Dr. Pamela Larde to deliver virtual W.E.B. Du Bois Lecture March 2
GREAT BARRINGTON — Dr. Pamela Larde, a professor, coach, award-winning author, business owner, and director of education at Harvard/McLean’s Institute for Coaching, will deliver the 25th W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Lecture at Bard College at Simon’s Rock. Larde will speak and participate in a Q&A session on Wednesday, March 2, from 7–8:30 p.m. The virtual event is free and open to the public, and will be broadcast live via Zoom. Attendees can join the virtual lecture here.
Larde’s lecture, “Shameless Joy as a Catalyst for Change,” will examine the power joy holds to have “fueled every fight for justice, every push for change, and every movement toward peace.” She says, “Just as our great leaders of the past utilized joy in the face of pain, we too must shamelessly embrace the power of joy to sustain ourselves and to continue in the push for change.” Larde will also reflect on her own research on joy and resilience and the influence that W.E.B. Du Bois’ leadership has had on her work.
A founder and owner of two companies, Tandem Light Press and the Academy of Creative Coaching, and host of a podcast and TV show, The Joy Whisperer, Larde will draw from her expertise, focusing on race and gender dynamics, self-motivation, joy resilience, and post-traumatic growth.
Join via Zoom. Meeting ID: 845 7793 7803
—A.K.
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Maple Sugar Festival to be held at Institute for American Indian Studies March 5
WASHINGTON, Conn. — The annual Maple Sugar Festival will be held Saturday, March 5, from 11 a.m.– 4 p.m., at the Institute for American Indian Studies (IAIS). IAIS educators will demonstrate and celebrate the history of maple sugaring.
The sugaring off the process in the Litchfield Hills has a long history that began with the Native Americans living here. They were experts at knowing the perfect time to collect the sap, which is when the days grow warm and the nights are still cold, and before the trees begin to bud. They would boil the sap down using time-honored techniques and materials collected from the environment.
At 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m., IAIS Educator and Ecologist Susan Scherf will demonstrate various traditional Native American techniques of collecting sap and boiling it down into syrup for sugar. Native Americans used tools made from a variety of natural materials in this labor-intensive process. Visitors will learn about the importance of maple sugar to the diet of Native Americans, as well as its usefulness as an item of trade.
Historic records indicate that the collecting and processing of maple sap was a social as well as a working occasion. Women would tap the trees, men would cut the wood for the fire needed to boil the sap, and children tended the sap as it bubbled and boiled. In keeping with the convivial nature of traditional Native American maple sugaring, listen to Traditional Native American stories recounted by Education Director Darlene Kascak, Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Throughout the day, there will also be traditional family-friendly games and activities, and the Institute will serve pancakes topped with real maple syrup from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Coffee and orange juice will also be available.
Pre-registration for this event is requested. The price to attend is $15 for adults, $10 for children, and $5 for members. Pancakes are an additional $5. For the safety of the guests and staff of the Institute, masks are required inside the museum and research buildings regardless of vaccination status. Social distancing is practiced at all outdoor events.
—A.K.
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BCC’s Education Department to hold virtual info session March 7
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Community College (BCC)’s Education Department will hold a virtual information session Monday, March 7 at 6 p.m. The free, one-hour session provides an opportunity for prospective students to meet education faculty members, ask questions, and get started on a cost-effective pathway to teaching.
The session includes a program overview of various early childhood and elementary education programs offered at BCC; a brief summary of grant opportunities; admissions and financial aid tips; and a Q&A session with faculty and current education students.
To register for the event, click here and scroll to Program Information Sessions. Click on the registration link to sign up for the session, which will be held via Zoom.
Education programs at BCC include:
- Early Childhood Education Associate in the Arts Degree: A strong foundation for students planning to earn a bachelor’s degree.
- Early Childhood Education Associate in Science Degree: Designed for students who choose to immediately enter the workforce.
- Early Childhood Education Introductory Certificate: The first pathway for future teachers, readying students to apply for teacher qualification.
- Early Childhood Education Intermediate Certificate: The next step after the Introductory Certificate, designed for students seeking a lead teacher qualification.
- Elementary Education Associate in the Arts Degree: A program that lays the groundwork for students to become well-rounded, competent educators, with a strong foundation in liberal arts.
—A.K.
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Stockbridge Grange to host to-go dinner fundraiser March 13
STOCKBRIDGE — Stockbridge Grange will hold a New England boiled dinner, featuring ham, potatoes, carrots, and cabbage, on Sunday, March 13. Dessert choices are lemon meringue or chocolate cream pie. This takeout-only dinner is $14 per person, with pickup from 12-1:30 p.m. at The Grange, 51 Church Street in Stockbridge. Order reservations may be made by calling 413-243-1298 or 413-443-4352. The reservation deadline is Thursday, March 11. Grange community dinners are designed to raise money for building maintenance and for non-profit projects.
—A.K.
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CTSB invites viewers to take survey
GREAT BARRINGTON — Community Television for the Southern Berkshires (CTSB) has put out a survey to better understand what the community is watching on CTSB. Questions cover what type of programs viewers watch or would like to watch, and how they are viewing them (for example, via cable or online). To take part in the survey, visit this link.
—A.K.
