Berkshire Kickoff Classic Returns to Pittsfield

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Kickoff Classic is back, and the regional soccer tournament, run by Pittsfield Soccer Club, will take place on Saturday and Sunday, September 2 & 3 at Berkshire Community College (BCC) and Crosby Elementary School. 
 
More than 30 teams are signed up to participate.  Games will be played throughout Saturday and Sunday.  The Berkshire Kickoff Classic High School Jamboree will take place Friday night at BCC. 
 
"We are thrilled to bring this tournament back," stated BKC Tournament Director Leah Casucci.  "As we started to put the planning into place, we have heard so many nostalgic sentiments about the Berkshire Kickoff Classic from the soccer community throughout Pittsfield and the Berkshires."  Pittsfield Soccer Club President Andrea Schaller added, "We are so grateful to the committee members, volunteers, coaches and players for all of their hard work going into making this comeback year a success, it's going to be a great weekend!"  
 
Lee Bank is the lead sponsor of the Berkshire Kickoff Classic.  Additional sponsors include:  Berkshire Bank; Berkshire Community College; Berkshire Health Systems; Berkshire Orthopedic Associates; Carr Hardware; Crescent Creamery; H & S Auto; Hammill Design; Hot Harry's; Hot Plate Brewing Co.; Independent Connections; Lipton Energy; Nocher Realty; Qualprint; Rocco's Barber Shop; Synagex; United Educators of Pittsfield; United Soccer Group and other anonymous donors.  
 
Proceeds from the tournament benefit the youth soccer program of the Pittsfield Soccer Club and its' over 200 players and the soccer programs of Pittsfield and Taconic High Schools.   

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Wahconah Students Join Statewide 'SOS' Call for Rural School Funding

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

DALTON, Mass. — Students at Wahconah Regional High School are urging the state to fully fund Rural School Aid that supports essential services that shape their future.
 
Rural districts across the state participated in Rural and Declining Enrollment Schools Week of Action to insist Beacon Hill fully fund rural aid at $60 million. 
 
Schools across Massachusetts sent their pleas for aid to lawmakers through letter-writing campaigns, sign-making, and coordinated gatherings where students and educators formed the letters "SOS."

Wahconah students did something different — they created an educational video detailing the need for increased funding for rural schools with the school's music teacher Brian Rabuse, who edited the video, Assistant Superintendent Aaron Robb said. 

The advocacy efforts move the issue from spreadsheets to show the human cost of a funding formula previously described as "remarkably wrong." 
 
During an interview with iBerkshires, students expressed how districts without rural aid would have to make reductions in world language programing, mental health support, extracurricular opportunities, and other areas they find essential. 
 
"Our students deserve the same quality of education as any child in Massachusetts, regardless of their ZIP code," Superintendent Mike Henault said in a press release.
 
"The week of action is an opportunity for our communities to come together and make it clear to Beacon Hill that the status quo is no longer acceptable." 
 
Rural schools attempt to create the same quality education as urban and suburban areas while balancing high fixed costs of transportation and operations of geographically large, low-population districts.
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