Bianchi-Barbarotta Award winners, from left: Paul and Dick Rivers, Peter White, Ben Knute, West Dews, Jack Reed, Ashlyn Lesure, Ella Bassi, Randy Koldys. Not present, Brian Gill.
Paula and Dick Rivers, recipients of the Bianchi-Barbarotta Foundation Living Legends Award, are presented with the honor by Pepi Barbarotta, left, and John Barbarotta.
Peter White, center, receives the Connie Bianchi Memorial Award of Merit from Chris Barbarotta and John Barbarotta.
Bianchi-Barbarotta Foundation Volunteer of the Year Ben Knute receives his award from Chris Bianchi, left, and John Barbarotta.
Gary Bianchi, left, and Bianchi-Barbarotta Foundation President John Barbarotta present the Male Sport Coach of the Year award to Monument Mountain boys basketball coach Randy Koldys, center.
Pittsfield High’s Jack Reed, center, receives the Vera Barbarotta Sportsmanship Scholarship from Jay Barbarotta and John Barbarotta.
Reese Barbarotta, left, and John Barbarotta present the Vera Barbarotta Sportsman Scholarship to Pittsfield High’s Ella Bassi.
Al Bianchi Senior Female Athlete of the Year Ashlyn Lesure receives her award from Sam Barbarotta, left, and John Barbarotta.
Al Bianchi Senior Male Athlete of Year West Dews with presenter Gary Bianchi, Wahconah football coach Gary Campbell and Bianchi-Barbarotta Foundation President John Barbarotta.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – The Bianchi-Barbarotta Foundation Friday recognized nine winners of the organization’s annual awards for contributions to sports in Berkshire County.
The honorees were recognized at a dinner at the Polish Falcon Club.
Paula and Dick Rivers received the foundation’s Living Legends Award. Peter White took home the Connie Bianchi Memorial Award of Merit. Ben Knute was honored as the Volunteer of the year. And recent Pittsfield High School grads Jack Reed and Ella Bassi are recipients of the 2025 Vera Barbarotta Sportsman Scholarships.
For the first time this year, the foundation added male and female Athletes of the Year and Coach of the Year recognition in girls and boys sports.
Wahconah’s West Dews is the male Athlete of the Year, and Hoosac Valley’s Ashlyn Lesure is the Female Athlete of the Year. The coaches are Mount Greylock girls track and field coach Brian Gill and Monument Mountain boys basketball coach Randy Koldys.
“It was a wonderful evening with some awesome speeches,” Bianch-Barbarotta Foundation President John Barbarotta said. “The kids were outstanding.”
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Teacher of the Month: Nickole Halvorsen
By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — For many students, kindergarten is their first experience in a school setting and the beginning of ongoing growth and change throughout their lives.
Kindergarten teacher Nickole Halvorsen strives to instill in her students the foundational academic and social-emotional skills they need to succeed not only in her classroom, but throughout their educational journey and beyond.
It is this dedication, along with the fun, safe and welcoming environment that students describe her as cultivating, that has earned her the iBerkshires.com Teacher of the Month designation.
The Teacher of the Month series, in collaboration with Berkshire Community College, features distinguished teachers nominated by community members. You can nominate a teacher here.
"Now at the end of the year, it gets sad and a little more emotional, especially this year because this is our last year at Morningside," she said during her interview in May.
So, really focusing on coming in, being here, being present [and] consistent for them matters the most for me, and they make me want to be here. I want to have fun with them. I want to enjoy every last bit we can of being in the school building."
For many students, kindergarten is their first experience in a school setting and the beginning of ongoing growth and change throughout their lives.
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A handful of residents have reported people who speed down their road making them feel unsafe to walk or pull out of their driveways as they are unsure who might be coming down the road and at what speed.
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The Grand has secured its liquor license, and the McNinch Restaurant Group now operates Bousquet Mountain’s restaurant, its third eatery in the city. click for more
