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Pittsfield High Names Speakers, Top 13 Students for 2023

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield High School class of 2023 will hear three graduate addresses at graduaton ceremonies being held on Sunday, June 4, at 4 p.m.
 
The senior class has elected Lennox Silvestro-Dias Jr., Asa Chard and Daysha Bell to speak at graduation.  These three students represent the voice of this year's senior class who have worked diligently through a challenging four years of high school.  
 
The ceremony will be held on the grounds of Pittsfield High School's 300 East St. campus. Shuttle buses will be available to pick up families parking near the Common and then bring them back at the end of the ceremony.
 
Pittsfield High School recognizes students who have achieved the top 10 cumulative grade point averages in the senior class.  This year there is a tie that creates a top 13: they are, in alphabetical order, Taibat Ahmed, Allison Blau, Asa Chard, Li Chen, Kiera Elizabeth Devine, Jamie C. Duquette, Randi H. Duquette, Kellie K. Harrington, Katerina Marie Livermore, Colin Anthony McKinney, James Herbert Swanton, Tyler J. Vosburgh and Jack Arthur Wildgoose
 
Academic departments also give awards to honor the most outstanding students in their respective disciplines.  
 
The following are this year's outstanding students: Cameron Sime (Art), Kellie K. Harrington (Band), Collin Merwin (Business), Walker Abdallah (Computers), Sidni Anderson (CVTE), Tessa Hanson (Drama), Marlene Mary LeBeau (English, Edward J. McKenna Award), Asa A. Chard (Math), Eladio Mendoza (Multilingual), Geivens Dextra (Orchestra), William B. Kinne (Physical Education), Abigail Archey (Psychology), Kiera Elizabeth Devine (Science, John P. Leahy Memorial Award), James Herbert Swanton (Social Studies), Taina Denise Figueroa (Chorus), Lily Smith (World Language).
 
The Seal of Biliteracy recognizes graduates who speak, read, listen, and write proficiently in another language in addition to English with a seal on their high school diploma. The Seal of Biliteracy movement has the goal of promoting long-term foreign, native, and heritage language study, documenting achievement in biliteracy, and producing a biliterate, multicultural workforce. 
 
Pittsfield High School is proud to be one the first schools in Berkshire County to recognize seniors for this achievement. The students who received this distinction are: Katerina Livermore, Kasey Miranda and Angel Sandoval, all for Spanish with distinction; and Manuel Lewis, Gabriela Loaiza Chavarro, Paola Rosito, James Swanton and Maria Villanueva Portillo, all for Spanish.
 

Tags: graduation 2023,   PHS,   val & sal,   

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Beverly Gans Marks 60 Years & Counting in the Pittsfield Schools

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Public Schools recognized Beverly Gans for her 60 years of service with the district with a lunch and crystal plaque on Friday. Gans will mark 40 years as secretary to principal at Taconic High School in June.
 
"It's been a wonderful experience, and I wouldn't trade it … I've seen generations go through,"  she said. "I've seen kids go through, I've seen their kids go through, I've seen their grandkids go through … it's just been a wonderful life for me to have this,"
 
Her former students will come back to the school surprised to see the secretary they connected with years prior. 
 
The students, staff, and administration are what make this school great, she said. 
 
"I bleed green and gold," Grans said. Last year on her 77th birthday, the faculty bought her green and gold Nike sneakers that she wears every Friday. 
 
She has become a pillar of the district over the last six decades, so much so that even district leaders look up to her. 
 
"Most people come to me for anything and everything, even in the district. I mean, there's so many new people. I mean, most of the secretaries today, I don't even know them," Gans said. 
 
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