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Mount Everett graduated 40 seniors on Saturday at Tanglewood in Lenox.

Mount Everett Regional Graduates Ready to 'Launch' into the World

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
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Valedictorian Benjamin Villa compared the class of 2026 to the Artemis II, which took a trip around the moon this year. See more photos here. 

LENOX, Mass. — Mount Everett Regional School's class of 2026 told to be kind going forward into whatever path they choose.

Families, friends, and faculty gathered at the Shed at Tanglewood to celebrate the 40 graduates' accomplishments.
 
Valedictorian Benjamin Vella compared his class to the Artemis II mission from earlier this year, and how they had done what those astronauts have done to soar among the stars.
 
"Like those astronauts, we've trained hard for this day. For 12 years, we've built the skills and knowledge to be successful in the world. That's right — we have worked hard! And we did it! Here we are!" he said. 
 
"Every test, every lab report, every homework assignment and every time you rushed to get to class before the bell, called a friend to do homework together, or studied for a test between classes, all of those has led to this moment."
 
He also thanked those who helped get the students to where they are like teachers and parents, and like the countless others who helped get the rocket to launch. But now it is their time to take control of their life.
 
"So here we are. Launch day. The rocket is filled. The engines are lit. The support crew is waiting in the stands. And from this point forward, the ship is yours to command," Vella told the class fo 2026. "From now on, you do whatever you want. Pursue any career, go to any country, do any hobby, meet new people, eat food, try new things, travel to the ends of the world."
 
But, he reminded them that mistakes will help them grow.
 
"I'd be remiss to say that this freedom doesn't come with some responsibility," he said. "No longer do you have the safety blanket of your support crew. You will make mistakes, you will fail, and from time to time you may need to call back to Houston. But that's OK, because with every mistake you make, you'll learn and grow."
 
Salutatorian Philip Enoch spoke about a personal experience with trumpet player Wynton Marsalis, who told him he did not go to school because music is life and something you experience not learn, encouraging his class to experience their life to the fullest.
 
"This diploma we will receive today is just a piece of paper, but it represents memories, experiences, a past we will cherish. It also represents a new beginning, an initiation into the new world, one where we will hopefully find and cherish something as much as Mr. Marsalis treasures music," he said. "To the students venturing out today, I wish you safe travels on this journey, and do pray that you experience life and learning to its fullest. To learn is to experience, and to experience is to live."
 
Principal Jesse Carpenter gave the students three pieces of advice: to show kindness, perseverance, and commitment, while reminiscing about his own Mount Everett 1992 graduation.
 
"Whatever you choose to do next year, college, the military, or join the workforce, be totally committed to what you do," he said.
 
Southern Berkshire Regional Superintendent Brian Ricca commended the class and told them to move forward with kindness, asking them one question: How then shall you all live meaningfully in a world where there are so many claims to what is truly good?
 
"Be kind, or at the very least be decent in whatever you do, wherever you go, whoever you meet, be one inch kinder, be one inch more decent," he said.
 
School Committee Chair Julie Hannum also reminisced on her graduation in 1975, telling the graduating class to keep learning and become the best you can be.
 
"Whatever path you choose, remember there are so many important life lessons that will happen concurrently along the way, and that there's always something new to learn. You'll encounter forks in the road. Keep your mind open and make thoughtful choices. Dream big, maybe even a million dreams. Don't be afraid to fail. Adapt and move forward, keep growing and become your best self."
 
The Principal's Leadership award and the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Award was presented to Vella. The Massachusetts School Administrators Association's Student Achievement Award was given to Sophie DelMasto, who also earned the Mount Everett Student Council Award of Goodness.
 
The Mount Everett Chorus sang "A Million Dreams" by Roger Emerson and the school band performed the national anthem as well as "The Legend of Honjo" by Christina Huss.

Mount Everett Graduating Class of 2026

Scholarships & Awards

David Bautista-Santos
Levi Michael Boardman
Annabella Rose Brady
Jade Isaiah Brown
Quinn David Butler-Carlson
Cameron Richard Coon
Luna Lee Crawford-Harvey
Guthrie Floyd Davis
Sophie Michelle DelMasto
Jayden Paul Dolby-Capeless
Madeline Esther Emerling
Philip Edward Enoch
Siobhan Eloise Fedell
Emily Sophia Gilmore
Jonah Abraham Harrington
Alexis Jordyn Jeffries
Brody Stalker Kinna
Ainsley Ann Krans
London Elisabeth Krans
Kingston John Lee
Max Taishi Manning
Lindsey C. Markham
Adara Suzanne McLaughlin
Joseph Matthew McNulty
Italia Oates
Alexis Eryn Peck
Hayden James Pothul
Kamari Kamela Pridgen
Abigail Elise Reiners
Elizabeth Rose Robitaille
Lillian Valley Rotenberg
Roselyn May Rotenberg
Kyle Erminio Sermini
Nicholas Paul Thomson
Cheyanne Elizabeth Tilley
Blake Anthony Turner
Madison Patricia Van Deusen
Benjamin Bryant Vella
Finnegan Moon Vion
Xavier Elijah Zorn

 


Tags: graduation 2026,   Mount Everett,   

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Pryor & Peacock's Whimsical Furniture Environmentally Friendly

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
 

The company uses digital printing to create the upholstery fabric, saving water and saving vintage furniture from ending up in landfills.

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — A unique furniture store has popped up on Elm Street this month.

Mom-and-daughter store Pryor & Peacock is hosting the pop-up storefront from Aug. 13 to Aug. 25 at 6 Elm. The New Marlborough business is co-founded by Rosalina Wright and Luca Shapiro, who is also the creative director. 

Their online shop was created in 2024 but they wanted people to see the pieces in person, so they're renting the space for a limited time before a long-term tenant moves in.

The store sources prints to create unique fabrics and reimagines vintage and antique furniture acquired at auctions, local shops, and online.

"We source prints from all over the world that date from the late 1600s up through mid-20th century, and Luca turns those prints into fabric by manipulating them, scanning them, oftentimes has to add or subtract things, and then we manufacture the fabric using only digital printing, which is very environmentally friendly, unlike traditional textile printing," Wright said.

Upholstering the furniture can take weeks of work. Shapiro looks for the perfect design for each piece and, if need be, uses Adobe Photoshop to extend the art work to fit or enhance the print.

"One of the most difficult parts comes in marrying the fabric to a piece of furniture because we only use antique and vintage frames also to be earth friendly, and they're also more beautiful and durable than new furniture," Wright said. "So the image has to go with the furniture, so that takes a lot of work."

One of Pryor & Peacock's missions is to be environmentally friendly. Digital printing doesn't use the same amount of water as traditional textile productions do nor does it contaminate water with ink according to their website.

Not only are they saving water, but they are saving furniture from going into the landfill while also using more durable furniture that doesn't break as easily as current pieces. They started their business to create something unique and to help the environment together.

"It's creating something nobody else is doing. People can't continue to buy throwaway furniture. Six percent of American landfills is furniture, and digital printing not only opens up the possibility of being able to put unique images on a piece of furniture, but it also is, as I said, environmentally friendly. So, for us, the excitement is to take an old East Lake settee that somebody's going to store in their barn and forget about, and make it something completely new and surprising," Wright said.

They hope their furniture helps bring a pop of fun to someone's home.

"We think our furniture is very whimsical and surprising, and most furniture today is oatmeal colored couches and gray neutral chairs, and it's boring," she said.

The two named their business after their mothers' maiden names to honor them and believe the name reflects their pieces.

Shapiro works in interior design outside of the business and the two liked working together and thought it would be great to start a business together. Shapiro says they can work well together and that her and her mother, Wright, has flipped houses before and have the same eye for design.

"So it's very easy for us to work together. When we see something, generally we agree on whether it works or doesn't work on a piece. We agree on the color schemes and that sort of thing. So it's very fun and fulfilling to work together," Shapiro said. 

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