GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Public Library’s March series of virtual author talks kicks off on Monday, March 13, at 1 p.m. with David Epstein, who will talk about his most recent book, “Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World.”
Epstein examined the world’s most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters and scientists. He discovered that generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel in most fields — especially those that are complex and unpredictable. Generalists often find their path late, juggling many interests rather than focusing on one. They’re also more creative, agile and able to make connections their more specialized peers can’t see.
To register, visit bit.ly/3TjeOIQ. Each talk features the opportunity to participate in a question-and-answer session with the author or to pre-submit questions during registration. Copies of the book are available at the library.
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Public Library invites residents to participate in a virtual trip to the Boston African American National Historic Site on Wednesday, March 15, from noon to 1 p.m.
Led by National Park Ranger Shawn Quigley, the lecture, titled “Explore the Black Heritage Trail,” will showcases residences and community buildings associated with a Black community that thrived on, and near, the north slope of Beacon Hill before, during and after the Civil War. Throughout that time, this community organized for equal rights and access to equal education. Community members championed the movement to abolish slavery and even housed freedom seekers on their journey along the Underground Railroad.
For more information and to register, visit bit.ly/3mz0Fwe. The virtual lunchtime lecture series is organized by the Tewksbury Public Library.
GREENFIELD — The LAVA Center at 324 Main St. will co-host a conversation on Saturday, March 18, at 1 p.m. about what writers in Franklin County would like to see in the newly reimagined WriteAngles Writers Conference.
The one-day conference, which served western Massachusetts writers for more than 30 years until it was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been taken over by the Straw Dog Writers Guild and is scheduled for April 2024. The planning committee of volunteers from more than a dozen writers’ organizations is looking for ideas and suggestions from writers in the four western Massachusetts counties.
Writers at all stages of development and all genres are invited to participate in the conversation about what kinds of programming would most benefit their writing practice. Local writers Nina Gross and Ellen Meeropol will facilitate the discussion.
The LAVA Center requires masks for all patrons.
National Honor
Society chapter
returns to GCVS
GREENFIELD — The National Honor Society chapter of the Greater Commonwealth Virtual School (GCVS) is once again active and students have hit the ground running with community projects.
The National Honor Society at GCVS became inactive during the COVID-19 pandemic but reemerged this year, recently electing officers and inducting new members. On Jan. 26, 14 seniors and juniors were inducted into the National Honor Society. Future inductions will include members of the sophomore class.
Executive Committee officers for the chapter this year are: President Courtney Haire of Brimfield, Vice President Nasra Jama of Roxbury and Treasurer Madisyn Kaijala of Hubbardston.
Other inductees include Leila Khalid of Marshfield, Savannah Sbrega of Phillipston, Thomas DeMars of Springfield, Cecilia Deslaurier-Tate of Milford, Jacqueline Buckley-Bevan of Greenfield, Lee Deater-Deckard of South Hadley, Kulsum Zaki of Westborough and Illyana Billups.
New members of the chapter were eager to start their community service work. Within two weeks of being inducted, they wrote more than 200 cards, letters and notes to patients at the Shriners Children’s New England Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and the West Virginia University United Hospital Center.
“We are happy to give our students the opportunity to showcase their hard work,” Student Outreach Coordinator Chris Dillon, who serves as one of the chapter’s advisors, said in a statement. “Our NHS chapter is filled with students who are already going above and beyond for their communities through volunteer work they were doing prior to joining. All of our members are coming to the table with tons of great ideas for their individual NHS projects and our chapter project.”