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J Star Gymnasts Earn Medals at Manhattan Classic

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The J Star gymnasts brought home an assortment of medals from the Manhattan Classic, their biggest competition yet.  

Twelve J Star athletes, ages 7 to 12, traveled to New York City last weekend to compete against gymnasts from across the country.   

"It is the biggest meet we have ever gone to," J Star owner and head coach Jon Girard said. "We usually do some small ones where there is no more than 500 competitors; this one had 3,500. We really upped our game this time around."

The gymnasts competed over a two-day period in six different gyms. The athletes faced off from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. and competed on the bar, the beam, the floor, and the vault.

Girard said a good chunk of the J Star team brought home medals. They had to place in the top 10 in their events to medal. One of J Star's own placed first in the vault.

"I thought we did very well, and I am very proud of all of them," he said. "They really brought their A game."

Girard added that the J Star level four team won the Spirit of the Sport Award, which is given to the team that shows the most energy.

"Usually you see a gymnastics meets and they are very quiet, and not really rowdy," Girard said. "Not with us. We were very loud, and they had signs like you would have at a wrestling match."

He said it is important for the young athletes compete in these large meets so they understand how competitive they actually are.

"It really shows that the hours and the hard work that they put in really accomplishes something," Girard said. "They can actually accomplish something versus the rest of the nation, and they can see that they are learning just as much in our small gym that they would learn in other states and other gyms across the country."

He said J Star will continue to expand and has meets scheduled from February through November.

Those interested in joining the team can sign up here.

Manhattan Classic Results

Xcel Bronze:
Gabrielle Schneider – Vault -9.65(1st) Top 50 in the country for vault, All-Around -36.85(7th)
Emma Brennan – Uneven Bars -9.3(5th), Balance Beam-9.225(4th), All-Around-37.00(6th)

Xcel Silver: Raechel Morin - Vault -9.4(7th)

Level 3:

North Adams School Committee Applauds Award Winner, Hears Budget

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
02:42PM / Wednesday, April 08, 2026

Superintendent Timothy Callahan presents his first Superintendent's Award to Brayden Canales. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The School Committee on Tuesday voted to send a recommending fiscal 2027 budget to a public hearing and congratulated the newest recipient of the Superintendent's Award. 

 

Drury High School senior Brayden Canales is graduating at the top of his class with 33 college credits and a grade-point average of 4.3.

 

"In addition to his impressive list of college courses, he has rounded out his transcript with several Advanced Placement and project based learning courses," said Superintendent Timothy Callahan, adding, "I had the honor to be Brayden's principal when he began a Drury."

 

Canales is a member of both the Nu Sigma and Pro Merito honor societies and received the Principal's Award for having the top five average in his class all four years and the Rensselaer (N.Y.) Institute of Technology award for science and math as a junior outside of the classroom.

 

He's also been a member of the soccer, hockey and baseball teams and this year was presented the Berkshire County Ice Hockey Officials Association's Sportsmanship Award for his leadership. Canales has also been a peer mediator, student ambassador, among other activities.  

 

He plans to pursue a major in architecture but has not yet selected a college. 

 

The Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Certificate of Academic Excellence is awarded to students who have achieved not only academically but in leadership and community service.