Lee Middle and High School Announces Graduation Speakers

03:22PM / Thursday, June 04, 2026Print Story | Email Story

LEE, Mass. — Isabella Hall and Nox Colello have been named the valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, for Lee High School's class of 2026.

They will speak at the school's 149th graduation exercises on Saturday, June 6, at 1:30 p.m. at Tanglewood in Lenox.

Hall is the daughter of Shaun and Ella Hall of Lee. She is a recipient of the St. Anselm College Book Award and the Rensselaer (N.Y.) Polytechnic Institute Medal. During high school, she was a member of the school chorus and the Western Massachusetts Senior District Chorus, student government, the Social Justice Club, National Honor Society, the Fall Festival of Shakespeare and the spring musical, the Berkshire Theatre Group youth chorus and touring shows, and the soccer team.

Hall plans on attending Emerson College in Boston in the fall, majoring in business of creative enterprises.

Colello is the child of Christopher Colello of Pittsfield and Sara Armstrong of Pittsfield and was awarded the Certificate of Academic Excellence from the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, the St. Lawrence University Book Award, and the University of Rochester (N.Y.) Frederick Douglas and Susan B. Anthony Award, and is a John and Abigail Adams Scholar. In high school, they participated in band and chorus, as a member and president of the school's Gay Straight Alliance, the Social Justice Club, the Fall Festival of Shakespeare and the spring musical each year, the National Honor Society, and the Barrington Stage Playwright Mentor Project.

Colello plans on attending Berkshire Community College as a business major, and the School of Makeup Effects in New Jersey.

Tags: graduation 2026, Lee High, val & sal,

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Greenagers Founder Will Conklin Honored as Business Person of the Year

By Breanna Steele12:17PM / Saturday, October 03, 2026

Casey Pease of state Sen. Paul Mark's office presents William Conklin, right, with a state Senate proclamation.

EGREMONT, Mass. — The Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce honored a local businessman and nonprofit leader on Sept. 24 at Catamount Mountain Resort.

William Conklin was this year's Business Person of the Year, recognizing his work as founder and executive director of Greenagers, a nonprofit that helps youth and children engage in work in environmental conservation, sustainable farming, natural resource management, and vocational skills building.

Conklin and his family also run Sky View Farm and he is a managing partner of Konkapot Tree and Timber, a small-scale forest products business.

"If you spent any amount of time in Southern Berkshire, chances are you've heard his name, whether you realize the connection at the time or not," said board member Sierra King Watson, who emceed the event. "You might be having a conversation about farming, a new barn or structure that was built, students learning hands-on skills in sustainable agriculture, or a family that receives donated firewood to help keep their home warm through a cold Berkshire winter, or maybe you're simply talking about one of those community leaders who somehow manages to show up, support everyone, and seemingly be everywhere all at once.

"Well, one name has a way of continuously popping up, and that is Will Conklin."

Board President Mark Rulison said the region has more than 1,200 nonprofits. One in four jobs in the county is in the nonprofit sector, which ranks 27th nationally for nonprofit employment. He said the economic impact on the community is huge, thanking those who help.

For the event on Thursday, Conklin requested that as much of the food as possible was sourced locally. Most of it came from Greenagers, Sky View Farm, Indian Line Farm and Fancy Feast Supper Club, creative dinner series.

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