Mounties' Spirit Week Gets New 'Pep'

By Molly PolkMGRHS Community Outreach
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Mount Greylock students were turning red for Spirit Week. See more photos of the pep rally here.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Halloween on Monday offered students in both the middle and high schools at Mount Greylock Regional School an occasion to don their costumes.

But the chance for students to step out of ordinary attire and participate in schoolwide spirit and camaraderie continued all week long. The newly formed Pep Club, which now boasts more than 80 student members in Grades 7-12, worked with seniors and faculty members Liza Barrett and Lynn Jordan to organize this year's Spirit Week at the school.

"This has been the most fun Spirit Week in my 15 years at Mount Greylock, and I keep hearing positive feedback from parents in the community as well," said Barrett, a 7th-grade English teacher. Themed "dress up days," including classy, twin, blackout, and red and white, lead up to the weekend finale – Friday's all-school Pep Rally and Homecoming football game and Saturday's Homecoming dance.

"Our goal this year with organizing Spirit Week and the Pep Rally has really been to break the separation between middle and high school students and between students and faculty," senior Nick Carson explained. "The entire aim of the Pep Rally this year is to bring everyone together. Even faculty will participate in friendly competitions during the Pep Rally." 

Junior Eve Cleghorn agreed, saying she's noticed much more participation across the grades in dressing up for Spirit Week this year, especially among 7th-graders.

In the past it has been the purview of the senior class to organize aspects of Spirit Week, including Pep Rally. "Most students have really embraced the change," Jordan, who is the wellness teacher at Mount Greylock, said. Senior Susie Shanley said the shared coordination of the events, between seniors, the PEP Club, and faculty, "has allowed more people to be included in what spirit days are all about."

Carlos Ames, a junior, described Mount Greylock's Spirit Week as a special week in the life of the school, "when students can be different and dress up and not feel uncomfortable because they know that everyone else is going to be doing it, too."

Even more, he said, "after this week, we all know, whether we win or lose in Friday's football game, nothing can take away the spirit of our school."

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Williamstown's Images Cinema Set for May 22 Reopening

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff

Construction work on the main screen room at Images is seen through a hole cut for a to-be-installed projector.
 
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Images Cinema will be making up for lost time when the non-profit venue reopens this month after a major renovation and redesign.
 
"First Look," a two-week festival screening some of the biggest films of the last year, will usher in a new era for the century-old Spring Street venue.
 
The Oscar winner for Best Picture is just one of more than a dozen films that will be shown during the festival, which will run from May 22 through June 4.
 
"After a long, cold winter, we're so excited to fully spring back into action at Images," Executive Director Dan Hudson said in a news release. "What better way to celebrate with the community than by showing great films, some of which we have not yet been able to present?"
 
Images members will be able to see films ranging from "One Battle After Another" to "Zootopia 2" for free. Non-members will be able to attend for just $5 during the two-week festival.
 
The theater itself figures to be part of the draw.
 
After closing for renovations in October, Images will reopen with a new configuration, including a 70-seat main theater, an 18-seat second theater and a 15-seat lounge available for "intimate" screenings and events. The main screen will feature Dolby Atmos immersive sound and 4K laser projection. The second screen will have 7.1 surround sound and 2K laser projection.
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