Miss Hall's School Graduates 48

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PITTSFIELD, Mass — Forty-eight students graduated on Sunday, June 1, during Miss Hall's School's 127th Commencement.
 
The graduating class included 15 students from Berkshire County.
 
The ceremony took place under a large tent behind the Elizabeth Gatchell Klein Arts Center on the School's Holmes Road campus and was shared worldwide via Zoom.
 
Hosted by Miss Hall's Head of School Julia Heaton, the ceremony included remarks from Senior Class President Willa Dowling-Paul, of Hinsdale; School President Casey Grace Lai, of Singapore; School Vice President Haley Sacon, of West Stockbridge; and MHS Board of Trustees President Nancy Gustafson Ault, Class of 1973.
 
This year's Commencement Remarks were delivered by Kate Schrauth, Executive Director of iCouldBe, a leading virtual mentoring program working to support young people as they navigate high school and plan for future educational opportunities and careers. Schrauth was introduced by 2025 Miss Hall's graduate Ginamarie Bocchino, of Pittsfield.
 
Schrauth first served as Chair of the Board at iCouldBe from 2001 to 2005, then moved into the Executive Director role in 2006. 
 
Local graduates in the class of 2025 are Bryanna Amankwah, of Pittsfield; Ginamarie Bocchino, of Pittsfield; Lila Boland, of Dalton; Genevieve Buker, of Lee; Willa Dowling-Paul, of Hinsdale; Kady Gentleman, of Lenox; Gabriella Hasperg, of
Cheshire; Emily Keiper, of Washington; Jayda Kimok, of Pittsfield; Alice Kwiatkowski, of West Stockbridge; Chloe Muellers, of Monterey; Mara Rosenthal, of Bennington, Vt.; Haley Sacon, of West Stockbridge; Olivia Whitney, of Cheshire; and Parker Wright, of Richmond.
 
The following awards were also bestowed on members of the Class of 2025:
  • Joseph F. Buerger Memorial School Spirit Cup: Willa Dowling-Paul, of Hinsdale
  • Faculty Commendation Award: Julia Tocchio, of Brasilia, Brazil
  • Christine Fuller Holland '33 Service Prize: Casey Grace Lai, of Singapore
  • Meus Honor Stat Keys Awarded for MHS Core Competencies:
    • Vision: Ginamarie Bocchino, of Pittsfield, and Valentina Romero, of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
    • Voice: Bryanna Amankwah, of Pittsfield, and Willa Dowling-Paul, of Hinsdale
    • Interpersonal Efficacy: EA Peña, of Boston, and Ginger Warner, of Putney, Vt.
    • Gumption: Lila Boland, of Dalton, and Bibi Sahra Sidique, of Kabul, Afghanistan
  • Margaret Witherspoon Award: Ivy Kay, of Lawrence, Mass.
  • Engineering and Technology Innovation Award: Olivia Whitney, of Cheshire
  • Doris E. Pitman English Prize: Inyene Bell, of Bridgeport, Conn.
  • Virginia Breene Wickwire '67 Reading Prize: Valentina Romero, of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
  • Elizabeth Gatchell Klein Studio Art Prize: Bibi Sahra Sidique, of Kabul, Afghanistan
  • Ceramics Award: Jayda Kimok, of Pittsfield
  • Angela Kalischer Theater Prize: EA Peña, of Boston
  • Susanna McCreath Music Prize: Kyana Chainani, of Singapore
  • Photography Award: Manizha Nabizada, of Kabul, Afghanistan
  • Paul C. Cabot, Jr. History Prize: Kady Gentleman, of Lenox
  • Horizons Award: Genevieve Buker, of Lee
  • Monique Jalbert French Prize: Ivy Kay, of Lawrence, Massachusetts
  • Spanish Award: Ginamarie Bocchino, of Pittsfield
  • Mansfield E. Pickett Latin Prize: Gabriella Hasperg, of Cheshire
  • English for Speakers of Other Languages Award: Stella Le, of Binh Duong, Vietnam
  • James K. Ervin Mathematics Prize: Chloe Muellers, of Monterey
  • Iive Rouse Science Award: Haley Sacon, of West Stockbridge
  • Sylvia "Rusty" Shethar Everdell '38 Prize: Anri Teraoka, of Tokyo, Japan
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Pittsfield Committee Recommends Scanlon for City Audit

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— After the bid for a new auditing company came back over 30 percent higher, Pittsfield will stick with Scanlon and Associates. 

On Tuesday, the Auditing Services Evaluation Committee voted to advance Scanlon to the City Council for an independent audit.  CliftonLarsonAllen also responded to the bid, but came in costing $120,000 more. 

"I have to go with saving money for the city. I mean, the discrepancy is too much of a difference," committee member Karen Kalinowsky said. 

"The city could have use for that difference over the next three years." 

This process was prompted by Rule 40 of the council rules and the City Charter, where in any year the City Council votes to hold a procurement process for an independent certified public accountant or firm to audit Pittsfield's books and accounts, the city must, through its Finance Committee with the assistance of the purchasing department, solicit requests for proposals or invitations for bids before June 1. 

The council in March recommended that the purchasing agent draft a request for proposals and put it out to bid. 

Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren, who has been vocally in favor of the independent audit for years, said the city doesn't have to follow a bidding process for the professional service, "We are doing this so the public knows that we're being professional, and a looking for other options, looking at what the best options are, and comparing them based on what they can offer and what the cost is." 

Board member Kathy Amuso said both CLA and Scanlon have equitable reviews with high recommendations.  Especially considering the budget crisis Pittsfield is in, she moved to recommend Scanlon to the full council. 

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