The Llama Ledger - Bard College at Simon's Rock's Student Newspaper

Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Adrianna Hitchins Archery Club member Jochai Ben-Avie shows a sixth-grader how to use a bow.

The age of the students on campus this Friday was younger than ever as 200 South County sixth graders visited for a day of tours, information sessions and ten-minute-long model classes.

The program, called Berkshire County Goes to College, is part of the Berkshire County Compact for Higher Education, which was started in 2005 by county members with the goal of "increasing awareness for the need for higher education," said Katie Dubendorf, admissions staff at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and key organizer of the event.

In attendance on Friday were students from Richmond Consolidated School, Lee Elementary School and Monument Valley Regional Middle School.

The four colleges in the county, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Williams College, Berkshire County Community College and Simon's Rock are taking part in the program, which involves all of the county's 700 public middle school sixth graders visiting one of the colleges this week.

"We have four very different schools &hellip: every student got a different taste but they still understood the importance of higher education in today's society," said Dubendorf when asked of her opinion on the variance of the schools involved. "We left it up to the schools to create a day they would like to showcase."

Showcased at Simon's Rock were a science lesson given by David Myers, an Arabic lesson from Gabriel Asfar, a theatre lessen from Noah Appelbaum, as well as an introduction to the various campus clubs and activities, including Outdoors Club, Anime Club, Paper Club and The Llama Ledger, among others.

"It was kind of disturbing, but interesting at the same time," said sixth grader Kelly Potter, from Monument, of Myers' demonstration of the fat content in a Big Mac in his 10 minute science seminar.

"My favorite part of the day was [the clubs and activities] session because it was more, like, social, you know?" said Kelly's classmate Tatiana.

"At first I thought it was [too early], but really I thought it was great," replied sixth grade Social Studies teacher Jack Passetto, when asked of his opinion on the pressure it might be putting on students of such a young age.

Continued...

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