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Elizabeth Brown competes for Lee High in 2021. Gustavo de Oliveira plays for Pittsfield High last fall.

Local Athletes Earn Honors at MCLA

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- Lee High's Elizabeth Brown and Pittsfield High grad Gustavo de Oliveira each have earned Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference honors in the opening weeks of the fall season at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
 
de Oliveira has been selected as the MASCAC Men's Soccer Offensive Player and Rookie of the Week, as announced by the league on Monday.
 
The first-year forward scored four times on five shots, including the game-winner, leading MCLA to its first win of the season over Framingham State, 4-2. They were the first goals and points of his career, giving the Trailblazers the early-season league win.
 
de Oliveira and MCLA are back in action this Wednesday when they travel to Rivier University for a non-conference matchup with the Raiders.
 
On Sept. 2, senior outside hitter Brown and first-year outside hitter Kaelynn Greeley were named the Offensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week, respectively.
 
Brown had 26 kills, 20 digs, and five service aces in three matches the Trailblzaers' opening weekend at the Keuka College Invitational. The senior outside hitter produced 14 kills, eight digs, and four aces in a season-opening 3-1 win over Keuka. She finished her weekend with 12 kills and 12 digs in a pair of setbacks versus the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford and Hilbert College.
 
For the season, she has a team-high 49 kills for MCLA, which is 5-2 going into Wednesday's home game against Utica.
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Clarksburg Students Write in Support of Rural School Aid

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

Mason Langenback calculated that Clarksburg would get almost $1 million if the $60 million was allocated equally.
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Eighth-graders at Clarksburg School took a lesson in civic advocacy this week, researching school funding and writing letters to Beacon Hill that call for fully funding rural school aid. 
 
The students focused on the hardships for small rural schools and their importance to the community — that they struggle with limited funding and teacher shortages, but offer safe and supportive spaces for learning and are a hub for community connections.
 
"They all address the main issue, the funding for rural schools, and how there's a gap, and there's the $4 million gap this year, and then it's about the $40 million next year, and that rural schools need that equitable funding," said social studies teacher Mark Karhan.
 
A rural schools report in 2022 found smaller school districts cost from nearly 17 percent to 23 percent more to operate, and recommended "at least" $60 million be appropriated annually for rural school aid. 
 
Gov. Maura Healey has filed for more Chapter 70 school aid, but that often is little help to small rural schools with declining or static enrollment. For fiscal 2027, she's budgeted $20 million for rural schools, up from around $13 million this year but still far below the hoped for $60 million. 
 
Karhan said the class was broken into four groups and the students were provided a submission letter from Rural Schools Advocacy. The students used the first paragraph, which laid out the funding facts, and then did research and wrote their own letters. 
 
They will submit those with a school picture to the governor. 
 
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