News and Opinions from the Students of Berkshire School
January 30, 2015
Gulotta Reflects on His Last Trivia Night
“What is James Moore holding in his right hand in his headmaster portrait?” Bill Gulotta asked students on Saturday morning, January 17th. This question set the stage for all new students, who will experience the excitement of Trivia Night and Winter Carnival at Berkshire School for the first time. For faculty member Mr. Gulotta, this question marked the end of a school tradition that he has taken part in for the past 26 years. Trivia Night at Berkshire School began in 1987 and was run by former faculty member, Mark Livsey. Three years later Livsey left Berkshire, and in order for Trivia Night to continue, he needed to be replaced. Gulotta had always loved Trivia Night and set out to build on the tradition. Gulotta shared, “There was a time at Berkshire, when Trivia Night wasn’t cool. Kids wouldn’t participate. The challenge was keeping it going, even if only 15 or 25 kids in total were
By Olivia Good participating. I always felt like I was failing because kids weren’t interested. Now, it is much easier because students are having a good time.” Inspired by the enthusiasm for Trivia Night from the community, Mr. Gulotta has worked hard over the past 26 years developing and creating new questions each year to challenge students. He has made Trivia Night a popular event of Winter Carnival and has added another remarkable tradition to Berkshire School. So what really goes on behind the scenes of Trivia Night? Here’s the inside scoop. Mr. Gulotta receives help from a few other faculty members and students. Mr. Meade is responsible for creating the “Cosmic Riddle.” Dr. Davis is in charge of choosing the songs for music identification. Mr. Gulotta also receives help from his wife, Debbie, who works together with Ms. Romano on answering any calls that come into the radio station. When speaking with Mr. Gulotta, he
spoke highly of Mrs. Ramella, crediting her for the hard work she has put into Trivia Night. He said, “She is the manager, keeps score and coordinates. She is sort of the backbone of Trivia Night.” Students also take part in hosting the radio show, which all of the community will tune into on Trivia Night. This years hosts will be Katie Stonecipher ’15 and Amani Bethea ‘16. As the anticipation of Trivia Night circulates throughout campus, here is one secret that might peak your interest: all of the answers to Trivia Night are held on a document, which is located on Mr. Gulotta’s computer. He also has an envelope that contains documented sources for answers that might be questioned. The where abouts of this envelope are unknown. Don’t get any ideas; cheating is not the way Bears win competitions. So, in Mr. Gulotta’s words, “the most successful team is the team that has the most fun. Don’t cheat and good luck!”
Taking a Trip to Manhattan By Hayden Graham
With the addition of the Berkshire School Arts Center two years ago came the Berkshire Gallery, a dedicated space to display the art of students and local artists. Currently on display is a collection of oil paintings. The show’s full title is Berkshire Hills and Manhattan Streets: Paintings by Kate Knapp. The show consists of 23 different oil paintings depicting different scenes from the Berkshires and the city of Manhattan. The show was curated with the thought of having the viewer take a journey from the grassy fields of rural Berkshire to the concrete and bright light of Manhattan. Kate Knapp, a local artist who works in oil, was joined by members of the Berkshire community as well as residents of the local area for the opening on January 12. “I am interested in expressing my emotions through the visual study of the world around me. Color and light are the most important part of my work,” Ms. Knapp wrote in her description of her show. It is very apparent in her work that these aspects ring true, all of her works are eye catching with the vivid color of the scenery. Photo of the gallery.