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Berkshire Arts & Technology Public Charter School held graduation ceremonies for 30 seniors at the school on Saturday.

BArT Graduates Assured They Will Take Community With Them

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
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Ndey Awa Touray delivers one of the senior reflections at BArT's graduation on Saturday morning. See more photos here.
ADAMS, Mass. — Before they went their separate ways on the final day of their high school careers, the 30 members of BArT's class of 2023 were reminded of the community they formed at the school.
 
"This class has always been about connections," Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School Principal Erin Hattaway told the crowd in the gymnasium. "Against all odds, you will connect with your community.
 
"It turns out life is a group work assignment."
 
Each in their own way, speaker after speaker reminded the graduates how good they are at working together and how close the class has become.
 
"I played two sports this year — not well, I will admit," senior Ndey Awa Touray said, drawing chuckles from the crowd. "This does not mix well with the fact that I don't like losing. I spent a lot of time during soccer and frisbee season fantasizing about quitting.
 
"However, there was always a fellow senior around the corner convincing me to stick it out a bit longer. Seeing the perseverance and determination and dedication they demonstrated convinced me. Did it make me a better athlete? I can't say it did. But these values influenced me."
 
In the ceremony's other senior reflection, Giordan Zavatter told his classmates that he shared their anxiety about what comes next after they graduate from BArT.
 
"But what I can tell you is that after being with these people for so many years and witnessing our bonds grow closer, these are some of the most in-depth and genuine people that you will ever meet," Zavatter said.
 
"Everyone here is going to leave an impact on the world for the better, whether that's being the next president of the United States or waving hi to a next door neighbor. These are the people that this world needs."
 
The class of '23 selected teacher Amy Wiles to give the commencement address — a fitting honor for an educator who told the crowd she taught most of the members of the class sixth-grade science on their first day at BArT and went on to teach them a class in four of their seven years at the school.
 
Wiles offered a theory on one reason why the class developed such strong ties.
 
"In March of ninth grade, COVID hit and changed our worlds, separating us and causing us to go completely digital," Wiles said. "You didn't come back into the building until April of your 10th grade year. And you sure did come back strong.
 
"You'd grown so much and, I think, missed each other so much that I think your bonds grew even stronger."
 
BArT Executive Director Jay White told the graduates that they would help make the world what they wanted it to be and would do so on a foundation helped shaped by their time at the school.
 
"At times, you're going to feel anxious," White said. "You're going to miss the surety and the dedication and even the love that you feel here at BArT.
 
"But take that image of the world that you want. Take hold of that anxiety and the uncertainty that you certainly will feel occasionally and use it to harness the imagination to fashion the world that you know that we need."
 
The 2023 graduates of Berkshire Arts & Technology Public Charter School
 
Anelisse L. Ahoon *
Ivan Chen*
Kalyn Rose Daniels **^^
Alexander Francis Delphia
Justin Edward Demers **
Schuyler Daniel Durand **
Nia Zoe Franklin
Isaac R. Huberdeau *
Josiah Christopher Hylton *
Ariana Autumn Johns
Riley Jowett
Elliot Fields Krantz **
Matthew Theodore Lizzo *
Corey J. Lynch *
Jacob Mandell **
Malakhi Marcus-Warren Matthews**
Ranger Griffyn McGinnis *^^
Sawyer Carrigan Moser *
Abigail Margaret Parker *
Katrina K. Parslow *
Layla Eileen Pedroza *
Liliana Eva Pisano
Ruby A.R. Pullaro-Clark**
Xavier Sheerin
Marvin Stefanik
Ndey Awa Touray *^^^
Devon Ocrena Turner
Matthew A. Weiskotten *
Giordan Dante Zavatter *^^
 
*High Honors   ** Honors  ^ Student Ambassador
 

 


Tags: BArT,   graduation 2023,   

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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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