Hoosac Valley Names Valedictorian, Salutatorian for 2026

01:59PM / Tuesday, June 02, 2026Print Story | Email Story

CHESHIRE, Mass. — Hoosac Valley High School has named the top students for the class of 2026.

Valedictorian Anna Thurston and salutatorian Alexis Warner will speak at graduation ceremonies on Friday, June 5, at 6 p.m. in the school gymnasium.

Thurston, daugther of Thomas and Julie Thurston of Cheshire, has taken Advanced Placement and honors courses, including receiving a Presidential Award in AP World History. In addition to the Superintendents' Award, she has received the Rensselaer (N.Y.) Polytechnic Institute Medal, a first-degree certification in chainsaw and first place in a General Dynamics engineering competition.

During her time at Hoosac Valley, she has served three years on the Student Council, as secretary of the National Honor Society chapter and participated in Portrait of a Graduate and World of Difference. Thurston has been involved with Leo Club for five years, serving as secretary, treasurer and president, and a member of the stage crew for high school productions, and stage manager for "Seussical the Musical."

She was a member of the school's volleyball team, medaled in figure skating at the Bay State Games and holds a black belt in taekwondo. She has volunteered on trips to the food bank and in town cleanups in Adams.

Thurston plans to attend the University of New Hampshire's Honors College to major in mechanical engineering.

Warner is the daughter of Corey and Laura Warner of Cheshire. She also took AP and honors courses, earning an AP Scholars Award and a Sage Colleges Student Sage Award.

During her time at Hoosac, she was treasurer of the National Honor Society chapter, secretary of the Student Council, and a member of the Leo Club, World of Difference, and the Student-Adult Advisory Board. She also played on the girls volleyball and was a member of the stage crew for high school productions.

Tags: graduation 2026, HVHS,

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Adams Fire Plans to Keep Public Informed on Station

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:07PM / Wednesday, August 12, 2026

ADAMS, Mass. — The Prudential Committee hopes to invite the public to see the fire station and explain its needs.

The Fire District is trying to address the deteriorating building and is moving forward with a needs assessment by Jacunski Humes Architects, a company that specializes in public safety design. The $8,000 for this was approved at the annual meeting earlier this year.

The first order of the process is the space needs assessment. Fire Chief David Lennon and Water Superintendent John Barrett at the July 27 meeting discussed inviting the public to tour the building as they start the assessment.

In other news, the Fire Department hired a full-time firefighter and three on-call firefighters.

The board discussed new jackets for employees who are 65 and older to signify and distinguish them when at a scene. This is to prevent the Fire Department from running afoul of a state law mandating retirement of active firefighters at age 65.

The district is also still mulling expanding the district townwide. It currently does not cover areas of the town that are not on the water system but the Fire Department responds to any fire and emergency calls within the town's borders.

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