CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Northern Berkshire School Union wrapped up its summer camp last Thursday with what's becoming an annual event: a school community night at Clarksburg School. 

 

That meant a bounce house, music, dunk tank and lots and lots of activities — plus ice cream and hot dogs for dinner. 

 

"Oh, it's fantastic. They do a really good job," said one Monroe parent as her daughter waited for a balloon animal. 

 

The five-week summer camp program is open to children in the school districts of Clarksburg, Florida, Monroe, Rowe and Savoy. 

 

The program is funded through a grant from the United Way Summer Step Up Program, through the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley with the support of Northern Berkshire United Way.

 

"I love this event because it brings our community partners together. It showcases all the things that we do during the summer camp. Jordan [Rennell] puts together a great program for all of our kids in our four schools," said Assistant Superintendent Tara Barnes. "And this is an extension of that where we are able to bring in our community partners and our families into one venue and really do this for the kids. 

 

"Which, as you can see, are having a blast. Parents are having fun, too."

 

The activities — ranging from tie-dye to block building to face painting to "fishing" for prizes — were coordinated by staff members. 

 

"We brainstormed on how to bring families together and how to show them what we do with their kids all day," said Rennell, the district's director of summer programming. "So almost everybody came up with an idea and when we gave them a table station, ordered the things they wanted and brought it to life."

 

Outside, Nolan and Seamus Barnes, Barnes' sons, were taking turns as the targets in the dunk tank. 

 

"I wasn't here last year. I did it two years ago and it's not that bad. It's the most entertaining thing to do here, probably," said Seamus, a 2023 graduate of Mount Greylock Regional. "I'm the big guy they love to dunk. They see me up there, they're like everyone comes over and they want to do it.

 

"Everybody's just sharing what they're passionate about — working with kids and fun things that they do. They're really good at it, too."

 

Patti Messina, executive director of the Northern Berkshire United Way, said funding was lower than expected this year but NBSU made it work. She dropped by during the event, she said, "there was so much going on."

 

Denise Maselli, "Nana to the Moultons," was there having fun with three of her grandchildren.

 

"They went to camp for a whole week, they loved it. They did all kinds of stuff," she said. "It's nice I get to do this with my grandkids."