What is 411 in the 413?

What is the 411 in the 413?  Ask Miss Hall’s student and Berkshire United Way intern, Meredith Hall, and she’ll say, “It’s a whole day dedicated to youth that gives us access to new opportunities and tools for after high school. Most teens don’t have the opportunity to miss a day of school to learn about such interesting things like pet first aid, or yoga with therapy balls.”

A collaboration between Berkshire United Way, Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, and Railroad Street Youth Project as part of the Berkshire Youth Development Project, the 13th annual 411 in the 413 Youth Conference will take place at the Berkshire Museum on Thursday, April 11.

The countywide conference, organized by and created for local teens, offers a unique opportunity for students from 14 high schools across Berkshire County to meet new people, delve into their passions, and discuss useful tools for navigating today’s world through a variety of workshops. The theme of this year’s conference is “Staying Afloat in the Modern World.”

A unique feature of this year’s event is keynote speaker, Regi Wingo, a Berkshire native and staff member at the Elizabeth Freeman Center, an organization which provides life renewing help to survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

The conference aligns with Berkshire United Way’s efforts to provide young people with opportunities that will help them develop a plan for college or a career. For a look at what happens behind the scenes of the 411 in the 413, stay tuned for photos and updates on our Facebook page.

Talk with you soon!

Kat Toomey

Coordinator of Positive Youth Development

berkshireunitedway.org

Through the eyes of an intern

Hello, my name is Mere - I live in Adams, Massachusetts and I’m a junior at Miss Hall’s School. As a Miss Hall’s student, I’ve been given the opportunity to intern at Berkshire United Way through the Horizons program. Horizons is a unique program that gives students an opportunity for career exploration through experiential learning at a variety of off-campus organizations.

Outside of classes, I am really interested in snowboarding and managing behind the scenes aspects of my school’s drama club productions, where I’ve learned about the amount of work that goes into making a show come to life!  Here at Berkshire United Way, I’m learning about the work that’s required to make lasting changes in our community.

For nearly 95 years, Berkshire United Way has been making lasting, positive changes, right here in Berkshire County—by strengthening families and promoting education as the path to children’s success. This includes giving young people the tools they need to make healthy decisions and graduate high school with a college or career plan.

Recently, I’ve been helping to coordinate the 411 in the 413 Youth Development Conference.  The “411 in the 413” is a collaboration between youth interns and staff from Berkshire United Way, Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and Railroad Street Youth Project, as part of the Berkshire Youth Development Project. The objective of this annual conference is to give local high school students an opportunity to connect with their peers throughout the county, and attend workshops designed to help young people navigate life.

Local students participate in a workshop titled "Ophelia Rising - Exploring the Power of Spoken Word” at a past 411 in the 413 Conference held at Hancock Shaker Village. 2019 marks the 13^th year of this annual Conference.

This year’s conference will take place at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield on Thursday, April 11^th, 2019. If you are passionate about helping young people and are willing to share your expertise and experience with local teens, please consider facilitating a workshop. Sharing your knowledge and passion with young people helps them develop new skills that are critical for life in high school and beyond!

I'm so excited to be working at Berkshire United Way this year and can’t wait to see the results of our hard work. To learn more about facilitating a workshop at the 411 in the 413 Youth Conference, please contact Kat Toomey, Coordinator of Positive Youth Development at 413.442.6948 x15 or ktoomey@berkshireunitedway.org.

I look forward to seeing some of you there!

Mere
Horizons Intern at Berkshire United Way