Lenox High Names Valedictorian, Salutatorian for Class of 2026

10:35AM / Saturday, June 13, 2026Print Story | Email Story

LENOX, Mass. — Lenox Memorial High School has named Sai Sanjana Meesala as valedictorian and Chloe Parsenios as salutatorian for the graduating class of 2026.

Both students will speak at graduation exercises being held Sunday, June 14, at 1 p.m. at Tanglewood.

Meesala is the daughter of Muralidhar Meesala and Kalyan Madhuri Venna. During her time at Lenox Memorial, she served as president of the National Honor Society, captain and lead programmer of the robotics team, and organizer of an intergenerational book club with residents of Kimball Farms.

Outside of school, Meesala enjoys music and has taught Carnatic (Indian classical) music to children in her community. She was selected for the Western Massachusetts District Music Festival all four years of high school, and for the Massachusetts All-State Music Festival in her senior year. She also attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Beaver Works Summer Institute, where she worked on autonomous drone technology.

Meesala will attend Harvard University in the fall, where she plans to study neuroscience and explore its applications in neurotechnology.

Parsenios lives in Lenox with her parents, Nicholas and Leslie. She has attended the Lenox Public Schools since kindergarten. She has received various academic awards, including the Cornell University Book Award, and is a member of the National Honor Society, the National Art Honor Society, and several other clubs.

She was a varsity player and co-captain of both the soccer and basketball teams and actively helped coach in the towns youth sports programs.

Parsenios will attend the University of Connecticut's honors program to study political science.

Tags: graduation 2026, Lenox Memorial, val & sal,

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Pittsfield's Christian Center Rebrands as 'The Center'

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
12:41PM / Tuesday, August 04, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The Christian Center is becoming The Center, and assures the community that while the logo and name have changed, "Our heart has not."

The rebrand was announced on Tuesday after months of listening sessions, community conversations, and surveys. It was emphasized that the organization's heart, mission, and commitment to the community are unchanged.

The Center will host its annual Community Day, including a name change celebration, on Aug. 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"While our name is shifting, our core purpose remains steadfast. Alongside our new name, we are introducing our defining tagline—Nourish. Empower. Connect.—which reflects the three principles guiding everything we do," Executive Director Jessica Jones wrote in a newsletter.

"Whether through our food pantry, meal program, free clothing boutique, or community events, our work remains focused on helping our neighbors access essential resources, build connections, and thrive."

The new logo features a fork, carrot, heart, and shirt, representing the pillars of The Center's service.

The Christian Center was incorporated in 1974, but it dates back to the early 1890s, when it was the Epworth Mission, founded by the Methodist Church.

Today, its main focus is food insecurity, but it also provides clothing, household items, and sanitary supplies to those who need them. The Center operates a food pantry, upstairs free shop, and serves breakfast and lunch, as well as offering assistance in accessing resources.

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