UNITY Youth Leadership Students Celebrate Successful Year
 Joseph Alexander gets up to receive his certificate at the UNITY Youth Leadership Program celebration on Tuesday evening. For more photos, see the slideshow. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Northern Berkshire Community Coalition's UNITY Youth Leadership Program students celebrated the program's completion on Tuesday evening.
"I love all of you guys, and I love my time and experiences that I had at UNITY," said Crystal Haynes, a three-year participant of the program. "It was really great for me, and just seeing another side of Berkshire County has also been great."
The group got together for one last night, when the participants and others recapped the program and achievements, received certificates and enjoyed a cake carefully crafted by Robert Foster, a McCann Technical School culinary student, that featured the coalition's nbCC logo on the frosting.
Kate Merrigan, UNITY program director, said the students attended about 30 Tuesday night sessions between October and May. These sessions focused on leadership and communication skills, specifically communicating clearly to de-escalate conflicts and to work things out.
The students even visited Brayton Elementary School to teach their skills to younger pupils in a program they dubbed "Baby UNITY."
The group also coordinated the community forum that focused on teenage depression, which attracted around 70 adults and received a positive response.
The class also split apart for two side projects. Merrigan and half of the class focused on how to educate others on eating disorders while Annie Rodgers, the coalition's program associate, and the other half focused on spearheading clothing and pet food drives, the latter of which brought in 500 pounds of food.
Although some students won't return next year, they're sure to retain their fond memories.
"I had such a blast," said Brianna Jones, a senior at Mount Greylock Regional High School. "I can't believe that it's only been two years. I feel like I've been coming here forever but in a good way."
The program, which is in its eighth year, draws in students from McCann, Mount Greylock, Drury High School and Berkshire Arts & Technology Public Charter School, as well as homeschoolers and out-of-school teenagers, from the ages of 13 to 19 years.
Certificate recipients:
- Bria Winters
- Elizabeth Laurin
- Robert Foster
- Nick Belanger
- Berney Wilder
- Brenda Neff
- Crystal Haynes
- Brianna Jones
- Sarah Fisk
- Brandi La Belle
- Barbara Clish
- Joseph Butler
- Haley Peters
- Katelynn LaCosse
- Jordan Couture
- Samantha Cooper
- Jocelyn Kelly (Honorary certificate)
Tags: awards, celebration, NBCC, youth programs,
