Several Amherst Regional High School students recently had the opportunity to travel to the State House to offer testimony to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means hearing, explaining to legislators why funding formulas for state aid to local school districts should be revised.

During the April 8 hearing, Yatharth Rajakumar, 16, talked about the seven years he has been part of the band program, and the continued risk of losing elective classes, which he called a cornerstone of opportunities for students to learn new skills.

Rajakumar observed that the high school in recent years has lost both business and culinary arts electives.

Having electives helps students escape their packed school day, with some relaxation and refocusing, and colleges appreciate well-rounded students, Rajakumar said. Cutting electives, he said, means “losing more than just classes, losing passion, motivation and opportunities that could shape our futures.”

Namdol Dorjee, a junior who is also a student representative to the Regional School Committee, said budget cuts pose threats to creativity programs and dismantling of support systems, art and music, reading specialists and classroom aides.

“This issue is directly a result of the state funding structure that continues to underfund districts, including Amherst, making for less opportunities for future students,” Dorjee said.

Noah Ferris, a senior, said he worries that humanities programs at schools will be lost with limited funding. “There’s nothing frivolous about humanities; we respectively ask you to remember all aspects of how high school prepares us for the future,” Ferris said.

The students were among 20 students from Amherst Regional who attended the hearing.

School takes shape

Structural steel rising on South East Street just south of Fort River School is the most visible sign yet of the future $97.5 million elementary school, expected to open in fall 2026.

Kseniya Slavsky, the owner’s project manager with Anser Advisory, told the Elementary School Building Committee at a recent meeting that steel deliveries are arriving and that CTA Construction Managers LLC remain on schedule.

“Throughout the weeks they’ve had to take some days off, especially Saturdays, due to the rain, but for the most part we’ve been able to be productive and efficient and work with and around the weather, and keep progress moving,” Slavsky said.

The geothermal well grid has been laid out, with installation to start in mid-May, Slavsky said.

Slavsky said that Fort River school students also interviewed her recently for an article in the school newspaper, with many of the questions centered whether the school will be ready for classes in fall 2026.

Robert Peirent, the town’s special capital projects coordinator, told the committee that the new playground for the school will be handled as a separate contract, out of concerns that the Corkeen surface chosen for it may not be durable. He described performance problems for the Corkeen surface installed within the past year at Richardson Olmsted Elementary School in Easton.

Farmers’ Market returns

Opening day for the Amherst Farmers’ Market, now in its 54th year, is Saturday.

Located along Spring Street, the market will be open weekly from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. through November, with produce and other items available from local vendors, and live music.

Empty Bowls

Officials at the Amherst Survival Center are offering thanks to those who participated in the recent Empty Bowls fundraiser, which brought in $70,000.

The money will be used by the center at 138 Sunderland Road to provide food and other resources to residents in Amherst and other area communities.

Free concert

Musicians from Amherst College will be performing in the Jones Library’s Woodbury Room Saturday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Part of the Amherst College Artist Connections initiative, the four college seniors will perform a string quartet by Haydn, along with several solo works. Performers will be Hannah Kim and Daniel Martin, both on violin, Harry Panner on viola and Oren Tirschwell on cello.