Miss Hall's School Announces Head's List, Honor Roll

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Miss Hall's School has announced 56 local students among the 166 students schoolwide named to the Head's List and Honor Roll for the second semester of the 2019-2020 school year, which ended May 22.

For Head's List recognition, students must have taken five major, full-credit courses and must maintain a minimum grade-point average of 92, with no single grade below B-plus.

For Honor Roll recognition, students must have taken five major, full-credit courses and must maintain a minimum grade-point average of 86, with no single grade below B-minus.

Head's List

Grade 12: Ella Biancolo, Pittsfield; Emily Carmel, Pittsfield; Angela Guachione, Pittsfield; Meredith (Mere) Hall, Adams; Ria Kedia, Pittsfield; Lanna Knoll, Great Barrington; Emma Kotelnicki, Dalton; Isabelle Lapierre, Dalton; and Kathryn (Kat) Sirois, Stockbridge.

Grade 11: Hadley DeVarennes, Lee; Nicole Forman, Pittsfield; Shawo Lhabdon, Pittsfield; Nya Mielke, Richmond; EmmaGrace (Emma) Nealon, Pittsfield; Gabriela (Gabby) Nicholson, Williamstown; Shairai (Shay) Richards, Pittsfield; Dillon Rodgers, Pittsfield; Sammy Rusk, Pittsfield; Brooke Telfer, Pittsfield; and Paige Wright, Pittsfield.

Grade 10: Emma Adelson, Lee; Kathryn Barrett, Sandisfield; Isabella (Bella) D’Aniello, Pittsfield; Halle Davies, Lenox; Sundara Hesse, Ghent, N.Y.; Olivia Kick-Nalepa, Dalton; Ruby McDonald, Valatie, N.Y.; Keely O'Gorman, Lee; Myia Price, Pittsfield; and Sienna Trask, West Stockbridge.

Grade 9: Andrea Fox, Lenox; Lucy Garrison, Pittsfield; Kenja Harley, Stamford, Vt.; Olivia McKeon, Pittsfield; Bethania Robertson, Becket; and Hilary (Ollie) Walter, Cheshire.

Honor Roll

Grade 12: Soleil Laurin, Pittsfield; and Charlotte (Charlie) Smith, New Marlborough.

Grade 11: Sarah Briggs, Williamstown; Olivia Doerr, Lenox; Hazel Grallert, Cummington; Katherine (Kate) Kerwood, Pittsfield; Meredith Kestyn, Pittsfield; Anna Claire Korenman, Pittsfield; Paige Mickle, Lenox; Shanyse-Yasmine Reed, Pittsfield; and Kylie Soper, Pittsfield.

Grade 10: Aurora (Rory) Benson, Pittsfield; Everly Carroll, Lenox; Symaira Elliott, Pittsfield; Remi Engel, Housatonic; Montgomery Erickson, Bennington, Vt.; and Hava Methe, Lee.

Grade 9: Natalie Doerr, Lenox; Viviana (Viv) Lanphear, Hinsdale; and Viola Quiles, Dalton.

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.