Great Barrington — On Monday, June 2, students from W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School collaborated with the town to paint two crosswalks right near Mason Library, located on 231 Main Street.
W.E.B. Du Bois science teacher Carole Aberdale was the lead organizer of the project along with sixth grade ELA teacher Kimberly Cormier.
Carole Aberdale is the wife of Department of Public Works Superintendent Joe Aberdale.
Through the Aberdales, the school worked with the town’s DPW in order to complete the project.
The two teachers previously worked with the town on a project to name DPW snowplows.
“My husband has always found ways to get children involved with the community,” Carole Aberdale told The Berkshire Edge. “When we had the snow plow project in the winter, the children were able to name the snowplows and then name them. We also had a project where our students were able to paint the concrete barricades near Town Hall.”
According to Carole Aberdale, 12 students from fifth and sixth grades took part in painting the two crosswalks.
“The students all really took ownership of what they did,” Aberdale said. “The students all feel a stronger connection with the community after they completed the crosswalks. They are so proud that they were able to represent the school and come up with a design. I think this project brings all of the students great pride to be involved in the community and out into the public.”
“The students really took this project seriously,” Cormier said. “This was a true group project and it was great to see children who don’t usually run in the same social circles all come together to come up with the design and to paint it.”
“My husband reached out to Police Chief Paul Storti who sent down a couple of officers to oversee the children as they painted,” Aberdale said. “The officers spent time watching the students and they made a strong connection with them.”
Aberdale said that after the students finished Chief Storti treated them to ice cream at SoCo Creamery.
“We didn’t expect him to do that for all of these students,” Aberdale said. “It was a really great day for everyone.”
