PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 1Berkshire welcomed its 14th Berkshire Youth Leadership Program class. 

 

This group of 31 high school juniors from across the Berkshires was selected through a competitive application process to begin a year-long leadership development program that kicked off in late May with a three-day, two-night retreat held at Camp Becket.

 

The 1Berkshire Youth Leadership Program is focused on helping students in our region develop and grow through career opportunity awareness, leadership skill development, and the design and completion of a 9-month-long collective-impact project focused on the betterment of the Berkshires. Selected students have shown a significant capacity to grow their leadership skills and a strong desire to have a positive impact on their communities.

 

Over the next 7 months, these 31 students will convene at locations all around the region to participate in workshops, engage in group dialogue, learn from speakers and one another, and to develop and execute their selected collective-impact project. With a focus on sustainability and diversity, equity, and inclusion, this year's program will also aim to engage students in discussions that create reflection and new levels of self awareness to support qualities associated with global citizenry and cultural humility.

 

"During this year's kick-off retreat, our students connected, in most cases meeting for the first time, to begin bonding and thinking about how their individual learning and communication styles interact," Kevin Pink, deputy director of Economic Development at 1Berkshire and director of the youth leadership program said. "We are thrilled to kick off another amazing year in which our students will get a deeper understanding of their Berkshire community, as well as collaboratively design and execute a project to make a positive impact here in our region and in the world."

 

The program is made possible through the financial and resource support of sponsors including Berkshire Bank, Berkshire Health Systems, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Becket-Chimney Corners YMCA, NBT Bank, and Berkshire Agricultural Ventures, the 1Berkshire Youth Leadership Program is coordinated by 1Berkshire with the support of the volunteer Youth Leadership Program Steering Committee, chaired by Julie Haagenson of New Pathways Coaching & Consulting. 

 

This committee is composed of professionals from across the region.

 

The 2025-2026 Youth Leadership Class participants are:

 

Marlie Auger - Drury High School

Shiloh Bennet - Monument Mountain Regional High School

Zachary Berry - Taconic High School

Sunny Cart - Mount Greylock Regional High School

Reese Cook-Dubin - Pittsfield High School

Armando Coreas - Pittsfield High School

Danielle Cramer - Drury High School

Sadie Cullen - Wahconah Regional High School

Charlotte Culver - Lenox Memorial Middle and High School

Haydn Derby - Mount Greylock Regional High School

Leanna Driscoll - Lee Middle and High School

Sara Ehle - Mount Greylock Regional High School

Benjamin Glockner - Pittsfield High School

Lucy Grant - Wahconah Regional High School

Robyn Gregg - Mount Greylock Regional High School

Sabine Guerra - Mount Greylock Regional High School

Clara Janis - BArT Charter

Cecelia Keogh - Mount Greylock Regional High School

Elizabeth Klepetar - Pittsfield High School

Anna MacPherson - Charles H McCann Technical High School

Greta Mathews - Lenox Memorial Middle & High School

Gabriella Nicastro - Mount Greylock Regional High School

Anna Oliva - Lee Middle and High School

Grace Radzick - Wahconah Regional High School

Brooklyn Rodriguez - Lenox Memorial Middle and High School

Ethan Senzel - Lenox Memorial Middle & High School

Olivia Silvernail - Hoosac Valley High School

Abe Vengalil - Pittsfield High School

Alanmichael Victor - Lee Middle and High School

Gloria Williams - Pittsfield High School

Sage Winkler - BArT Charter