Every summer during the month of July, Berkshire Hills opens its doors to groups of Rock 'n' Roll and Broadway enthusiasts. This year, young adults from all over the U.S. came to BHMA to participate in a two or four week session chock full of social, musical, and recreational programming. BHMA's Assistant Director of Music, Mallory Finne, spearheaded the Summer Program and organized an impressive list of fun and engaging activities.Â
Students enjoyed weekly trips to the beach and the bowling alley, toured local recording studios and theaters, and hosted musicians and improv groups here at the Academy. Mornings were structured around social skills and boundaries & relationships classes, as well as music ensembles and lessons. Students continuously moved throughout the building and community in every sense of the word-- yoga, zumba, and dance ensembles were hugely popular!
For many students, attending the Summer Program can serve as a precursor to our Two-Year Transition Program; many of our current academic year students were once Summer Program participants who used that experience as an opportunity to explore BHMA, make new friends, and get acclimated before enrolling in our transition program. For some students, BHMA has simply become a summer staple-- they return year after year up until age 25. It's a place where students with different skills and abilities come together to share their love of music. We're already looking forward to Summer Program 2016!Â