image description — Pittsfield VFW Post 448 Cmdr. Arnold Perras, left, and Quartermaster Hank Morris pose with this year's 'Voice of Democracy' essay winner Taibat O. Ahmed.

Taconic Sophomore Wins Voice of Democracy Essay Contest

iBerkshires Staff
04:28PM / Friday, March 11, 2022Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Taibat O. Ahmed, a sophomore at Taconic High School, for a second year in a row, has won as this year's first-place winner of the Veterans of Foreign Wars "Voice of Democracy" essay contest for Pittsfield.

Ahmed has won $1,000 as first-place winner for Taconic High School, $1,000 as first-place winner for Pittsfield, $250 as first place for District 9 Berkshire County, and $2,000 for third-place winner at the Massachusetts VFW state level for a total of $4,250.

Awards were presented to her on March 2 at Taconic High School.

The length of the essay was limited to a 3 to 5 minute oral duration. The theme of this year's essay was titled: "America: Where do we go from here?"

Other winners for Berkshire County, District 9 were, second place, from VFW Housatonic Post 8183, Victoria M. Pevzner of Great Barrington; and third place, from VFW Lenox Post 12079, Paige E. Schultze of Otis. In addition, Inyene-Abasi Idara Bell, a freshman at Miss Hall's School, has won $1,000 as its first place winner.

Ahmed is in the SEA Academy, and has been on the high honor roll every quarter since the sixth grade. She also runs track and participates in Taconic's Fall Festival of Shakespeare and spring musicals. She is the daughter of Abdulrahim and Halimat Ahmed.

Voice of Democracy judges for Berkshire County District 9 were retired Army Lt. Col. James Clark, Pittsfield school teacher Rose Ann Sturgeon and retired Pittsfield School Committee Chair Kathy Yon.

Since 1947, the Voice of Democracy has been the Veterans of Foreign Wars' premier scholarship program. More than 50,000 high school students compete for more than $2.3 million in scholarships and incentives each year. Students compete by writing and recording a broadcast script on an annual patriotic theme. Starting within a local community, a winner can advance to county, state and a national first-place award of $30,000 in addition to awards given at the preliminary levels of competition. The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed this program on the NASSP National Advisory List of Contests and Activities.

Tags: scholarships,

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Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action.

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature."

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures.

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis.

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.

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