First-grader Harlee Towne of Lee Elementary poses with her winning design for the 'ideal' school. Harlee also received congratulations from the House of Representatives.
M&T Bank, a co-sponsor of the contest, had the winning drawings framed and the children's names engraved.
LEE, Mass. — A pupil at Lee Elementary School was a winner in the My Ideal School contest.
Harlee Towne was the first student from Lee Elementary to win and the only Berkshire County student this year.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority held a ceremony for its 16th annual contest, selecting 10 regional winners in first grade for their essays and drawings about their ideal school.
"The My Ideal School contest invites first graders from across Massachusetts to use their creativity and share their ideas," said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, chair of the MSBA, in a press release. "It is a great opportunity to celebrate our children and the unique imagination they bring to their personal learning experiences."
On June 11, the children were invited to the State House to receive their awards, present their drawings and describe their ideal school.
Harlee drew a school with a helicopter, pool, basketball court, and a trampoline and read the outline of her essay.
"My ideal school will have so many wonderful things. First everyone listens the first time so we can have more learning time. Another thing I have to say is we want to encourage others to do stuff that they can't do yet," she read. "Also I want people to follow the golden rule. I love Lee Elementary school because I love learning here and being with my friends. This is what my happy ideal school is!"
Harlee said she had fun doing this and that it felt good to win this award and her parents said they were extremely proud of her and that it was a great accomplishment.
She received a framed photo of her drawing and a certificate from the House of Representatives for her win signed by House Speaker, Ronald Mariano and state Rep. Leigh Davis.
"The My Ideal School contest has served as a wonderful opportunity for us to highlight the achievements of talented students across the Commonwealth," said Mary Pichetti, executive director at the MSBA, in a press release. "The contest continues to promote the discussion among students and teachers as to how thoughtful design and construction of schools in Massachusetts supports student learning."
The contest runs annually and is open to first graders across Massachusetts attending a public school. The grand prize winner, Abby Backus of NantucketElementary School, will have her artwork featured on the front cover of the MSBA's annual report.
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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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