The Adams Family: Crusin' Their Way Around Longmeadow & Beyond!
By Seth Stutman, Content Coordinator • Photography by Amy Crosby Photography
Published in Longmeadow Neighbors | July 2026
Once the bell rings at Blueberry Hill Elementary School, Karissa Adams disappears, replaced by her equally adored alter-ego, Mrs. Adams. As students flood into the building, they are greeted with infectious enthusiasm by Mrs. Adams. Hugs, greetings and stories are thrust upon her by students, eager to see one of their favorite teachers.
Karissa Adams personifies the joy shared by her whole family. Around the corner from Turner Park, three generations enjoy all aspects of Longmeadow. Bryan and Karissa, their children Kenzie and Kayleigh, and Karissa's parents, Keith and Karen make up just a part of the fabric of their family.
If you’re seeing a k-nection between some first names, it’s not a coincidence. Karissa named her daughters Kayleigh and Kenzie to keep a family tradition alive.
“My father is one of ten and my grandparents named all their kids with a name starting with “K”. Many of my cousins have also been named with a “K” and I felt very strongly about continuing the tradition,” Karissa explained. “Luckily Bryan agreed so when naming our daughters they needed to have a “K” as well!”
Just about a decade ago, when Karissa and Bryan were expecting their second child, they were looking for a new place to raise a family after a dozen years in New Jersey (where Bryan was from).
“Longmeadow was our obvious choice,” said Karissa, who grew up in Springfield. “It was close to my family and it was such a great community with amazing schools and the village we didn’t know we needed to help in raising our kids.”
College sweethearts, Bryan and Karissa met at Bryant College (now Bryant University) and bonded over their shared campus involvement and the discovery of their life-long passion for aquatic vacationing.
“We were both very involved at the college. He ran the radio station and I ran the Student Programming Board so our paths often crossed. We actually went on our first cruise together senior year of college for Spring break and fell in love with cruising.”
“Bryan and I both graduated with bachelor degrees from Bryant. Mine was a Business Management degree and he double majored and got his degree in Finance and Computer Information Systems,” said Karissa.
“After college I was still trying to figure out what I wanted to do and somehow found the corporate retail world,” regales Karissa. “I worked my way up at Polo Ralph Lauren to be a Merchandise Planner working there for 8 years. I stepped away from the corporate world to have our daughters and now can be found working as a substitute teacher mainly at Blueberry Hill. Bryan works in the insurance world currently for Arch Insurance as a Senior Vice President and Head of Catastrophe Management.”
Karissa Adams can’t escape schools because when she vacations, she enjoys the schools of fish that she sees on her cruises! The Adams family goes on multiple cruises annually, and the girls have been cruisin’ since they were 18 months old. These cruises navigate the Adams family everywhere from the Caribbean (family favorite) to the East coast of Australia (couple’s favorite).
“We mostly go to Caribbean islands - collectively our family favorite island is Coco Cay. This summer we will be cruising the Mediterranean which we are all very excited about!” she says. “[The girls] love all the activities and options they have while on board from water slides to ice skating to Broadway shows.”
As for the kids, Kayleigh plays soccer and is very involved at Glenbrook Middle School where she has joined clubs as a 6th grader: the Builders Club, Drama Club and Jam Club.
“Kayleigh loved being a part of The Phantom of the Opera play the middle school put on this year. Her favorite subject is math by far!”
The Adams youngest, Kenzie is enjoying summer before she enrolls in the 4th grade at Blueberry Hill. Part of the Green Club at Blueberry Hill, Kenzie’s favorite subject is also math!
Many mornings, Karissa is in the enviable position of driving Kenzie to school - and walking in with her to be a substitute teacher. Leaving the corporate world gave Karissa the opportunity to explore education, and she has loved her work in elementary schools.
“I love all the staff and students and everything I help out with while [at Blueberry Hill]. It’s been a role I didn’t know I would love as much as I do!”
Her colleagues both appreciate the support that Adams supplies and the warmth that she brings to the role.
"Karissa is above and beyond a substitute at Blueberry," beams Marie Sickman, Secretary to the Principal at Blueberry Hill. "She is a full time employee - checking in even on those days that she's not "subbing"! We are so fortunate to have Karissa here, whether in the office, in the classroom or just helping out in the cafeteria. The staff plans their time off around Karissa's schedule!! I'm also so lucky to call her a friend."
Bryan feels at home in Longmeadow and knows his kids are enjoying a similar upbringing to his, “Longmeadow is a lot like where I grew up in New Jersey, a small town with a great sense of community,” he says.
When they aren’t cruising, shuttling family to sports and working, Karissa enjoys reading and baking and Bryan loves to golf. Before she subbed in the LPS schools, Karissa was the Blueberry Hill PTO co-president for 3 years, which gave her the opportunity to sub.
These days, it’s a three generational party at the Adams household. In 2024, Bryan and Karissa built an addition so that Karissa’s parents (living where she grew up in Springfield) could move in. Having that reciprocal caring relationship has been able to provide confidence and ease for the grandparents, while affording date nights for Bryan and Karissa - as well as some unforgettable moments with Mimi and Papa.
"I like living in Longmeadow because I have great friends and I can easily meet up with them," said Kayleigh.
Whether the Adams family is cruising the Caribbean or the paved sidewalks of Longmeadow, they exude an enviable kindness and joy. They look back fondly on their choice to move to Longmeadow.
“We have met so many amazing families and people who have become close friends,” Karissa says. “We love the small town feel and being able to count on anyone for whatever support we may need and hopefully providing that support right back!”
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