Berkshire South Regional Community Center Shining Star Holiday Gift Program

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.— Berkshire South Regional Community Center is offering its annual Shining Star Supplemental Holiday Gift Program at 15 Crissey Road.
 
The Shining Star program is designed to help community members who are looking for added support during the holiday season. Applicants are anonymously matched with community donors. No names or private information are shared.
 
Berkshire South currently has over 170 children registered to be paired with shoppers who will help buy items on the applicants' "wish lists". An additional 60 children are on a waiting list and will be accommodated if enough people register to be shoppers. Participants are predominantly located in the southern Berkshires. Individuals who are interested in becoming a shopper for someone should contact the community center at 413-528-2810 or sign up online at berkshiresouth.org/shiningstar.  
 
"We have seen an overwhelming need for assistance this year," Executive Director Jenise Lucey said. "Every year it seems that applications come in at an increasingly rapid pace. But we know that we can help with the assistance of our community. Each year, we are so touched by the outpouring of generosity that we see with shoppers buying everything from toys to warm winter boots." The deadline for gift purchases is December 5th.

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Monument Mountain Names Valedictorian, Salutatorian for 2024

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Ariel "Ari" Caine and Madeleine Rocheleau-Holmes have been named valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, of Monument Mountain Regional High School class of 2024.
 
Both will speak at graduation ceremonies being held on Sunday, June 2, at 1:30 p.m. at Tanglewood in Lenox. 
 
Caine is the child of Hanan and Rebecca Caine of Richmond. They are a member of the National Honor Society, Edith's Ensemble Chamber Music Group, Creative Writing Club, and are an integral member of Monument's Fall Festival of Shakespeare and the spring musical theater program, managing the lighting and sound design for all performances as well as stage managing and acting.
 
Caine is the recipient of the University of Rochester Bausch and Lomb Science Award, the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendent's Award Certificate of Academic Excellence, the National Rural and Small Town Recognition Award, the AP Scholar Award, and the National Merit Commended Student Award.
 
They will be attending the University of Rochester (N.Y.) in the fall to study biology and theater.
 
Rocheleau-Holmes is the daughter of Anne Wild-Rocheleau and Christopher Holmes of West Stockbridge. She is a member and co-president of the National Honor Society and the recipient of the Williams College Book Award, the Rochester Institute of Technology's Humanities and Social Sciences Award, and also earned the College Board National Rural and Small Town Recognition for Outstanding Academic Achievement and the Seal of BiLiteracy with Distinction. 
 
A highly accomplished musician, she is a member of the Empire State Youth Orchestra and previously the Springfield Symphony Youth Orchestra. Last summer, she was selected to attend the Boston University Tanglewood Institute For Young Artists. Here at Monument, she was chosen to play with the Massachusetts All State ensemble and currently plays in the jazz ensemble as well as the Edith Chamber Music ensemble. In addition, she has taken part in the spring musicals both as an actor and as a member of the pit orchestra as well as the Shakespeare Fall Festival and the Advanced Drama program.
 
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