BOSC Industry Focus
A Newsletter that Focuses on the Special Needs Industry
Published by BOSC Books-Books On Special Children
www.BOSCBooks.com
One visit to the Berkshire Hills Music Academy, where young adults with learning disabilities focus on their musical abilities through study and performance, shatters the preconceived limitations that society tends to impose on them. They are heartfelt in their performances, and exude a pure enthusiasm that is rare in other “mainstream” young people. These musicians are free to fully embrace the relationship they have to their music, and that is what makes their performances so moving, unique, and most of all, inspirational.
| The Berkshire Hills Music Academy, established in 2001, is tucked away on a beautiful estate in South Hadley, Massachusetts. The renovations fueled by the hard work, energy and tenacity of the Board of Trustees included adding a dormitory wing to the estate that enables the school to provide comfortable and semi-independent living and educational facilities on campus for its 20 students who have been diagnosed with intellectual disabilities. |
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Students Lisa Walsh and Sujeet
Desai performing at the Wistariahurst Museum in
Holyoke, MA
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 | The Academy’s mission is to educate, train, and develop the talent of young adults with special learning needs in a community that shares a passion for music so they can achieve personal growth and make a positive contribution to society. In its short life, Berkshire Hills Music Academy has clearly made significant progress toward accomplishing that mission. The positive lifestyle model that is introduced to the students at the Berkshire Hills Music Academy is based on the idea that daily structure and infusion of various learning formats—whether they be performance, classroom time, or volunteering in the community—leads to personal fulfillment. |
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John Libera and Aaron
Antolewicz performing at the the Wistariahurst Museum
in Holyoke, MA
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| To accomplish all of its academic, musical and social goals, the Academy enlists the encouragement and support of a full-time staff, volunteer staff and other community supporters who come from a rich variety of backgrounds. For example, Tom Gajewski, the instructional coordinator and music appreciation teacher, is also a musician himself. This perspective was obvious in the multimedia approach he takes to music appreciation courses. The infusion of many contributors such as Cayla Doran, a residential assistant, who is also a member of an acapella group, and Matt Meers, teacher of social skills and performance courses, who is also an actor, opens the students’ lives up to a wealth of life experiences. |
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Music appreciation class in
session, taught by Tom Gajewski, Music Appreciation
Teacher and Instructional Coordinator
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After their full days of life skills and musical study, the students spend their time integrating those learned skills into their lives by spending time contributing to the community through public performances, and developing interests that can be realized locally, at places such as the community arts group and the local church.
 | A parent and founding member of Berkshire Hills Music Academy, Dr. Sharon Libera, was kind enough to spend the better half of a day with me, explaining the core curriculum, the school’s background and future aspirations, and most importantly, introducing me to the students and staff of the Academy. One couldn’t help but admire the vision of the quality of life offered here, and how it is being realized. I also couldn’t help but wonder what the rest of the world would be like if we all approached our daily lives with such inspiration. |
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Dr. Sharon Libera, Director of
Public Affairs and Greg Williams, MM, Dean of Studies
at the Academy.
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Every special education facility or school has a unique story behind it, and the Berkshire Hills Music Academy is no different. Starting as a way for one mother to further her own son’s musical aspirations, it developed into a summer camp, and finally a full-time living and educational facility, becoming a wonderful and integral part in the lives of the young people and their families who are affiliated with the school.
To read more about the Berkshire Hills Music Academy, stop by its informative web site at www.berkshirehills.org.
