Friday, March 8, was International Women's Day. Here in the Berkshires, it was celebrated by the Zonta club, an International Women's Leadership organization, by honoring six dynamic women from our community at a special dinner that attracted over 200 attendees.
This diverse group of women has made monumental contributions from coaching young professionals to build careers here to providing over two million diapers to those in need. These women aren't CEOs of big corporations and they didn't develop the latest app. They excelled by giving their time, skills and in most cases their own money for the benefit and betterment of the Berkshires. Their stories are inspirational, serving as powerful testaments of selfless service to guide young girls and women.
On Saturday morning, I sat down with my digital copy of the Berkshire Eagle–our Hometown Newspaper– expecting to read about this event and the special women leaders who are uplifting our community but there was no story or photo. Making headlines was the lead story with photos about “Drag Time Story Hour for our Children.”
I seriously question the Eagle's editorial decision and judgment. How do you ignore this opportunity to illustrate International Women's Day through local coverage of Zonta's six remarkable honorees, from diverse backgrounds and roles, who are leading the Berkshires to build a more equitable, desirable and respectful place to live?
I've met the editor and publisher of the Eagle. He's a smart guy. This wasn't a mistake. I believe this was an intentional effort by our hometown newspaper to advance a political agenda while ignoring real community heroes. Eagle editors have demonstrated irresponsible behavior and a lack of leadership and judgment by propagating a targeted narrative.
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Pittsfield Celebrates Student Winners of Berkshire Jazz Art Contest
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — During Jazz Appreciation Month, Pittsfield High students' jazz artworks bring a pop of color to the halls of City Hall and the city's annual Berkshire Jazz Festival.
Senior Jackson Almeida took first place and will have his artwork featured around the city on the posters for the annual event. Almeida said he used what he learned from his class to help create the colorful background.
"This year, I took a contemporary painting class, and we learned all about how to make backgrounds and stuff like that. So I decided to use a scrape technique for the background, and I want to make a silhouette so I put the silhouette and the bubbles to make it look cool," he said.
Each year, Berkshire Jazz Inc. sponsors the student art contest to engage the community. The winning entry becomes the graphic for the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival, which kicks off on April 17 to the 25.
Second place was another senior, Madison Stetz, whose artwork featured a group of silhouettes playing instruments in the sunset using oil pastels.
"I take ceramics, so I didn't really know how to like paint or anything, but I grew up using oil pastels, so I knew I wanted to do something with the oil pastels. And I just really liked the way, like the silhouette is, like the sun setting with the lamppost, like looks. I kind of already like 'Princess and the Frog' vibes," she said.
This place went to junior Jonathan Ayala, who used purple and yellow for his design.
An honorable mention for the judges choice award also went to junior Taylor Blake.
The artwork will be displayed in City Hall for the duration of National Jazz Appreciation Month, an initiative of the Smithsonian Institution that was sanctioned by Congress in 2001. The Student Art Contest was created by Berkshires Jazz board member Art Niedeck nearly two decades ago.
PHS has participated for 17 years, overseen by art teachers Colleen Quinn with support from colleagues Lisa Ostellino, Michael Greenberg, and Alisa Mierzejewski. Small cash prizes are awarded to the top three works.
Members of the Clock Tower Artists Group — coordinator Marion Grant, Joanie Ciolfi and Carolyn Kelly — judged this year's art.
Quinn was overjoyed to see her students win and said they love doing this every year.
"We've been doing this for like, I'm not sure, almost 20 years now, but this one was really special," she said. "These guys, Jackson has been helping me set up this show the past four years, and then when he won this year, we were all like, 'Oh my god', really, it's been great, and they helped me so much. Then Maddie Stetz also her piece, and the other student isn't mine, but he's amazing."
Ayala's teacher, Greenberg ,said it was special to see him receive third place.
"It's really a wonderful, special event in the year," he said. "We spend so much time just in our rooms and coming out here and seeing that art in the world is so fun. Jonathan's such a wonderful artist, so seeing him get recognized is extra special. Yeah, it's very affirming, having the community feel like they embrace the art and it's great."
Mayor Peter Marchetti also congratulated the students.
"I love this event. Every year we get all of your posters that kind of line City Hall," he said.
"Congratulations to all of you whether you won or not, I think some of this stuff is great and the fact that you are doing what you like and doing it to the best of your ability is important."
The new president of Berkshire Jazz Inc., Chuck Walters, presented the awards and was excited to do this for the first time, as he keeps the winners posters close to home.
"I'm excited about today. I'm excited about the Jazz Festival coming up, and this is really the kickoff, my official kickoff of the Jazz Festival," he said. "Since becoming a board member of Berkshires Jazz, I've been a real, real big supporter of this. ...
"What these kids are creating is the face of what we do, I absolutely mean it. If anybody ever showed up in my house, you will see 15 years of posters. So, I feel that this is not only a significant part of the Jazz Festival and what we do, it is exactly what the Jazz Festival means — it is inclusion, the creativity, the improvisational tone of what these kids do is jazz. So it brings jazz full circle back. And I just could not be prouder to be associated with this and to see the work and really hard work that these kids put in."
During Jazz Appreciation Month, Pittsfield High students' jazz artworks bring a pop of color to the halls of City Hall and the city's annual Berkshire Jazz Festival. click for more
