Years and grades at BCD:2001-2005, 9-12What are your fondest memories from BCD (events/teachers/trips)?Every other year, the Secondary School had one Head of School day where the entire student body arrived at school and then departed to do something fun. One year we climbed Bear Mountain in Sheffield, MA and the other year we went bowling at the Cove Bowling Lanes in Great Barrington.Where did you go once you left BCD? High School, College, Grad School, travels? I graduated from Stonehill College in 2009 with a BSBA in Management and a BA in Systematic Philosophy. In May of 2009, I began working for the Boston Minuteman Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Where are you living now? Great Barrington, MA
What are you doing now (work/family/personal projects)?I currently serve as a District Executive with the Western Massachusetts Council, Boy Scouts of America. In this capacity I provide support to volunteer leaders throughout Berkshire County and four surrounding towns in Massachusetts and Vermont. My primary responsibilities include fundraising development, membership growth, and adult volunteer engagement. I continue to have a passion for spending time in the outdoors. I try to go camping every month and I find the time to complete regular outdoor projects both at home and around the area.
What are your plans for the future?While my plans are relatively uncertain, I have spent the past 17 years involved with the Boy Scouts and could easily see myself spending my entire working career with them. This does mean a lot of travel, as a frequent assignment in any given area lasts only 3-8 years.
How do you think your time at BCD influenced the choices you’ve made? My time at BCD helped me develop a passion for working with people and serving others. In fact, there were many opportunities I took advantage of at 2S that developed further while at college. I enjoyed spending four years with the 2S student council, making some gains in the student voice within the school and working to challenge some of the points of the student handbook. At Stonehill I served at Class President in my junior year and Student Body President in my senior year. At 2S, I helped to start the Ham Radio Club that, at its prime, boasted 8 members. I still remember a group of that size huddled into a room in the back of the second floor beyond Mrs. Clifford’s English room trying to tune in to conversations around the world. At Stonehill, I founded the High Adventure Club on campus during my freshman year and served as its President for the four years I was there. The club, to this day, has over 30 members. I also enjoyed showcasing BCD to prospective students and supporting the students already there in any way I could. I still work hard to represent other people’s interests and enjoy the opportunity to meet and work with many different people.BCD also taught me the importance of standing up for something in which you believe. 2S did not escape the growing pains that any new entity goes through when it comes to policies, discipline, and student environment. While I was a student there, it was very important to me that I share my thoughts and concerns and do everything within my power to encourage change when it was needed. This process has helped me more accurately articulate my point of view and demonstrated that, in some cases, a strong support of change can actually affect change.
What advice can you offer current students at BCD? At the end of the day, BCD is still a school. It is a small school in southern Berkshire County unique in its caring toward students and families, drawing people in and making them feel at home, but it is still a school. You may spend most days wishing you weren’t there, dislike doing homework and see no value in tests (I distinctly recall that sentiment throughout my academic career). Given that, I would challenge you to remember that a lot of what you learn in school is not directly tied to the academics. Looking back on my time at BCD, I find myself being thankful for the friends I made, the interests I developed and fostered that have turned into life-long passions and the life lessons I learned. Take the time to find the parts of your BCD experience that you truly enjoy and you will find what makes BCD truly unique.
