Sign-up and post on Iberkshires today.It's Free!
Already a member? Log In
43°  H- 75%
The Berkshires online guide to events, news and Berkshire County community information.           
Sunday November 22, 2009
 Make us your homepage!
 

What's Playing

Vampire Weekend

The Drury Drama Team presents "Dracula" on Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 19-21.

If you don't know who these guys are, just stay home. Holy batmania! "New Moon" surpasses "Dark Knight's" opening numbers.


'Pirate Radio': Good Movie Ahoy, Mateys
Movie schedules and times

Bazaars

Nov. 21

St. Stanislaus School benefit, 9 to 4 in Kolbe Hall, Adams. Bake sale, snack bar, games, Chinese auctions, money raffle, crafts, and pierogi.

Blackinton Union Church, 1373 Massachusetts Ave., North Adams; 10 to 2. Crafts table, bake sale, Chinese auction, the Christmas table, and kid's grab bag. Lunch $4, $2 kids.

First Congregational Church, North Adams, 9-2.

Nov. 28

Becket Federated Church
, Route 8, holiday bazaar from 9-3. Lunch, crafts, baked goods, holiday and other items. Information: Mary Peltier, Parish House, 413-623-5217.


Dec. 5

Holiday Fair at First Congregational Church, 25 Park Place, Lee, from 10 to 3; handcrafted items, raffles, children's shop, bake sale, cut Christmas trees and lunch from 11 to 1. Includes angel-themed goods from SERRV. Information, 413-243-1033 or www.ucc-lee.org.


Dec. 12-13

North Adams Country Club, crafts 9-4; food from That's a Wrap from 11-2. Information: Sheryl Morehouse at 413-822-3329.

Planning a bazaar this season? Submit information to info@iberkshires.com to have it listed here.

Sales Fliers

 
 

Daily Digest

Hooray for Vermont's Sanders and his battle against credit card companies.
How Much is Heating Oil this Week?
It's breaking $2.50 but still cheaper than gas.
Clarksburg Crime Watch Signs



We're trying out blogs to offer shorter, easy-to-find news. Let us know what you think.
Send press releases and announcements to info@iberkshires.com. Need to contact someone at iBerkshires? Here's how.
Mammography Dispute
The government's issued controversial new guidelines stating that women shouldn't get annual mammograms until age 50, rather than age 40.

iBerkshires will be meeting with local medical experts Monday. Have a question you'd like answered on this issue? Send it info@iberkshires.com with "mammogram" in the subject line.

Obituaries

Paul Sandler, 64
Robert J. Heideman, 73
Carol V. Vallieres, 75
More obituaries

Sports

11-21-09 Williams women's soccer: The College of New Jersey wins over Williams 1-0

More Photos to come.

Williams College Men's Basketball Season Outlook
MCLA Picked Last in Men's Preseason Coaches Poll
2009 MIAA Girls Soccer - State Division 2

11-21-09 Cardinal Spellman win over Wahconah 2-1 2OT

Media Partners

Berkshire News Network (WNAW;WUPE)
WJJW Charlie in the Morning

Election


Trying to remember who won what and why? All the information is right here.

 

 Search: 
 for    
Enter a long URL
to make tiny:


Related Stories

 
Printer Friendly Version
   Recommend this story to a friend

Youth Conference Planned at Shaker Village

By Tammy Daniels
iBerkshires Staff
05:05PM / Thursday, May 07, 2009

HANCOCK, Mass. — More than 100 students from high schools around Berkshire County will be participating on Friday in the third annual youth conference designed to bring the region's youth together to explore shared issues and opportunities.

The daylong event will take place at Hancock Shaker Village with workshops and tours, culminating with an evening concert that's open to the public.

"Sustainability is going to be a big part of this," said Tynan Whalen, a Monument Mountain Regional High School senior who's been part of the planning committee, in tune with the conference's location. "They're going to give tours showing the different ways Hancock Shaker Village maintains its sustainability and about its ecological impact. We hope that will make an impact on the kids there."

Whalen and Andrea Therrien of the town of Florida, a senior at Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School in Adams, have been working for months on organizing the conference with representatives from regional youth and community organizations.

The process has included youth and adults in presenting a variety of workshops that are educational and interesting. The Berkshire Youth Development Project is a collaborative effort of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership and the Railroad Street Youth Project/South Berkshire Youth Coalition.

The conference, "The 411 in the 413," was held last year at Mount Washington's YMCA Camp Hi-Rock. Each high school is invited to send up 10 students and two chaperones. Workshops range from the arts to relationships to stress to local and global challenges. Groups and individuals are invited to submit presentations.

"We got a really good response, there were so many we had to turn down a few," said Therrien. "It was great to see what so many people wanted to do. We looked at the [submissions] and we all voted on the best."

Both teenagers are working with the Berkshire Youth Development Project through internships with collaborating organizations. Whalen has been active in the Railroad Street Youth Project since the age of 13.

"I realized how many resources Railroad Street offered — mentoring programs, I even took a culinary program, and the [International] Day of Peace event they have every Sept. 21," said Whalen, an aspiring hip hop musician. "... They gave me an opportunity to perform at the U.N., at the headquarters in New York, with my music and stuff."

BaRT requires its students to do an internship in their senior to graduate, said Therrien. The school hooked her up with Kate Merrigan and the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition. "They're really great," she said. "I've had just as much input into the planning [of the forum] as anybody else."

Therrien's responsible for making sure everone's where they should be; Whalen, who was a keynote speaker last year, is more focused on making sure the concert runs smoothly with Ruralliance Productions.

"High school students from all around Berkshire County are going to be there. We have bands from North County, from South County," he said, adding its not just about making music. "They get to meet each other and create new opportunities for each other and share what's happening."

Both students are taking away valuable lessons from their nonprofit internships. For Therrien, who will study nursing at Russell Sage Colleges this fall, it was an opportunity to meet people and get a firsthand look at the work that goes into any collaboration.

"I'm a very personable person, I do listen to others but this was a really different experience," she said. "And it made me become very organized. I liked getting involved ... I can use that in future."

Whalen will be going off to the New School in New York City to study sociology, a discipline he says fits well with the way he uses lyrics to express his ideas. His focus? "Hip hop, peace, activism."

Therrien and Whalen are hoping their peers gain insights from the conference that will help them as much as they gained from planning it.

"I just want all of them to feel extremely empowered," said Whalen. "There are a lot of resources for whatever their passion is, they can find it there."

The youth conference is closed to the public but the concert at 7:30 p.m., "What's There to do Around Here?" is open to the public. The cost is $5 and it will be held in the Round Stone Barn.

It will feature Higher Organix, Twisting Karma, The Aposoul, Youth Alive, Eli Catlin, Reason837, Checker Chance, The Interlopers, Space Jam, Ruralliance Productions and Soultube Music. Proceeds from the concert will support next year's youth conference.
Your Comments
Post Comment
No Comments


Top Stories...
Recount Countdown in North Adams
NORTH ADAMS - Poll workers were steadily making their way through more than 5,000 ballots today to...
@theMarket: Taking Profits Is a Personal Choice
REGIONAL - I have often mentioned that fear and greed are two emotions that the astute investor must...
North Adams Mayor-Elect Seeking New Ideas
NORTH ADAMS - A new Web site went up this past week for residents to discuss possibilities ranging from...
Beacon Cinema Opens in Pittsfield
PITTSFIELD - "It is the crown jewel of the revitalization of downtown." — Mayor James M. Ruberto
New Moon Mania Hits Berkshire Mall
LANESBOROUGH - "The first 'Twilight' movie did very well so we were expecting good crowds not only...


iBerkshires.com Text Ads
www.countrysidelandscape.net
www.iberkshires.com
www.iberkshires.com
www.iberkshires.com
Advertise on iBerkshires.com



Essentials
Berkshire Nightlife
Berkshire Photos
Berkshire Wallpaper
Class Reunion Page
Columnists
Dannyoart.com
Get Lunch Specials
Home & Garden
Movie Times
Obituaries
Randy Trabold
Weddings

Enter your email address below to receive our FREE iBerkshires.com Newsletter

| Home | A & E | Automotive | Business | Community News | Dining | Lodging & Travel |
| Real Estate | Schools | Sports & Outdoors | Berkshires Weather | Berkshires Map |
Advertise | Recommend This Page | Help
Contact Us | Privacy Policy| User Agreement
Execution Time: 565 ms