PITTSFIELD, Mass. — While most high school seniors spend their final weeks of spring counting down the days to graduation, Lenox Memorial High School (LMMHS) senior Amelia Coco Gilardi, a dual enrollment student at Berkshire Community College (BCC), achieved an academic milestone. 

 

On May 29, she crossed the stage at BCC's commencement at Tanglewood, officially marking completion of requirements toward an associate degree in liberal arts — a full 17 days before receiving her high school diploma. 

 

Dual enrollment, sometimes called "early college," is part of BCC's Bridge to College program that allows current or rising high school juniors and seniors to take free, for-credit classes at BCC. 

 

Courses can be taken in-person, asynchronously (fully online), or hybrid (in person and online). Students must have a minimum 2.0 high school cumulative GPA or school counselor authorization and may take up to 15 credits per semester, high school schedule permitting. They may enroll in 100- and 200-level courses, as long as they meet the prerequisites. 

 

"We want all students and families throughout Berkshire County to know about the opportunities in our Bridge to College program. Whether you're a high school junior or senior interested in taking just a single class or taking college classes full-time, tuition is free," said Assistant Dean of Student Enrollment and Success Elizabeth Dister. "This is a great program for students who want to explore a potential career path, learn about college in a supportive environment, and jump-start their future." 

 

Gilardi made the decision to become a dual-enrollment student when she was just 15. Driven by a deep desire to learn how to help address the growing mental health crisis and to better support those in her community facing discrimination, she intentionally kicked off her college journey by enrolling in psychology classes called "Building Resiliency" and "Women and Self Esteem." In total, she completed eight semesters of college coursework, including rigorous summer terms and January sessions. Balancing this intensive higher education schedule alongside her high school workload, she finished her high school diploma with a 4.1 GPA and completed her college degree with a 3.9 GPA. These achievements earned her membership in the National Honor Society at LMMHS and the Xi Alpha chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa international honors society at BCC.  

 

"Dual enrollment provided a world of options that were simply not offered at the high school level. It pushed me academically, allowing me to study with brilliant professors, and peers who were present and committed to learning," Gilardi said. "It provided me with many valuable life skills and instilled in me a strong work ethic that will serve me well in my next academic environment."  

 

While studying at BCC, Gilardi prioritized mental health advocacy, earning her BCC Mental Health First Aid Certificate, completing QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Suicide Prevention Training, and finishing mental health training through the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She was also selected as a 2026 Melville Fellow, a program run in partnership with BCC and the Berkshire County Historical Society. She spent her spring semester at Herman Melville's historic Arrowhead home, calling it "a magical experience." 

 

Drawing from her own health diagnoses, Gilardi seeks to reduce shame, stigma and discrimination for the millions of Americans whose disabilities are not readily apparent to others. This summer, she is headed to Washington, D.C. to push for legislative change. She will attend Westfield State University this fall to earn a bachelor's degree in social work.