PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The 11th 1Berkshire Youth Leadership Program commences virtually. 

 

1Berkshire recently began the formal sessions of its 11th class of the Berkshire Youth Leadership Program. This group of 32 high school juniors from all corners of the Berkshires assembled for the first time on Zoom in late July, held its project design session in August, and began the formal portion of the program in mid-September with a session focused on social justice and equity.

 

This online approach is necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The 1Berkshire Youth Leadership Program is focused on helping young leaders in the region develop and grow through career opportunity awareness, leadership skill development, and through the completion of a 10-month-long collective-impact project focused on positively impacting the Berkshires.

 

Over the next seven months, these 32 students will reunite monthly on Zoom to participate in workshops, learn from speakers, and to develop and execute their selected projects. 

 

"We know that this year will be different than previous years of the Youth Leadership Program, but we are excited about our students’ enthusiasm to embrace a virtual environment and thrilled to see them learn as they work together throughout the course of the program," Ben Lamb, director of economic development at 1Berkshire, and program coordinator of the Youth Leadership Program said.

 

Made possible through the financial support of sponsors Berkshire Bank, Greylock Federal Credit Union, and Cohen Kinne Valicenti & Cook, and with additional support from Neenah Technical Materials, the 1Berkshire Youth Leadership Program is coordinated by 1Berkshire with the of the volunteer Youth Leadership Program Steering Committee. Co-chaired by Karen Ruiz Leon of Berkshire Community College and Matthew Martin of Mildred Elley, this committee is composed of professionals across the region who commit their time and expertise to develop and facilitate the monthly sessions for the class, while also offering advice to them as they look to their own futures.

 

The 1Berkshire Youth Leadership Program Class of 2021 are:

 

Isabella Ameen, Pittsfield High School

 

Jordynn Bazinet, Pittsfield High School

 

Madilynn Brothers, Drury High School

 

Lauren Callahan, Pittsfield High School

 

Madison Crouse, Pittsfield High School

 

Zachary Davignon, Drury High School

 

Bronwyn Dix, The Potter’s School

 

Jonathan Douhan, Pittsfield High School

 

Sydney Ferris, Pittsfield High School

 

Jonah Hane, Mount Greylock Regional School

 

Julianne Harwood, Lenox Memorial Middle and High School

 

Alex Henner, Pittsfield High School

 

Solia Herndon-Schmid, Lenox Memorial Middle and High School

 

Micah Ketchen, Mt. Everett Regional High School

 

Cecilia Kittross, Lenox Memorial Middle and High School

 

Isaac LeBlanc, Berkshire Waldorf High School

 

Alexa Macdonald, Drury High School

 

Grace Makuc, Mt. Everett Regional High School

 

Madelyn Malumphy, Pittsfield High School

 

Catherine McAllister, Mount Greylock Regional School

 

Tess McCluskey, Pittsfield High School

 

Elli Miles, Drury High School

 

Madeline Nesbit, Drury High School

 

Norah Newlands, Drury High School

 

Leila Paredes, Pittsfield High School

 

Thomas Peterson, Drury High School

 

Alyssa Potvin, Pittsfield High School

 

Zachary Pupo, Pittsfield High School

 

Jocelyn Sommers, Wahconah Regional High School

 

Alexis Toomey, Mount Greylock Regional School

 

Sienna Trask, Miss Hall’s School

 

Isolena Ungewitter, Pittsfield High School