BCD Eighth-Grader Places Third in National Video Challenge

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STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Shayna Kantor of Lenox, Mass., an eighth-grader at Berkshire Country Day School, placed third in the 2017 national USC Shoah Foundation IWitness Video Challenge.

Inspired by the Shoah Foundation's Holocaust archives, Shayna's documentary "Are you Listening?" raises awareness and empathy for the deaf community.

For two years, Shayna studied American Sign Language and made "Are you Listening?" as a way of giving back to the deaf community. "In a way, I was able to experience their culture, and I thought that I should give back," Shayna said. During this project, Shayna engaged the Berkshire Country Day School Kindergarten class in a year-long study of sign language. "The Kindergarten class is adorable and I love them, and I thought this could influence them, so that when they are older they may be inspired to also work with the deaf community," she said. Shayna is the daughter of Dr. Herb Kantor and Dr. Lisa Kantor.

This is the fourth year of the IWitness challenge and the fourth year that history teacher Sarah Pitcher-Hoffman's eighth grade students entered and placed as finalists, an impressive feat as many contestants are high school students. Of the eighth grade class's participation, Pitcher-Hoffman said, "The IWitness project has become an integral part of the eighth grade curriculum; first because of its connection to the Holocaust, which the students study in both seventh and ninth grades and second, because of its connection to service." This project supports one of Berkshire Country Day School's core values: citizenship, as the School guides students to become ethical, engaged, and informed global citizens.



Berkshire Country Day School students work hard and benefit tremendously from the IWitness project. "I see my students grow each year while working on this project," said Pitcher-Hoffman, adding, "I am so proud of Shayna and the fact that she was able to connect an interest of hers - sign language - with this project. I love how she connected the testimony, the adults in her community and the kindergarten students." Upon learning of her win, Shayna said, "I am pretty surprised and also grateful that I had the chance to do this."

Eighth-grader Jasmine Light distinguished herself by becoming a national 2017 finalist with her video "Knowledge is Power." Jasmine sought to empower others in her community through access to literacy and learning, collecting more than 900 books to donate to Berkshire County Kids' Place and Violence Prevention Center. Former BCD finalists include Ruby Merritt '15, Ayva Schiff '15, Sam Ferrone '16, and Lanna Knoll '17.

IWitness is an educational website developed by USC Shoah Foundation-The Institute for Visual History and Education that provides access to nearly 1,300 full-life histories, testimonies from survivors and witnesses to the Holocaust and other genocides for guided exploration. IWitness Video Challenge asks students to submit short videos to show how they were inspired by testimony to make positive choices and create value in their community. The contest is open to middle and high school students across the United States and Canada. Inspired by the testimonies of Holocaust survivors, the activities are designed to be participatory, academic and student-driven.


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Dalton Man Accused of Kidnapping, Shooting Pittsfield Man

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A Dalton man was arrested on Thursday evening after allegedly kidnapping and shooting another man.

Nicholas Lighten, 35, was arraigned in Central Berkshire District Court on Friday on multiple charges including kidnapping with a firearm and armed assault with intent to murder. He was booked in Dalton around 11:45 p.m. the previous night.

There was heavy police presence Thursday night in the area of Lighten's East Housatonic Street home before his arrest.

Shortly before 7 p.m., Dalton dispatch received a call from the Pittsfield Police Department requesting that an officer respond to Berkshire Medical Center. Adrian Mclaughlin of Pittsfield claimed that he was shot in the leg by Lighten after an altercation at the defendants home. Mclaughlin drove himself to the hospital and was treated and released with non-life-threatening injuries. 

"We were told that Lighten told Adrian to go down to his basement, where he told Adrian to get down on his knees and pulled out a chain," the police report reads.

"We were told that throughout the struggle with Lighten, Adrian recalls three gunshots."

Dalton PD was advised that Pittsfield had swabbed Mclaughlin for DNA because he reported biting Lighten. A bite mark was later found on Lighten's shoulder. 

Later that night, the victim reportedly was "certain, very certain" that Lighten was his assailant when shown a photo array at the hospital.

According to Dalton Police, an officer was stationed near Lighten's house in an unmarked vehicle and instructed to call over the radio if he left the residence. The Berkshire County Special Response Team was also contacted.

Lighten was under surveillance at his home from about 7:50 p.m. to about 8:40 p.m. when he left the property in a vehicle with Massachusetts plates. Another officer initiated a high-risk motor vehicle stop with the sergeant and response team just past Mill Street on West Housatonic Street, police said, and traffic was stopped on both sides of the road.

Lighten and a passenger were removed from the vehicle and detained. Police reported finding items including a brass knuckle knife, three shell casings wrapped in a rubber glove, and a pair of rubber gloves on him.

The response team entered Lighten's home at 43 East Housatonic before 9:30 p.m. for a protective sweep and cleared the residence before 9:50 p.m., police said. The residence was secured for crime scene investigators.

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