Early college program receives national recognition
GARDNER – The Gateway to College program at Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) has received a Program Excellence Award from the Achieving the Dream network.
MWCC’s Gateway to College Early College program serves students wishing to enter post-secondary education and earn college credits while completing their high school diploma. To date, 608 students have graduated from the MWCC Gateway to College program.
“You’ve worked tirelessly to ensure the continued success of your students along with members of your team and leaders in the Gardner Public Schools and many other school districts across North Central Mass, all the while building alignment and a robust early college high school experience for so many students,” noted Stephanie Davolos, director of Gateway to College initiatives at Achieving the Dream. “Our network’s continued improvement is due to exemplary programs like yours.”
Brass band concert this Sunday
PETERSHAM—The Petersham Brass Band will perform an end of summer concert on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 7 p.m. from the bandstand on Petersham Common. Sunday’s concert will be under the direction of band director Joseph Goguen. The concert will be the band’s 863rd presentation since its formation in 1914.
Marches will include “The Thunderer,” “El Capitan” and “Liberty Bell” by Sousa and “His Honor” by Fillmore. Musical Selections chosen for Sunday in no particular order are “Tequila” by Story, “Aladdin” by Jennings, “Sara” by Vinson, “I Like Country Music” Wagner, highlights from “Moana” by Vinson, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” by Sweeney, “Sinatra In Concert” by Nowak, among others.
Several of the selections chosen for this concert were purchased through a grant received from the New Salem Academy. This grant and others received from the academy have allowed the band to update its musical library over the past few years. The band is extremely grateful for their support.
The band will sponsor the bake sale for this concert as well as providing hot dogs and drinks. The Lions Club will be on hand with popcorn. Bring chairs and join an evening of music to celebrate the end of summer. Should the forecasted great weather change, the concert will move into the Town Hall.
Athol artist featured in exhibition
PETERSHAM—The Petersham Art Center is presenting a new exhibition, “Susan Paju: New Oil and Mixed Media Paintings” featuring the recent work of Athol artist Susan Paju. The public is invited to join the artist for an opening reception on Sunday, Sept. 7, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The exhibition runs through the month of September.
Paju is primarily a landscape painter working in a range of two-dimensional media, including oil, acrylic, collage, graphite, and more recently photography, as well as combining different media. Paju has lived in the North Quabbin region since in 1999. She studied art as an undergraduate earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from the State University of New York at New Paltz, and went on to earn a masters degree in library science.
While still working full-time as a librarian, Paju began painting again in 2012. In 2020 she retired from a 30-year career in public libraries and now focuses on painting.
The Art Center is located at 8 North St., a short walk from Petersham Common. Regular Art Center hours are Thursdays through Sundays, noon to 4 p.m. For more information about the exhibition and the Center, call 978-724-3415. Since 1912 the Petersham Art Center has been a home to regional fine art and craft through its shop, gallery, classes, and special events.