North Adams Athlete Eyes Healthcare Career, Reflects Community Values
North Adams High senior and volleyball player Addison Shupert is profiled this week as she prepares to graduate and pursue a career as a Nurse Anesthetist. The profile highlights how school sports, classroom interests, and logistical realities of a rural district shape student ambitions and call attention to community support for education and extracurricular programs.
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North Adams High School senior Addison Shupert, daughter of Jared and Stephanie Shupert, is the People s Defender senior athlete of the week. A volleyball player who names volleyball as her favorite sport, Shupert says her favorite part of high school sports is making memories with her teammates, while her least favorite aspect is long bus rides to away games driven by team volunteer Danny. Her most memorable moment on the court comes when she executes a particularly good dig, a skill that has defined her play and contributed to team camaraderie.
Shupert lists science as her favorite school subject and plans to pursue a career as a Nurse Anesthetist after graduation. Outside school she enjoys spending time with friends and family, listening to music by Morgan Wallen, eating at local Mexican restaurants, watching the movie Happy Gilmore, and she hopes to travel to Europe someday. She also says she would trade places for a day with someone who has already graduated college, reflecting eagerness to advance to the next stage of education and professional life.
The profile underscores the connection between school athletics and broader educational goals in Adams County. Participation in sports provides students with teamwork, discipline, and time management skills that can support rigorous career paths in health care and other fields. For a student like Shupert, the combination of a favorite subject in science and dedication to athletics points to the role the high school plays in preparing young adults for postsecondary study and careers.
The detail about long rides to distant contests highlights an operational challenge for rural school districts. Transportation burdens affect students time, district budgets, and the willingness of families to attend events. As local officials and school boards make decisions about travel schedules, bussing and extracurricular funding, those choices can have a direct effect on student experience and retention in sports programs.
Shupert s stated goal to become a Nurse Anesthetist also has local relevance. As Adams County seeks to retain and attract young professionals, graduates pursuing health care careers represent a potential workforce pipeline. Schools, community organizations and local employers may find value in supporting students who show interest in health related fields through internships, guidance and awareness of postsecondary pathways.
Profiles such as this one serve as a reminder of the personal stories behind policy choices. Community support for school programs, attendance at events and participation in school governance can influence the resources available to students like Addison Shupert. As graduation season approaches, the county will see a new cohort of graduates whose ambitions will be shaped by the opportunities provided by their high schools.
