condensed, is as difficult in a short period as ours," he said of the courses that run from September to June.
Gary Rivers, chairman of the McCann School Committee and the school's former principal, recalled during his college years how they'd ask each other how many "older" students were in their evening classes.
"We were talking about nontraditional students," he said. "And it was always the more nontraditional students that were taking evening classes at the university, then the tougher the course was, because you guys always threw the curve right up to the top, so that we had to be more attentive to our studies."
The people who continue their pursuit of knowledge later in life, Rivers continued, "are extremely motivated and focused."
"They have life experience and now know what they want in life," he said. "So I'm not surprised your sitting here tonight. ...
"Because of your drive and determination, you have succeeded and are now ready to reap the rewards of your hard work."
The graduates are:
Cosmetology
Joelle Peterson of North Adams
Dental Assisting
Julia Cornwell of Dalton
Megan Cote of North Adams
Dominique Crews of Pittsfield
Alexandra Kowalczyk of Windsor
Kenzie Oblisk of Pittsfield
Medical Assisting
Anthony Carvalho of Williamstown
Kathleen Lyon of North Adams
Erica Prevey of North Adams
Jocelynne Smith of North Adams
Surgical Technology
Elizabeth Addington of Chester
Jessica Boulais of Pittsfield
Marley Brown of Adams
Stephanie Shatford of Adams
Skills USA State Leadership and Skills Conference Awards
Silver Medal Winner
Dental Assisting: Dominique Crews Gold Medal Winners
Dental Assisting: Kenzie Oblisk
Job Interview: Stephanie Shatford
Dominique Crews will be attending the annual Skills USA National Leadership & Skills Conference in Louisville, Ky., later this month.
Scholarships and Awards
Berkshire District Dental Assistants Association Scholarship: Kenzie Oblisk
Sharon Ferguson Memorial Scholarship: Megan Cote
Jamie Sacchetti Drennan Memorial Scholarship: Stephanie Shatford
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BAAMS' Monthly Studio 9 Series Features Mino Cinelu
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — On April 20, Berkshires' Academy of Advanced Musical Studies (BAAMS) will host its fourth in a series of live music concerts at Studio 9.
Saturday's performance will feature drummer, guitarist, keyboardist and singer Mino Cinelu.
Cinelu has worked with Miles Davis, Sting, Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Tracy Chapman, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder, Lou Reed, Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Vicente Amigo, Dizzy Gillespie, Pat Metheny, Branford Marsalis, Pino Daniele, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Salif Keita.
Cinelu will be joined by Richard Boulger on trumpet and flugelhorn, Dario Boente on piano and keyboards, and Tony Lewis on drums and percussion.
Doors open: 6:30pm. Tickets can be purchased here.
All proceeds will help support music education at BAAMS, which provides after-school and Saturday music study, as well as a summer jazz-band day camp for students ages 10-18, of all experience levels.
Also Saturday, the BAAMS faculty presents master-class workshops for all ages, featuring Cinelu, Boulger, Boente, Lewis and bassist Nathan Peck.
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Backed by a $750,000 federal grant for a planning study, North Adams and Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art are looking to undo some of that damage.
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"It wasn't 100 percent consistent but I was afforded the opportunity to get to know other people with different religion, beliefs, backgrounds and culture and to be able to embrace that." click for more
With the area warming up, events are blooming in the Berkshires this weekend, including an egg hunt, live music, fitness events, and more.
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