Schools Announce Recipients of John and Abigail Adams Scholarship

Berkshire County Schools are now announcing the names of students who have received the John and Abigail Adams scholarship. Schools are encouraged to send their lists to info@iberkshires.com to recognize their students in this space.

The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship provides merit-based credit toward tuition for up to eight semesters of undergraduate education at a Massachusetts state college or university (with the exception of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design). The waiver is good for up to eight semesters of undergraduate education.

In order for a student to qualify, they must score "advanced" on their grade 10 MCAS English Language Arts, Mathematics tests or STE (Biology, Chemistry, Introductory Physics or Technology/Engineering) and "proficient" or "advanced" on the remaining two tests. Additionally, their combined MCAS scores must place them in the top 25 percent of their classmates within the school they attend or the district in which they reside.

Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School: Alyssa Anderson, Driss Bourzgui, Sarah deBethune, Gwendolyn Farnsworth, Miles Fippinger, Andrew Gillman, Grace Krzanik, William Peets, Ashley Pixley, Finley Root, Luke Salinovici, Sean Salinovici, Alison Sanchez, William Schrade, Gianna Sondrini, Kylie Taylor, Nicholas Viggiano, and Philip Williams.

Pittsfield High School: Dylan Bell, Loren Benoit, George Bissell, Genevieve Brites, Cole Brombeck, Benjamin Brooks, Emanuel Brown, Kobe Chen, Madeline Coco, Sophia Contini, Brandon Cook, Cassandra Crockwell, Joseph Cronin, Kevin D'aniello, Cameron Diehl, Daniel Dimassimo, Liam Fitzgibbons, Aliyah Heideman, Allison Henderson Mary Hines, Makai Jones, Jena Kaddoura, David Kankam, Jack Kelly, Stella Kimball-Dembitzer, Emma King, Mckenzi Kinnas, Abigail Kittler, Ella Korte, Logan Kroboth, Lucien Lamoureaux, Ryan Lapierre, Brian Lavino, Szofia Lewis, Cole Masiero, Emily Mazzeo, Patrick Mckinney, Sierra Murray, Declan O’Brien, Lilly Ouillette, Ryan Polastri, Ryan Poulton, Kyle Pullaro-Clark, Autumn Rodgers, Hannah Roloson, Corey Scarfone, Samantha Scoco, Kailee Soberano, Andrew Sohl, Elizabeth Sprague, Sasha Stedman, Emelyn Theriault, Elliot Thompson, Madison Tobin, Hailey Widdison and Whitney Zapotitla.

New Camp Is Safe Place for Children Suffering Loss to Addiction

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, December 27, 2025

Last year's Happy Campers courtesy of Max Tabakin.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new camp is offering a safe place for children who have lost a parent or guardian to addiction. 

 

Director Gayle Saks founded the nonprofit "Camp Happy Place" last year. The first camp was held in June with 14 children.

 

Saks is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor who works at the Brien Center. One of her final projects when studying was how to involve youth, and a camp came to mind. Camp had been her "happy place" growing up, and it became her dream to open her own.

 

"I keep a bucket list in my wallet, and it's right on here on this list, and I cross off things that I've accomplished," she said. "But it is the one thing on here that I knew I had to do."

 

The overnight co-ed camp is held at a summer camp in Winsted, Conn., where Saks spent her summers as a child. It is four nights and five days and completely free. Transportation is included as are many of the items needed for camping. The camp takes up to 30 children.

 

"I really don't think there's any place that exists specifically for this population. I think it's important to know, we've said this, but that it is not a therapeutic camp," Saks said.

 

She said the focus is on fun for the children, though they are able to talk to any of the volunteer and trained staff. The staff all have experience in social work, addiction and counseling, and working with children.