Pittsfield Child-Care Leader Deemed a 'Commonwealth Heroine'
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A local child-care leader was recognized for her contributions to the community at Tuesday's City Council meeting.
Berkshire County Head Start Executive Director Brett Westbrook was selected to be one of the 2022 Commonwealth Heroines by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women.
To mark the achievement, state Sen. Adam Hinds presented Westbrook with a proclamation from the House of Representatives and Senate. Council President Peter Marchetti also presented her with a proclamation from the city.
"I just feel really blessed to give back to the city," she said. "The city gave a lot to me and my family when I came here, which is kind of why I'm in the service work."
Westbrook serves more than 350 children at the Berkshire County Head Start program, which provides education, health, and special education services to children and their families. She is said to approach the position as a mother and a friend of the families she serves and is credited for guiding the program through the COVID-19 pandemic.
She has been the executive director since 2018 and was a program manager at the Family Resource Center prior to that.
"I think we first met and worked with each other when you were at Berkshire Children and Families, now 18 Degrees. as a program director and I was here in with Pittsfield Community Connection and I got to see firsthand how, I guess it's the definition of a heroine and unsung hero, just all the work that you're doing day in and day out in the community with kids who need it most, with families that needed the attention the most," Hinds said.
"And you were doing it so skillfully so it was no surprise to me that you were tapped to then lead HeadStart with more than 300 kids and more than 100 employees. It's a big undertaking and a critical one. Communities need pillars in their midst who are really focused on making sure that kids are getting what they need and you've done that in every step of your career."
He said when it came time to make a nomination for the Commonwealth Heroines title, Westbrook was a "no-brainer" for him and state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier.
Hinds also said the crisis of child care is real and that Westbrook is on the front lines.
The city's proclamation outlined the many ways that Westbrook has contributed to the community in child care and beyond. She serves on Mayor Linda Tyer's American Rescue Plan Act Advisory Council, the Community Development Advisory Committee at Greylock Federal Credit Union, the Department of Transitional Assistance Advisory Committee, in strategic planning for the Berkshire Community Action Council and on the state Department of Children and Families Advisory Committee.
Previously, she has served as a mentor for the Rites of Passage and Empowerment program and on the Berkshire Compact for Education committee.
"Whereas unsung heroines are women who don't always make the news, but are those who truly make a difference, they are women who use their time, talent, and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others, positively impacting their neighborhoods, towns, and cities," Marchetti read on behalf of Tyer.
"They are mentors, volunteers, and innovators who serve without expectation of recognition or gratitude. These women are the glue that binds a community together. Pittsfield is grateful for Brett's selfless service and is proud to have her as part of our community."
Tags: recognition event, unsung heroine,
