1Berkshire Youth Leadership Program

10/14/2026

Meet the Class of 2027! Each week, we will highlight a new young leader from this year’s incredible class. Make sure to check back regularly to learn more about each student as the year goes on.

What is your name: Cole Creighton

What is your hometown: Williamstown

What high school do you attend: Mount Greylock

What is/are your favorite subject(s) in school: History and biology

What do you like to do for fun: Play baseball, basketball, blitzball with my brother, watch Grey’s Anatomy, and read.

What is your favorite thing to do/place to go in the Berkshires: I like watching basketball games at the North Adams Armory.

What does the word "leadership" mean to you: Leadership means making those around you better, while also making myself better.

Who is a leader that you look up to? What is it about them as a leader that inspires you: My mom. She is forceful, but a lot of the people she works with like her meaning she has found a balance.

Tell us about a time in life you took a leadership role. How did it work out: I am baseball team captain although I was the youngest captain and didn’t do many logistical things. I led by example on the field and brought people along with me.

What do you hope to learn from the Youth Leadership Program this year: I want to learn how to work with other people who also want to make a positive difference and learn how not to clash with others who take charge

What goals do you have for your future? What do you want to achieve: I want to go to college and then have a meaningful job that helps kids.

10/07/2026

Meet the Class of 2027! Each week, we will highlight a new young leader from this year’s incredible class. Make sure to check back regularly to learn more about each student as the year goes on.

What is your name: Carter Brbovic

What is your hometown: Pittsfield, MA

What high school do you attend: Pittsfield High School

What is/are your favorite subject(s) in school: History and engineering.

What do you like to do for fun: Painting Warhammer 30K/40K models, soccer, track, video games, and golf.

What is your favorite thing to do/place to go in the Berkshires: Baker’s, Mana Crypt Gaming, and hanging out with friends.

What does the word "leadership" mean to you: Taking charge and accomplishing great things.

Who is a leader that you look up to? What is it about them as a leader that inspires you: I look up to my parents. They just taught us to value and respect everyone and they’re just amazing people.

Tell us about a time in life you took a leadership role. How did it work out: A time I took a leadership role is on the soccer field. I’m a goalkeeper so I see the whole field and have to relay what I need them to do to best protect the goal and win. Sometimes it works, other times not so much but I never stop trying.

What do you hope to learn from the Youth Leadership Program this year: I hope to learn about engineering opportunities close to home and how to become a better leader and person.

What goals do you have for your future? What do you want to achieve: I want to become a robotics engineer and go to WPI.

09/30/2026

Meet the Class of 2027! Each week, we will highlight a new young leader from this year’s incredible class. Make sure to check back regularly to learn more about each student as the year goes on.

What is your name: Aryanna Bouchard

What is your hometown: Dalton

What high school do you attend: Wahconah Regional

What is/are your favorite subject(s) in school: Music and English

What do you like to do for fun: I love running, listening to music, and going on adventures with friends.

What is your favorite thing to do/place to go in the Berkshires: There is a really pretty sunset view at a place in Windsor and I love the center of Lenox.

What does the word "leadership" mean to you: It means that you go the extra mile, you’re loyal, and you put others before yourself. I look up to someone who is a charismatic and genuine person. They are the most trustworthy.

Who is a leader that you look up to? What is it about them as a leader that inspires you: I look up to someone who is a charismatic and genuine person. They are the most trustworthy.

Tell us about a time in life you took a leadership role. How did it work out: I took over for the captains on my ski team when they didn’t show up and I led my team through a great race.

What do you hope to learn from the Youth Leadership Program this year: How to be more outgoing.

What goals do you have for your future? What do you want to achieve: I want to be happy and secure. But I don’t care what I’m doing as long as I love it.

09/23/2026

Meet the Class of 2027! Each week, we will highlight a new young leader from this year’s incredible class. Make sure to check back regularly to learn more about each student as the year goes on.

What is your name: Sophia Astorino

What is your hometown: Cheshire

What high school do you attend: McCann

What is/are your favorite subject(s) in school: History

What do you like to do for fun: Play softball, hangout with friends/family, and bake/cook.

What is your favorite thing to do/place to go in the Berkshires: I like to get ice cream then go up Mount Greylock.

What does the word "leadership" mean to you: To step up and do what’s right for you and your group.

Who is a leader that you look up to? What is it about them as a leader that inspires you: My brother’s girlfriend, Alex, because I don’t have a sister so she is the closest to one and I look up to her a lot.

Tell us about a time in life you took a leadership role. How did it work out: For softball practice, I helped lead what we should do and helped out the younger girls.

What do you hope to learn from the Youth Leadership Program this year: To open up more.

What goals do you have for your future? What do you want to achieve: I hope to become a NICU nurse and go to college for that.

09/16/2026

Yesterday the Class of 2027 visited Greylock Glen Center for this month's session centered around the Outdoor Recreation industry. The students learned about the abundant resources we have here , potential career paths they can explore, the need for land conservation, and how to get involved! Thanks to our friends at Bousquet Mountain, Camp Becket, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, and the Greylock Glen Center for speaking to the students about how important the outdoor recreation sector is to a thriving Berkshire County.

09/16/2026

Meet the Class of 2027! Each week, we will highlight a new young leader from this year’s incredible class. Make sure to check back regularly to learn more about each student as the year goes on.

What is your name: Myra Annuva

What is your hometown: Lanesborough, MA

What high school do you attend: Mount Greylock Regional High School

What is/are your favorite subject(s) in school: Math and psychology

What do you like to do for fun: Nails, listening to music, go on Pinterest, watch movies/shows, and go on spontaneous adventures around the Berkshires.

What is your favorite thing to do/place to go in the Berkshires: Go to Sheep Hill and watch the sunset in Williamstown with my friends while reflecting on our lives.

What does the word "leadership" mean to you: Bring a light to a space where people are in the dark.

Who is a leader that you look up to? What is it about them as a leader that inspires you: Michelle Obama. She is authentically herself and takes the disparities/disadvantages about her life and makes them advantageous.

Tell us about a time in life you took a leadership role. How did it work out: During a track meet held at my school for another team there was no one officiating a certain event, and my friend and I started to officiate it to help.

What do you hope to learn from the Youth Leadership Program this year: Be confident, learn to not be afraid of rejection, and take a hold of opportunities.

What goals do you have for your future? What do you want to achieve: Have a bigger nail business, maintain a 4.0 during junior year, and have a better social/love life.

08/19/2026

Yesterday was the Class of 2027's first official session of the year where they were able to re-engage with one another, continue to build upon their connection from the retreat, and identify a direction for their year-long collective impact project. We look forward to seeing them work together and see what they accomplish this year!

A big thank you to MCLA hosting us for this incredibly important session and giving the students a tour of the campus!

07/02/2026

Congratulations to Class of 2025 alumna Maddy Kotek on winning the Bob Nason Community Service Award for her commitment to serving others! Way to go, Maddy!

"Each recipient has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in a different way, and together they represent the talent, character, and promise of the next generation," said Chamber Board President and Scholarship Committee member Erik Williams.

06/18/2026

This past weekend, the Youth Leadership Program Class of 2027 met for the first time! Throughout two and a half days (and two nights) at Chimney Corners Camp in Becket, our class made new friends, learned about their natural leadership abilities, worked together to accomplish some teambuilding challenges, and had a ton of fun! Special thanks to our friends at Becket-Chimney Corners YMCA for hosting us, our facilitator Tom from Swift Kick, our steering committee of volunteer professionals, and our program sponsors BeaconBank, Berkshire Health Systems, and Greylock Federal Credit Union for making this program happen!

Stay tuned to see what the Class of 2027 gets up to during their year together!

05/27/2026

CALLING ALL YLP/YOULEAD ALUMNI!

Are you interested in helping us to develop a network of program alumni? We're asking all YouLead/YLP alumni to respond to the Alumni Needs Assessment to help us determine what would be most valuable to a YLP alumni network. Complete the assessment to be eligible for selection to a limited-opportunity alumni retreat happening later this summer!