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This year, she also placed first in Berkshire County District 9, advancing to the state competition, where she finished second overall."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}]},{"_key":"83f1105005f1","_type":"imageExtended","altText":{"_type":"localeString","en":"Miss Hall's School in the Berkshires Advanced Academics"},"image":{"_type":"image","asset":{"_id":"image-3fd0275c74e92e9e20f1a9a4500094370d22238f-3707x2471-jpg","_type":"sanity.imageAsset","_createdAt":"2025-03-18T17:38:54Z","_rev":"iPkPX0MgbwvLRC9ILCQK2r","_updatedAt":"2025-03-18T17:38:54Z","assetId":"3fd0275c74e92e9e20f1a9a4500094370d22238f","extension":"jpg","metadata":{"_type":"sanity.imageMetadata","blurHash":"VHL4d000xU?uEg.m9t%fMw%2kq%gM{%LMx~WxGsoS2IU","dimensions":{"_type":"sanity.imageDimensions","aspectRatio":1.500202347227843,"height":2471,"width":3707},"hasAlpha":false,"isOpaque":true,"lqip":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","palette":{"_type":"sanity.imagePalette","darkMuted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#4a3030","foreground":"#fff","population":1.61,"title":"#fff"},"darkVibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#222c62","foreground":"#fff","population":0,"title":"#fff"},"dominant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#a07676","foreground":"#fff","population":3.87,"title":"#fff"},"lightMuted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#a3a6d5","foreground":"#000","population":0.02,"title":"#fff"},"lightVibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#a4bcfc","foreground":"#000","population":0,"title":"#fff"},"muted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#a07676","foreground":"#fff","population":3.87,"title":"#fff"},"vibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#6c7ccc","foreground":"#fff","population":0,"title":"#fff"}}},"mimeType":"image/jpeg","originalFilename":"_MG_1265.JPG","path":"images/yln0jo77/production/3fd0275c74e92e9e20f1a9a4500094370d22238f-3707x2471.jpg","sha1hash":"3fd0275c74e92e9e20f1a9a4500094370d22238f","size":5707352,"uploadId":"WJkKV8RKkuPpsHjpGuhDy6O8xNJMUQO3","url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/yln0jo77/production/3fd0275c74e92e9e20f1a9a4500094370d22238f-3707x2471.jpg","id":"image-3fd0275c74e92e9e20f1a9a4500094370d22238f-3707x2471-jpg","parent":null,"children":[],"internal":{"type":"SanityImageAsset","contentDigest":"201c0dbb592ad1f2b8e1aab48381943d","owner":"gatsby-source-sanity","counter":3373}}}},{"_key":"d398c744926e","_type":"textBlock","text":[{"_key":"fe6cbcedd7ed","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"167f1f4e43ae","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“I was definitely surprised to win a second year in a row, and I didn’t think I would go on to the state level, but that was a nice surprise, too,” says Ginamarie, who estimates it took about two weeks to pen her essay."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"2b3334d95c70","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"dc826cf94f16","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The annual Voice of Democracy competition asks students to write and record a three- to five-minute essay on a patriotic theme. Students compete on school, local, state, and national levels, and this year’s theme was, “Is America Today Our Forefathers’ Vision?”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"7360366d2ef6","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"4b4716dbe4e7","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“At first, I thought it was a pretty hard question, especially with everything going on in the country and a lot of division,” explains Ginamarie, who ultimately put forth an argument that the forefathers’ vision wasn’t necessarily a concrete vision, but rather one for a system that would enable others’ visions."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}]},{"_key":"2ee834eebc02","_type":"imageExtended","altText":{"_type":"localeString","en":"Miss Hall's School in the Berkshires Advanced Academics"},"image":{"_type":"image","asset":{"_id":"image-f04a627207c01e4635742c9a4e7ace6e267a597f-1600x1200-jpg","_type":"sanity.imageAsset","_createdAt":"2025-03-18T17:37:33Z","_rev":"KTFJRb2TyriqFiGIqnMoAx","_updatedAt":"2025-03-18T17:37:33Z","assetId":"f04a627207c01e4635742c9a4e7ace6e267a597f","extension":"jpg","metadata":{"_type":"sanity.imageMetadata","blurHash":"VHFYS?IqkCofIBys$*RjoeWB~VI@aeog%MNdxZS4t7s,","dimensions":{"_type":"sanity.imageDimensions","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"height":1200,"width":1600},"hasAlpha":false,"isOpaque":true,"lqip":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","palette":{"_type":"sanity.imagePalette","darkMuted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#4e3c31","foreground":"#fff","population":5.12,"title":"#fff"},"darkVibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#75170f","foreground":"#fff","population":0.35,"title":"#fff"},"dominant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#4e3c31","foreground":"#fff","population":5.12,"title":"#fff"},"lightMuted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#cfb79a","foreground":"#000","population":0.74,"title":"#fff"},"lightVibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#f7ebd6","foreground":"#000","population":0.55,"title":"#000"},"muted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#9a7760","foreground":"#fff","population":1.16,"title":"#fff"},"vibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#d5912f","foreground":"#000","population":0.32,"title":"#fff"}}},"mimeType":"image/jpeg","originalFilename":"IMG_0242.jpg","path":"images/yln0jo77/production/f04a627207c01e4635742c9a4e7ace6e267a597f-1600x1200.jpg","sha1hash":"f04a627207c01e4635742c9a4e7ace6e267a597f","size":1545749,"uploadId":"fUBE4xlK8As7IVr9aFA3c92UJGdJi1r4","url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/yln0jo77/production/f04a627207c01e4635742c9a4e7ace6e267a597f-1600x1200.jpg","id":"image-f04a627207c01e4635742c9a4e7ace6e267a597f-1600x1200-jpg","parent":null,"children":[],"internal":{"type":"SanityImageAsset","contentDigest":"dc772eee9486766fb0d4c0e817635fd9","owner":"gatsby-source-sanity","counter":7195}}}},{"_key":"9876bf1ebe07","_type":"textBlock","text":[{"_key":"05d777c3b41b","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"f96c57ab3e60","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“The forefathers didn’t have a concrete vision for what America should look like,” she notes. “First, they couldn’t agree on a vision. Second, they wanted to create a system where you could have differing visions but collaborate to reach a shared vision.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"cae33238ceee","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"3ddd846bf003","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"In her essay, Ginamarie connected the theme to her family’s story. Her great-grandfather emigrated from Italy with little more than a few dollars and a vision that his grandchildren and great-grandchildren would have access to education and good jobs."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"f76a53ffb8b2","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"737e3df5a5a3","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“That vision is happening now in his family’s story, and there were systems in place that allowed that to happen,” notes Ginamarie, who adds that her great-grandmother came from Ireland with a hope that their family would have access to resources for a better life, “and that vision is also present in my lived experiences now.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}]},{"_key":"b14f304c3247","_type":"doubleImageBlock","imageExtended1":{"_type":"imageExtended","altText":{"_type":"localeString","en":"Miss Hall's School in the Berkshires Advanced 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of Post 448 will visit campus later this spring to recognize Ginamarie, who is an active member of the MHS community and beyond. An accomplished cellist, she frequently performs at Miss Hall’s and is a 10-year member of Kids 4 Harmony, an intensive classical music program for Berkshire County youth. She is also a Big — MHS students who mentor younger students — plays JV basketball, is an avid member of the MHS Crochet Club, and interns at the Dalton Town Offices through her participation in Horizons, the School’s one-of-a-kind service-learning and internship program."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"700abd242df9","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"30f3a84b9d4c","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Proficient in Spanish, Ginamarie traveled last summer to Spain, where she lived and studied with a host family through CIEE, an intercultural exchange organization. While there, she earned a seal of biliteracy for translating Spanish, successfully completing the Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency (STAMP) test, which measures one’s ability to read, write, speak, and listen in a target language."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}]},{"_key":"9478b6e27523","_type":"imageExtended","altText":{"_type":"localeString","en":"Miss Hall's School in the Berkshires Advanced Academics"},"image":{"_type":"image","asset":{"_id":"image-953d3c8d9a4a5f77d6dce40dd8f29234a77de705-1800x1200-jpg","_type":"sanity.imageAsset","_createdAt":"2025-03-18T17:56:24Z","_rev":"KTFJRb2TyriqFiGIqnbFaR","_updatedAt":"2025-03-18T17:56:24Z","assetId":"953d3c8d9a4a5f77d6dce40dd8f29234a77de705","extension":"jpg","metadata":{"_type":"sanity.imageMetadata","blurHash":"VHPYkp~V4o^%4:pKs.RjjsWX~ARjsmR+s.ITIoxaNGxY","dimensions":{"_type":"sanity.imageDimensions","aspectRatio":1.5,"height":1200,"width":1800},"hasAlpha":false,"isOpaque":true,"lqip":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","palette":{"_type":"sanity.imagePalette","darkMuted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#21181c","foreground":"#fff","population":6.62,"title":"#fff"},"darkVibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#89522f","foreground":"#fff","population":1.65,"title":"#fff"},"dominant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#21181c","foreground":"#fff","population":6.62,"title":"#fff"},"lightMuted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#d2bda3","foreground":"#000","population":1.07,"title":"#fff"},"lightVibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#f4d4aa","foreground":"#000","population":5.79,"title":"#000"},"muted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#b98a65","foreground":"#fff","population":3.28,"title":"#fff"},"vibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#9d6e40","foreground":"#fff","population":2.37,"title":"#fff"}}},"mimeType":"image/jpeg","originalFilename":"_MG_8799.jpg","path":"images/yln0jo77/production/953d3c8d9a4a5f77d6dce40dd8f29234a77de705-1800x1200.jpg","sha1hash":"953d3c8d9a4a5f77d6dce40dd8f29234a77de705","size":1260685,"uploadId":"mWX5q1yfDDCx08ASbl7Jv3OefJhlM7lt","url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/yln0jo77/production/953d3c8d9a4a5f77d6dce40dd8f29234a77de705-1800x1200.jpg","id":"image-953d3c8d9a4a5f77d6dce40dd8f29234a77de705-1800x1200-jpg","parent":null,"children":[],"internal":{"type":"SanityImageAsset","contentDigest":"8248759f6a4072bfe4414db87987c704","owner":"gatsby-source-sanity","counter":5254}}}},{"_key":"b9ceca085c00","_type":"textBlock","text":[{"_key":"3b12b8d0ce87","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"1ff594895e69","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Last year, Ginamarie was named a finalist in the United States Senate-sponsored William Randolph Hearst Youth Senate Program, an intensive week-long educational experience and scholarship geared toward outstanding high school students who are interested in pursuing careers in public service."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"c65849169f9a","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"de724ab71399","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Additionally, she has been named a QuestBridge Scholar. QuestBridge is a nationwide program that connects high-achieving high school seniors with full, four-year scholarships to some of the nation’s top colleges. Ginamarie plans to attend Boston University in the fall."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"525055a965fd","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"29ed5e4fe648","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Congratulations, Ginamarie!"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}]},{"_key":"67fa36d9d639","_type":"cta","label":{"_type":"localeString","en":"Read Ginamarie’s Essay!"},"link":"https://cdn.sanity.io/files/yln0jo77/production/ca71ec572aab4bd2aaee6717d701c9969ccf97ff.pdf","theme":"yellow"}],"eventData":null}},"pageContext":{"id":"244dba91-cbb1-5cdb-b5d9-9e0a12ba4556","language":"en","intl":{"language":"en","languages":["en"],"messages":{"appearsIn":"Appears In","article":"Article","calendar.results":"Results","calendar.back":"Back to all events","calendar.listView":"List view","calendar.calendarView":"Calendar view","calendar.search.title":"Search events","category":"Category","chatWithUs":"Chat with us","contact.form.label.email":"Email address","contact.form.label.name":"Name","contact.form.label.phone":"Phone number","contact.form.label.interest":"Interested in","contact.form.label.message":"Your message and questions","contact.form.field.interest.applying":"Applying","contact.form.field.interest.visiting":"Visiting","contact.form.field.interest.information":"Information","contact.form.error.email":"Please enter a valid email","contact.form.submit":"Submit","contact.form.success.header":"Thank you for getting in touch.","contact.form.success.subtext":"We'll contact you as soon as possible","contact.form.success.button":"Return to Form","contact.success.heading":"Thank you for getting in touch.","contact.success.description":"We'll contact you as soon as possible","contact.success.button":"Return to Form","dateAddedNewest":"Date Added (Newest First)","dateAddedOldest":"Date Added (Oldest First)","departments":"Departments","donation.defaultCountry":"US","donation.form.section.donorDetails":"Donor Details","donation.form.section.giftDetails":"Gift Details","donation.form.section.label.giftAmount":"Gift Amount","donation.form.section.label.giftType":"Gift Type","donation.form.section.label.details":"Details","donation.form.section.paymentInformation":"Payment Information","donation.form.label.firstName":"First name","donation.form.label.lastName":"Last name","donation.form.label.maidenName":"Maiden name","donation.form.label.email":"Preferred email","donation.form.label.phone":"Cell phone","donation.form.label.address1":"Address 1","donation.form.label.address2":"Address 2","donation.form.label.city":"City","donation.form.label.state":"Province/State/County","donation.form.label.zip":"Postal/ZIP","donation.form.label.country":"Country","donation.form.label.affiliation":"Affiliation","donation.form.label.classYear":"Class year","donation.form.label.annualFund":"Annual fund for MHS (greatest need)","donation.form.label.communityActionFund":"Community action fund","donation.form.label.studentFund":"Student Emergency Endowment Fund","donation.form.label.myReunionGift":"James K. 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