With its unique location in the heart of the Berkshires — one of the greatest centers of culture and education in the Northeast — MHS offers its students plenty of opportunities to move their education out of the classroom and take advantage of a rich cultural, educational, historical, and natural resources of this amazing region.

The Berkshires are known for a thriving cultural scene, and opportunities abound for exploration and inspiration. Our students not only have access to world-class institutions — The Clark Art Institute, Mass MoCA, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and more — they also receive expert instruction from faculty and working artists.

At Mass MoCA’s 14th Annual Teen Invitational, 40 MHS artworks were shown alongside more than 400 works from 13 high schools, and our Advanced Rock Band, Rain Storms, played the awards ceremony.

In November, joined by artists from around the country, the MHS Dance Team wowed audiences with their dynamism and precision at the Wandering Dance Festival at Pittsfield’s Colonial Theatre.

Advanced History of Art students went behind the scenes at the Williamstown Art Conservation Center, studying paintings under UV light and X-ray, works on paper being cleaned, and colossal sculpture under repair.

Further south, Alle Fudge ’28 (ceramics), Faye Ehrbar ’28 (painting), Mila Mesquita ’27 (mixed media), and Arianna Ndongmo ’26 (painting) had their work (above) selected for the 36th Annual Berkshire County High School Art Show, also in April, at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. The annual exhibition celebrates the imagination, skill, and diverse perspectives of the region’s teenage artists.

Our friends at Shakespeare & Co., in nearby Lenox, returned to campus in April to present Hamlet as part of their 2026 Northeast Regional Tour. After an amazing performance, actors posed questions to the audience, fielded inquiries from students, and enjoyed lunch in the Dining Room.

MHS 10th graders read the play in their English classes, and this was the third in what is becoming an annual experience with this talented troupe. Thank you to Phoebe Goodhue Milliken ’37 English Department Chair Dr. Julie Schutzman and the entire MHS English Department for making this interactive performance possible.

Regional colleges and universities regularly host Miss Hall’s students for special learning and teaching experiences.

In May, five students presented on student voice and AI at the WE in AI: Berkshires Education Summit at Berkshire Community College (left). Rising juniors and seniors connected this spring with changemakers across the state around public policy, community organizing, and self-advocacy at the Girls Empowerment Leadership Initiative (GELI) Summit at UMass Amherst (right).

As part of their Horizons work on civic engagement and global citizenship, sophomores visited The Davis Center at Williams College in Williamstown. Deputy Director Akilah Edgerton ’00 walked them through the center’s role as a multicultural space and hub for the Williams community. Students also took part in activities built around belonging and voice, and the idea that everyone deserves a seat at the table.

In April, sophomores headed to Great Barrington, birthplace of scholar and civil rights pioneer W.E.B. Du Bois. They visited the former Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church and Du Bois Freedom Center, then walked a tour of Black history: the Du Bois Murals on Railroad Street, Elizabeth Freeman Way, and the Du Bois statue outside the Mason Library.

Trips like these let students see civic work up close and practice making their own voices heard while making room for others’. What they learn shapes the internships and volunteer roles they take on as juniors.

Some of the best learning happens right on campus, out in the open air. During winter, Facilities Technician and Greenhouse Manager Matthew Grallert P’21 and campus resident Adam Atherton keep the lake behind the Cross Center shoveled and skateable for weekend outings, while Chef Russ and the Culinary Team turn out hot cocoa and s’mores.

When the thaw comes, Matthew and Adam fire up the evaporator and start sugaring off. This spring, ninth graders learned to identify and tap the sugar maples, collect sap, and boil it down into “Mira’s Maple,” named for our founder, Mira Hall.

Then there is the Berkshire landscape itself. Each April, Mountain Day sends students out to unplug and explore. This year’s groups hiked Mount Greylock, Kennedy Park, and the Old Mill Trail, and visited the Berkshire Botanical Garden, Colonial Alpaca Farm, and the Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, among others. Back on campus, they could join a workshop with the EPA, try bird-watching or basketmaking, read in a hammock, throw ceramics, or walk nearby Canoe Meadows. It was a peak day.