Free community Screening of 'Till'

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — As part of the Pittsfield Public Schools Arts Integration & Community Partnership Program, a special collaboration between the school district and the Berkshire County chapter of the NAACP, a free community screening of the film, "Till," will be held at 6 p.m. on March 26 at Taconic High School at 96 Valentine Road in Pittsfield. 
 
The new program, which is centered on classroom-based arts integration instruction, launched in February with a professional development presentation to all secondary teachers and staff in the school district. The program was designed by Yvette "Jamuna" Sirker, MFA, PPS Coordinator for Arts Integration & Community Partnerships and Shirley Edgerton, of the Berkshire County Chapter of the NAACP. 
 
With a spotlight on civil rights, the program allows sophomore students in social studies classes to view the film, followed by workshops led by NAACP facilitators. Additionally, prior to the community screening on March 26, "Till" co-writer and producer, Keith Beauchamp will visit both Pittsfield and Taconic high schools.  
 
In addition to providing a licensed copy of the film, Triplex Cinema is also covering the costs associated with Beauchamp's visit to both schools.  
 
Sirker is hopeful about this program and its potential to raise awareness. 
 
"Superintendent Joseph Curtis offered valuable support and guidance on the program's infrastructure in addition to other members of the NAACP who contributed to the shaping of classroom resources and experiential workshops. The film, 'Till,' has provided our district with a potent experiential learning moment as the film, the NAACP, our social studies teachers, and Mr. Beauchamp guide our students into greater awareness of their own history as well as demonstrating the link between the arts and social justice," said Sirker. "Finally, this program offers PPS students direct contact with a key organization in the 'Till' story, the NAACP." 
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ADOPTED! Companion Corner: Cali and Kyzer at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

Great news, Kyzer and Cali found a home for Christmas already! Still looking for a new friend for the holidays? There are plenty of dogs and cats and small animals at Berkshire Humane who would love to go home with you.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a bonded dog pair awaiting a new family at the Berkshire Humane Society.

Kyzer and Cali are both poodles. Kyzer is the male and is 7 years old, a quite a bit bigger than his sister Cali, who is a miniature of Kyzer and 8 years old.

Canine adoption counselor Rhonda Cyr introduced us to the two.

"They came from a household that couldn't hold on to them, and it sounds like they may have been abandoned by their previous owner with somebody else, and so they came to us looking for a new home," she said.

The two love to be around you and snuggle. But both are very happy dogs.

"Kyzer is 7 years old, and his personality is that he kind of wants to be in everything. He's very loving, very snuggly, as you can tell. And Callie here, she's 8 years old, and she is kind of like the life of the party," said Cyr. "She wants to tell you everything about her day, and she's a little bit of a little ham."

The two are considered seniors and really like soft treats as Cali just had a few teeth removed and Kyzer has a tooth procedure coming up.

"Currently, they really like soft treats, because they are both on the senior side of things. So they have had some dental work, so they are really in need of something softer. They are not big chewers at this age, really, their main focus right now is just really socializing and cuddling," Cyr said.

The two would love a quiet home with someone who wants to snuggle. They shouldn't go to a home with bigger dogs but if you have a dog, you can bring them in for a visitation with the poodles to see if they will get along. Cats will be fine and the preference is for older and more responsible children so that the pups don't get hurt, as they are senior citizens.

"The perfect home for them would be a quiet home that's not too active. Like I said, they're very social, so they could handle some visitors," she said. "They're very friendly, but I don't think that they would really enjoy any other dogs in the home."

Poodles need to be regularly groomed, and the prospective adopter will have to keep an eye on their health. Kyzer has a heart murmur that needs to be monitored. This doesn't mean he is in bad health, as he could live a perfectly normal life, but he will need to be checked by a veterinary specialist routinely.

"Ideally, he would go to a home that could provide further health care with a specialist in cardiac care. And you know, he could very well live out the rest of his life comfortably and happy," Cyr said. "We just don't have all that information at the moment, but I think that you know the way he's going right now. He's got a good spirit, and he seems to be pretty happy."

The shelter is hoping the to get them a home for the holidays.

"We would love to get them a home in time for the holidays. They've been here since the eighth of November, and they're really, really looking as much as the staff loves them here, we're really looking to get them into a home and somewhere nice and cozy so they can spend the rest of their life together," she said.

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