New Men’s Group to meet Thursday

BERNARDSTON — The Bernardston Senior Center’s new Men’s Group will meet Thursday, Sept. 14, at 10 a.m. for coffee and conversation with Matt Aversa.

Senior Center hosting talk on Mexican Independence Day

BERNARDSTON — Nick Berte will give a presentation at the Bernardston Senior Center for Mexican Independence Day on Thursday, Sept. 14, at 10 a.m.

Berte, director of the Senior Center’s Spanish language and Latin American studies program, will discuss the cultural and historical importance of this day in Mexico. Light refreshments will be provided.

If you are interested in attending, call the center at 413-648-5413 or email Berte at nickberte228@gmail.com.

Sept. 15: Book binding class

BERNARDSTON — Retired art teacher Ginny Rockwood will lead a book binding class at the Bernardston Senior Center on Friday, Sept. 15, at 10 a.m.

Participants will receive instructions for two different bindings: pamphlet binding and stab binding. These books can be used as journals, small photo albums or miniature cookbooks.

The class costs $6. Bring any decorative paper or wrapping paper to use as covers.

Talk on scams planned for
Sept. 18

NORTHFIELD — A Greenfield Savings Bank representative will speak on scams at the Northfield Senior Center on Monday, Sept. 18, at 11 a.m. during the regular coffee social. The coffee social runs from 10 a.m. to noon.

Seth Goldstein, an information security risk analyst at Greenfield Savings Bank, will explain how several popular financial scams work and share some simple steps you can take to protect yourself.

Resident’s art on display at Fiddleheads Gallery

NORTHFIELD — Artwork by Northfield resident Jean Kozlowski is on display at the Deerfield Valley Art Association’s Fiddleheads Gallery, 105 Main St., through Sept. 17.

Kozlowski regularly paints with the Old Deerfield Painting Group and, until recently with the Friday painting group at the Unitarian Church in Bernardston. She is believed to be DVAA’s most senior working artist.

For more information, visit bit.ly/3EzCUtF.

Thomas Aquinas earns high marks in Princeton Review’s college guide

NORTHFIELD — In the 2024 edition of its annual college guide, The Princeton Review notes that Thomas Aquinas College students are among the “happiest,” “friendliest” and “most religious” in the United States — and that their school has one of the country’s best financial aid programs.

“We salute Thomas Aquinas College for its outstanding academics and its many other impressive offerings,” Rob Franek, editor-in-chief and lead author of The Princeton Review’s The Best 389 Colleges, said in a statement. “We’re delighted to recommend it as an ideal choice for students searching for their ‘best-fit’ college.”

The Best 389 Colleges integrates data from more than 2,000 institutions with surveys of more than 165,000 students nationwide, featuring only the top 14% of America’s four-year institutions.

“We recommend each one as academically outstanding,” The Best 389 Colleges notes. “Our ranking lists reflect the opinions of the school’s students — their customers — and their reports to us about their campus experiences.”

In addition to achieving ratings of 91 (out of a possible 99) for academics, 93 for quality of life and 98 in faculty accessibility, Thomas Aquinas College earned the No. 2 spot nationwide on The Princeton Review’s ranking of the Top 25 Colleges with Great Financial Aid. Other high scores the college received include:

■No. 3 for Happiest Students.

■No. 4 for Most Religious Students.

■No. 8 for Friendliest Students.

■No. 9 for Most Beautiful Campus.

“We are grateful that The Princeton Review has, once again, highlighted the quality of our academic program and the warmth of our campus community,” Chris Weinkopf, Thomas Aquinas College’s executive director of college relations, said in a statement. “Yet especially noteworthy are the high marks it has given for the affordability of this education. Our founders pledged never to turn students away for reasons of financial need. More than 50 years later, our generous benefactors and dedicated financial aid officers continue to work hard to honor that pledge.”