Academy at Charlemont Students Give Back on Valley Gives Day

On May 3, teams of students and faculty members spent the day off campus helping out local organizations and residents. They cleaned along the Chickley River in Hawley, at the direction of the Connecticut River Watershed Council.  Groups helped local seniors with their spring yard clean up, in a partnership with the Shelburne Falls Senior Center. They worked at the Buckland Recreation Area, getting the grounds ready for the season. In the Arms Library, under the direction of librarian Laurie Wheeler (Class of 1982), students dusted, washed windows, and performed a deep spring cleaning. At the Charlemont Historical Museum, a group worked on the digital cataloging of textiles in the collection, photodocumenting and entering descriptions. Yet another team cleared a new section of the Charlemont Trails with help and direction from Bruce Lessels (P14) of Zoar Outdoor. They worked on the planting beds at INSPIRE School for Autism in Brattleboro, founded by an Academy family. It was a rewarding experience for all.