image description — Principal Jared Materas attached this decal to his race car and had the students sign it.

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Egremont Principal Materas Honors Late Student In His Own Way

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
10:14AM / Thursday, June 22, 2017Print Story | Email Story

Gabby's classmates signed their names to the decal on Wednesday.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Egremont Elementary School community was devastated in December when 11-year-old student Gabrielle Corbett died unexpectedly.

Principal Jared Materas saw himself as being a rock for the students and staff and he tried to hold the community together through the difficult period of grief. And it was tough for him, too. She never left his mind.

When Materas isn't in school, and what many don't know about him, is that he races cars. His hobby is to head down to Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in Connecticut for asphalt track racing. He was driving back from the races one day and an idea came to him - an idea to honor Corbett in his own way.

"I wanted to put something on the car for her and it just sort of evolved," Materas said.

This past weekend he placed a decal on the vehicle reading "In Loving Memory of Gabby Corbett," and with the tagline, which the Egremont community has embraced for Corbett, "Make a Friend, Be a Friend."

"It's on a place of the car that doesn't get damaged. If it does, I can still keep it with me. I'd hang it up in my office so it stays here or offer it to the family," Materas said.

It isn't just the decal that makes it special though. On Wednesday, Materas brought the car to the school and all of the students in Corbett's class signed it. The fifth-graders are in their final days with Egremont School, moving on to middle school next.

"It turned out a lot better than expected. It means a lot to me," Materas said.

Not only did the class get to sign the decal, but they also got to see another side of Materas. Throughout the day students from all grade levels had an opportunity to see the car up close and learn what Materas does off school grounds. And it showed a softer side of Materas, a side he hadn't really shown when he was trying to be the rock for the community.

"It was good for them to see another side of their principal," Materas said.

The next time Materas gets behind the wheel and heads out onto the track, he'll be driving with Gabby and the Egremont School community right there with him.

"I think about her every day. This is a nice reminder and memorial to her," Materas said.

Tags: egremont school, memorial,

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

12:05PM / Wednesday, December 24, 2025

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.

This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.

The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.

DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.

"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths.

"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."

Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.

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