Miss Hall's School Graduates 48

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PITTSFIELD, Mass — Forty-eight students graduated on Sunday, June 1, during Miss Hall's School's 127th Commencement.
 
The graduating class included 15 students from Berkshire County.
 
The ceremony took place under a large tent behind the Elizabeth Gatchell Klein Arts Center on the School's Holmes Road campus and was shared worldwide via Zoom.
 
Hosted by Miss Hall's Head of School Julia Heaton, the ceremony included remarks from Senior Class President Willa Dowling-Paul, of Hinsdale; School President Casey Grace Lai, of Singapore; School Vice President Haley Sacon, of West Stockbridge; and MHS Board of Trustees President Nancy Gustafson Ault, Class of 1973.
 
This year's Commencement Remarks were delivered by Kate Schrauth, Executive Director of iCouldBe, a leading virtual mentoring program working to support young people as they navigate high school and plan for future educational opportunities and careers. Schrauth was introduced by 2025 Miss Hall's graduate Ginamarie Bocchino, of Pittsfield.
 
Schrauth first served as Chair of the Board at iCouldBe from 2001 to 2005, then moved into the Executive Director role in 2006. 
 
Local graduates in the class of 2025 are Bryanna Amankwah, of Pittsfield; Ginamarie Bocchino, of Pittsfield; Lila Boland, of Dalton; Genevieve Buker, of Lee; Willa Dowling-Paul, of Hinsdale; Kady Gentleman, of Lenox; Gabriella Hasperg, of
Cheshire; Emily Keiper, of Washington; Jayda Kimok, of Pittsfield; Alice Kwiatkowski, of West Stockbridge; Chloe Muellers, of Monterey; Mara Rosenthal, of Bennington, Vt.; Haley Sacon, of West Stockbridge; Olivia Whitney, of Cheshire; and Parker Wright, of Richmond.
 
The following awards were also bestowed on members of the Class of 2025:
  • Joseph F. Buerger Memorial School Spirit Cup: Willa Dowling-Paul, of Hinsdale
  • Faculty Commendation Award: Julia Tocchio, of Brasilia, Brazil
  • Christine Fuller Holland '33 Service Prize: Casey Grace Lai, of Singapore
  • Meus Honor Stat Keys Awarded for MHS Core Competencies:
    • Vision: Ginamarie Bocchino, of Pittsfield, and Valentina Romero, of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
    • Voice: Bryanna Amankwah, of Pittsfield, and Willa Dowling-Paul, of Hinsdale
    • Interpersonal Efficacy: EA Peña, of Boston, and Ginger Warner, of Putney, Vt.
    • Gumption: Lila Boland, of Dalton, and Bibi Sahra Sidique, of Kabul, Afghanistan
  • Margaret Witherspoon Award: Ivy Kay, of Lawrence, Mass.
  • Engineering and Technology Innovation Award: Olivia Whitney, of Cheshire
  • Doris E. Pitman English Prize: Inyene Bell, of Bridgeport, Conn.
  • Virginia Breene Wickwire '67 Reading Prize: Valentina Romero, of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
  • Elizabeth Gatchell Klein Studio Art Prize: Bibi Sahra Sidique, of Kabul, Afghanistan
  • Ceramics Award: Jayda Kimok, of Pittsfield
  • Angela Kalischer Theater Prize: EA Peña, of Boston
  • Susanna McCreath Music Prize: Kyana Chainani, of Singapore
  • Photography Award: Manizha Nabizada, of Kabul, Afghanistan
  • Paul C. Cabot, Jr. History Prize: Kady Gentleman, of Lenox
  • Horizons Award: Genevieve Buker, of Lee
  • Monique Jalbert French Prize: Ivy Kay, of Lawrence, Massachusetts
  • Spanish Award: Ginamarie Bocchino, of Pittsfield
  • Mansfield E. Pickett Latin Prize: Gabriella Hasperg, of Cheshire
  • English for Speakers of Other Languages Award: Stella Le, of Binh Duong, Vietnam
  • James K. Ervin Mathematics Prize: Chloe Muellers, of Monterey
  • Iive Rouse Science Award: Haley Sacon, of West Stockbridge
  • Sylvia "Rusty" Shethar Everdell '38 Prize: Anri Teraoka, of Tokyo, Japan
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Dalton Planning Board Denies Berkshire Concrete's Special Permit

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — After five meetings, the Planning Board voted to deny Berkshire Concrete's special permit, however, the company can still reapply before its current permit expires. 
 
After about 40 minutes of deliberation, board members reiterated recurring concerns raised in previous meetings: the company's lack of clear mitigation plans and ambiguous documentation outlining its work plans.
 
"I really have no confidence in their proposal so far," said Chair Zack McCain III.
 
The board denied the permit without prejudice, meaning Berkshire Concrete, a subsidiary of Petricca Industries, can reapply before its current permit expires in December 2027. 
 
According to the current permit, earth removal, such as excavation, processing, and reclamation is allowed on lots 217-3 and 106-55.1, but is subject to several conditions set forth in 1992, 1994, and 2000. 
 
Conditions include hours of operations, traffic regulations, restoration requirements, and other stipulations. 
 
This decision indicates the board's belief, based on testimony and provided evidence that the excavation activities in the areas cannot occur without having a negative impact on the abutting neighborhood. 
 
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