1Berkshire Announces Berkshire Trendsetter Award Finalists

11:33AM / Friday, September 06, 2024Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 1Berkshire announced the finalists for the 2024 Berkshire Trendsetter Awards, which recognize outstanding initiatives, talented people, and innovative organizations moving the Berkshires forward.

Winners will be announced at the 11th annual Celebrate the Berkshires event on Sept. 19 at the Pittsfield Municipal Airport. This year's Putting the Berkshires on the Map honoree is The Fairbank Group, in recognition of the meaningful contribution they and their businesses have made to the Berkshire economy. The Wanda Houston Band will play during the reception.

The Trendsetter Awards celebrate businesses, organizations, and individuals in six categories that honor outstanding achievements and commitments that have strengthened the local economy. The following are the Berkshire Trendsetter Award categories and finalists for 2024.

2024 Berkshire Trendsetter Awards Categories and Finalists

Driving Visitor Engagement

Tourism is a critical economic engine, and marketing is the fuel that makes it roar. This award is presented to a creative and effective program/event that achieved results locally and further afield, helping to maintain the Berkshires as a top visitor destination to the direct and indirect benefit of our region's businesses.

Finalists:

ArtWeek Berkshires, a collaboration of the Cultural Districts of Berkshire County

Berkshire Botanical Garden

BerkshiresOutside.org

The Mount

Norman Rockwell Museum

Advancing Our Economy

This award is presented to a project that pushed the envelope in bringing new jobs or people to the Berkshires, has brought previously underrepresented voices to the table, or has had a positive impact on the workforce of a single employer, employee segment, or the Berkshires as a whole.

Finalists:

Berkshire Innovation Center

CDC South Berkshire

EMA

Alander Construction

Moresi & Associates

Nonprofit Collaborator

The best things we do in the Berkshires, we do together. In that spirit, this award is presented to a nonprofit organization whose efforts brought partners to the table, herded all the cats, and built a coalition to improve the region's quality of life.

Finalists:

AYJ Fund

Berkshire Natural Resources Council

Berkshire United Way

Latinas413

Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires

Under 40 Change-Maker

This award is presented to a member of the Berkshire community under the age of 40 who is making a difference through leadership, team building, and problem-solving skills, with a heightened awareness of key issues affecting our region.

Finalists

Abigail Allard

Marina Dominguez

Jonah Sykes

Tarah Warner

Visionary of the Year

Clarity of purpose and the fortitude to follow through are essential components of an entrepreneur's toolkit from founding to exit strategy and beyond. This award is presented to a Berkshire business founder/owner whose company, organization, or project is leading the way and making waves in their industry.

Finalists:

Choices Mentoring

Roots Rising

Second Chance Composting

Woven Roots Farm

Guido's

Breaking the Mold

"The Way We've Always Done Things" is comfortable, but not always applicable in 2024. This award is presented to an organization, program, or individual working in the Berkshire Blueprint 2.0 clusters that is thinking outside the box to shatter siloes and forge a new path through collaboration.

Finalists:

Berkshire Funding Focus

Dri

Let it Shine! public art partnership

Jenny Wright

Full Well Farm

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PHS, Taconic Seniors Honored With Superintendent's Award

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:24PM / Thursday, October 10, 2024

Taconic's Nicholas Kerwood and Pittsfield High's Lisa Chen are the top students in the class of 2025.

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Two Pittsfield Public Schools seniors have been recognized for excellence in and out of the classroom.

Pittsfield High School's Lisa Chen and Taconic High School's Nicholas Kerwood were given the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents' Certificates of Academic Excellence during Wednesday's School Committee meeting.

The annual award is given to students who go above and beyond in academic achievement and community involvement.

Guidance counselor Jillian Galvagni, who has known Kerwood for four years while attending Taconic commended him for an impressive workload of advanced courses and inspiring leadership in extracurriculars.

"Nicholas has consistently demonstrated a remarkable commitment to advancing educational opportunities and promoting excellence within the academic community," she wrote in a letter of recommendation.

"His proactive approach to educational leadership and his ability to inspire and empower both students and educators are truly impressive."

Along with being at the top of his class, Kerwood has taken six Advanced Placement courses and 11 honors courses during his high school tenure. He is currently taking three AP courses at Berkshire Community College and still finds time to be a part of the Taconic community.

"Nicholas is the kind of leader who brings people together. As captain of the cross country team, a member of several clubs, and part of the theater department, he's always working to keep communication flowing and build strong connections. He has made a real difference during his time at Taconic," Galvagni wrote.

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