Berkshire Beat: Herberg Team Wins 20th Annual Berkshire Robotics Challenge

Tyler Vosburgh (left) and Bella Zeno operate the Herberg HBP robot during the championship match.

Robotics Challenge

Herberg Middle School HBP (Heavy Brain Power) defeated Williamstown Elementary School (WES) LEGOHeads I, 78-54, in the finals to win the championship of "Into Orbit," the 20th annual Berkshire Robotics Challenge, conducted March 16 at Lenox Memorial Middle and High School.

The competition involved 16 Berkshire County teams comprising more than 130 students ages 8 to 14 using programmable robots built from LEGO kits to complete a variety of hypothetical missions that focused on space-themed missions – such as growing food in space, fighting muscle atrophy in orbit, and collecting samples – on a table-top "playing field." The event was sponsored by Berkshire Community College and the Berkshire Innovation Center, with major underwriting support from The Feigenbaum Foundation and General Dynamics Mission Systems.

Wendy Stebbins and Ellen Lantz were the coaches for Herberg HBP (sponsored by General Dynamics Mission Systems and Herberg Middle School 21st Century), which featured team members Michael Beaulieu, John Cook, Natalie Cunningham, Micah Griffin, Ryan Russo, Adams Sidibe, Tyler Vosburgh, Robert Weibel, Jack Wildgoose and Bella Zeno.

Tom Welch was the coach for WES LEGOheads I (sponsored by Department of Defense and Williams College Math Department), which featured team members Kaeya Durley, Mai O'Connor, Solana Lash-St. John, Mia Patrick, Anna Wang, Maddie Craig, Yeshe Rai, Tess Moresi and Aryanna Wintour.
 

Other award winners were:

Semifinalist: Hancock Roboteers (Hancock Elementary School)

Semifinalist: WES LEGOheads III (Williamstown Elementary School)

Sportsmanship & Team Spirit: Robotic Wyverns (Lanesborough Elementary School)

Best Mechanical Design: Robotic Wyverns (Lanesborough Elementary School)

Most Innovative Design: Nexus Builders (Berkshire Christian School)

Foster Parent Info Sessions

Berkshire Children and Families will host two information sessions for prospective foster families. Current foster parents and staff will be available. Complimentary appetizers and childcare will be provided.  

The first session will be held at Four Brothers Pizza, 100 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, on March 26. The second session will be held on March 28 at Hotel on North, 297 North St., Pittsfield. Both sessions will run from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and prospective parents are welcome at any time; there will be no formal program. For more information or to register, contact Wendy Dickinson at 413-448-8281, ext. 234, or by email.

Zonta scholarhsip

The Zonta Club of Berkshire County is now accepting applications for its 2019 scholarship. Applicants must be a graduate of a Berkshire County High School and be presently enrolled full-time as a freshman, sophomore or junior in a four -year college or university.  Applications must include a cover letter including your name and contact information, high school name and year of graduation, a list of college extracurricular activities including any community service and/or volunteer work, a 250-word essay stating current or intended college major and goals upon graduation, and an official college transcript.
 
Completed applications must be postmarked no later than April 15 and mailed to: Zonta Club of Berkshire County, c/o Scholarship Committee, Po Box 2184, Lenox, MA 01240. The scholarship winner will be notified by May 15.

Richmond Cultural Council grants

The Richmond Cultural Council awarded 13 grants for local programs.  These grants will support a range of activities, such as concerts for Richmond residents of all ages, plays, field trips, theater, sculpture and music activities.

The Richmond Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth under the umbrella of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The MCC Program is the largest cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences and humanities every year. The state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the MCC which then allocates funds to each community, based on the size of its population.

Decisions regarding who receives the grants are made at the community level by a board of municipally appointed volunteers. The 2019 Grant Recipients are: Joy Mullen, Field Trip to Great East Festival, (Grades 6-8), Richmond Consolidated School; Rachel Kanz, Field Trip to Franklin Institute (Grades 7 & 8), RCS; Elizabeth Smith, Field Trip to Plimoth Plantation (Grades 3 & 4), RCS; Berkshire Theater Group, Plays and 14 Week Workshop @ RCS (Grade 6); IS 183, After-School Art Workshop, three eight-week sessions (Grades K-5) @ RCS; Shakespeare & Company, 2019 Festival Prep @ Taconic High School; Monument Mountain High School, Shakespeare & Co. Residency Program 2019 Festival; Sculpture NOW, Monument MHS students visit to The Mount; Berkshire Children's Chorus Scholarship Tuition Funding; Ronald Barron, Trumpet Program for Richmond Resident Fuel Assistance; West Stockbridge Chamber Players, Summer Concert; WAM Theater, 10 Year Celebration; and Music in Common, Berkshire County Community "Meet-Ups."

Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan