Berkshire County Goes to College - Sixth Grade Visits
Each April, sixth graders throughout Berkshire County -- up to 1,400 in total -- visit local college campuses, including Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), Berkshire Community College (BCC), Bard College at Simon's Rock and Williams College. Students engage in a wide variety of exciting projects, from creating a mock television program, to feeding sea anemones, and from visiting dormitories and meeting college students to watching chemistry demonstrations. View clips from MCLA and BCC visits
Students begin to formulate aspirations about their future at an early age. By exposing them to college life in the sixth grade, we are helping them to understand the steps they need to take if they want to attend college.
The sixth grade college visits are funded through a grant from Berkshire United Way.
6th Grade College Visit Schedule, 2012
April 11:
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter School (BArT), Hancock Elementary School, Lee Elementary School and Nessacus Regional Middle School visit Bard College at Simon's Rock
April 12:
Clarksburg Elementary School, Lanesborough Elementary School, Monument Valley Middle School and Reid Middle School visit Williams College
April 13:
Farmington River School, Sullivan Elementary School and Herberg Middle School visit Berkshire Community College
Date to be determined:
Abbott Memorial School, Brayton School, Cheshire Elementary School, Greylock Elementary School, Lenox Memorial Middle School, Plunkett School, Richmond Consolicated School and Williamstown Elementary School will visit Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
Contact Information: Mary Nash, Project Coordinator, Berkshire Compact for Education, , msnash3@gmail.com
Third Grade Visits
Each December, third grade students from North County visit MCLA to learn about college life. In 2008, the North Adams Public Schools participated in the program. In 2009 and 2010, it was expanded to also include additional North County school districts, and in 2011 it was expanded to Pittsfield. These visits have been very well received by young students, who are eager to see what is offered on a college campus.
3rd Grade College Visit Schedule, 2011:
September 27, Greylock School visited MCLA
December 2, Conte Community School visited Berkshire Community College
December 9, Clarksburg School, St. Stan's and Sullivan School visited MCLA
Third Graders Visit MCLA, watch video
Berkshire County Goes to College, listen to WAMC interview
