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Youth for the Future: Jonah Sanabria

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Monument Mountain Regional High School student Jonah Sanabria has been selected as our March Youth for the Future.

Youth for the Future is a 12-month series that honors young individuals that have made an impact on their community. This year's sponsor is Patriot Car Wash. Nominate a youth here. 

The 15-year-old Jonah was recently honored for winning the Congressional App Challenge for the 1st Massachusetts District.

Over the summer, Jonah and his dad, Juan Sanabria, noticed the Congressional App Challenge on his school's website and decided to try it. 

His father said they had been having talks in the family about their recent health visits and it struck a chord with Jonah.

"I , and my wife, have just been sort of dealing with going to the doctor more, and trying to kind of retain everything, and also as caregivers of older parents trying to manage and retain their visits as well. Manage and retain our kids visits as well," Juan Sanabria said. "And so I think we've been kind of talking about what's the best way to do it? Should you just have a lot of notes, and how can you kind of advocate for yourself and for the ones that you take care of.

"So I think sitting around as a family, and we talk about these issues, and we talk about what AI is potentially capable of. And so this was sort of an ongoing dialog with no clear solution."

Jonah said his app, Health Advocate, addresses the issue of patients having unanswered questions.

"Sometimes when people go to the doctor, they have questions that they want to ask, but just because of the environment, they don't end up asking those questions mostly because they're feeling things like stress or anxiety or other things," he said. "So the app makes sure that you ask those questions, and it also allows you to get a better understanding of your appointment after your appointment, so you can really leave your appointment with a good understanding."

His father helped Jonah develop the concept and he said they had a great time doing it together.

"We took a look at what was required for the app challenge and what was needed, and it was just most important thing we focused on was clear ideas and put something together that has really clear purpose and clear idea," said Sanabria. "I was an adviser, and Jonah is very independent and motivated to do his stuff, so it's always fun to work with him."

In January, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal visited his school to award him his certificate for winning the challenge. His friends and family were in attendance.

"It was such an honor. It was really cool to meet Congressman Richard Neal, and I think a lot of my peers and teachers were, and especially my family were really proud of me, so that was really nice," Jonah said.

His father said he admires his son for taking the time to think about the challenges people may face and contribute to those around him.

"I'm a little biased, I'm his dad so I think the world of him, and I think the concept is really important for when a high school student or young people can start thinking about the outside world and what's going on. What are issues? What are people challenged with?" he said. "And so I really admire Jonah for taking on and being part of that discussion and trying to make a contribution. It's a contribution that, however small, can really grow.

"Here in the Berkshires, there's not a lot of people, but a lot of the people that are here deal with the same issues that people deal with everywhere. And I hope that this project will grow legs and that Jonah will be recognized for his contribution of it."

Not only is Jonah busy in school and with the app, but he also has been a ski instructor and member of the ski team, and is on the ultimate Frisbee team as well. He also has his own business, selling cotton candy at events including birthday parties. His business is called Local Fluff, which you can find on Instagram.

Jonah said that although the app is not currently working, he plans to finish it and make it available. 

"We're looking to release the app soon, and hopefully it's able to make a large positive impact in the health-care industry and really help a lot of people," he said.

Pryor & Peacock's Whimsical Furniture Environmentally Friendly

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:17AM / Friday, August 21, 2026

 

The company uses digital printing to create the upholstery fabric, saving water and saving vintage furniture from ending up in landfills.

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — A unique furniture store has popped up on Elm Street this month.

Mom-and-daughter store Pryor & Peacock is hosting the pop-up storefront from Aug. 13 to Aug. 25 at 6 Elm. The New Marlborough business is co-founded by Rosalina Wright and Luca Shapiro, who is also the creative director. 

Their online shop was created in 2024 but they wanted people to see the pieces in person, so they're renting the space for a limited time before a long-term tenant moves in.

The store sources prints to create unique fabrics and reimagines vintage and antique furniture acquired at auctions, local shops, and online.

"We source prints from all over the world that date from the late 1600s up through mid-20th century, and Luca turns those prints into fabric by manipulating them, scanning them, oftentimes has to add or subtract things, and then we manufacture the fabric using only digital printing, which is very environmentally friendly, unlike traditional textile printing," Wright said.

Upholstering the furniture can take weeks of work. Shapiro looks for the perfect design for each piece and, if need be, uses Adobe Photoshop to extend the art work to fit or enhance the print.

"One of the most difficult parts comes in marrying the fabric to a piece of furniture because we only use antique and vintage frames also to be earth friendly, and they're also more beautiful and durable than new furniture," Wright said. "So the image has to go with the furniture, so that takes a lot of work."

One of Pryor & Peacock's missions is to be environmentally friendly. Digital printing doesn't use the same amount of water as traditional textile productions do nor does it contaminate water with ink according to their website.

Not only are they saving water, but they are saving furniture from going into the landfill while also using more durable furniture that doesn't break as easily as current pieces. They started their business to create something unique and to help the environment together.

"It's creating something nobody else is doing. People can't continue to buy throwaway furniture. Six percent of American landfills is furniture, and digital printing not only opens up the possibility of being able to put unique images on a piece of furniture, but it also is, as I said, environmentally friendly. So, for us, the excitement is to take an old East Lake settee that somebody's going to store in their barn and forget about, and make it something completely new and surprising," Wright said.

They hope their furniture helps bring a pop of fun to someone's home.

"We think our furniture is very whimsical and surprising, and most furniture today is oatmeal colored couches and gray neutral chairs, and it's boring," she said.

The two named their business after their mothers' maiden names to honor them and believe the name reflects their pieces.

Shapiro works in interior design outside of the business and the two liked working together and thought it would be great to start a business together. Shapiro says they can work well together and that her and her mother, Wright, has flipped houses before and have the same eye for design.

"So it's very easy for us to work together. When we see something, generally we agree on whether it works or doesn't work on a piece. We agree on the color schemes and that sort of thing. So it's very fun and fulfilling to work together," Shapiro said.