North Adams Graduated Awarded Stanley Scholarship

Print Story | Email Story
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The William Stanley Scholarship Fund announced today that 18-year-old Kristina Reynolds of North Adam has been named the 2009 William Stanley Scholar. She will receive a $3,000 scholarship per year for up to four years of her college education.

The highly competitive scholarship is awarded to only one student each year. It is intended for a Berkshire County graduating senior who is entering a four-year, nationally-accredited college or university. The student must demonstrate motivation and academic achievement, have SAT scores of 1000 or more, be in the top 20 percent of his or her class, have a grade-point average of at least 3.0, and demonstrate financial need.

Reynolds graduated from Drury High School this past June with a 4.0 GPA. She will attend Southern Vermont College in the fall and plans to major in radiography. She has volunteered at North Adams Regional Hospital for three years and was a member of the Youth Council that awarded grant money to selected service projects in North Adams.

Recent past winners of the scholarship who are continuing their studies and continue to receive scholarship funds are:

Peter Choi (2008 Stanley Scholar) is a pre-medicine student at Brown University. Outside of classes, he has participated in intramural sports and became an active member of the Korean American Student Association.


Justin Burdick (2007 Stanley Scholar) is majoring in electronic media, arts, and communication and pursuing a minor in game simulation arts and sciences at Rensselaer (N.Y.) Polytechnic Institute. He has been active in his band, acting as band manager and recording the band's new six-song demo.

Abigail Reardon (2006 Stanley Scholar) will enter her senior year at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the fall. She spent last summer studying at Trinity College at Oxford University through the English department at UMass' Oxford Summer Seminar.

The William Stanley Scholarship Fund, a fund of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, was established in 1991 following the dissolution of the Stanley Club, a social club for the General Electric Co. for more than 50 years in Berkshire County. The club was named after Stanley, an inventor and a pioneer in the early development of the advantages of alternating electrical current over Thomas A. Edison's direct current system. He demonstrated the practicality of AC generation and transmission by his historical lighting of stores and hotels on Main Street on March 20, 1886. Stanley was originally associated with Westinghouse, but formed the Stanley Manufacturing Co. in Pittsfield in 1992. The company was bought by GE in 1903.

The next deadline for the William Stanley Scholarship Fund is May 1, 2010. Applications can be found at www.berkshiretaconic.org/grantseekers or by calling 413-528-8039.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Lanesborough Passes FY 2027 Budget, Warrant Articles

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Town meeting on Tuesday approved an almost $14 million fiscal 2027 budget, and approved bylaws for short-term rentals and signage, and for public safety vehicles. 
 
Of the 20 warrant articles, one, Article 7, to use free cash to pay prior fiscal year bills of $941.27 was indefinitely postponed by Moderator David Rolle because the bills were for the fire association.
 
Some 247 of the town's more than 2,600 registered voters filled Lanesborough Elementary School, debating articles during a meeting that lasted more than three hours. 
 
The town's 2027 spending plan is up more than 10 percent, with the main increases from higher enrollment in the regional schools and the McCann Technical School renovation project.
 
Voters approved the assessment of $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School. They also approved Article 11, which was the use of $16,298.48 in free cash for the McCann's roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. 
 
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. Article 5 asked the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses, which passed.
 
Fire Chief Jeff DeChaine spoke to the audience on his articles and the need for a new truck to replace the 1996 fire truck, listed on the warrant articles for a total $813,366, which includes a $100,000 contingency cost on whether a 2026 model-year chassis can be secured before new emissions standards in 2027. If they get the 2026 chassis, that contingency likely won't be needed.
 
View Full Story

More Great Barrington Stories