Page 42 - BusinessWest April 18, 2022
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ognize 18 young people from across the region in both middle and high school. Nominees must attend school in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, or Berkshire County, and while involve- ment in JA programs is not required, it is considered favorably during the eval- uation process, which is now under- way. The class of 2022 will be intro- duced later this month, and they will be honored at ceremonies in the Tower Square food court on May 19.
Candidates will be judged in three areas, said Connelly — innovative spir- it, leadership, and community involve- ment — and the nominations that have been received, mostly from teach-
“We’re asking these students to display leadership and entrepreneurship, but in the sense that entrepreneurship is creative thinking, the skills it takes to be an entrepreneur, the ability to think outside the box, and problem solving.”
ultimately select the 18 to be honored this year.
Those who are nominated are asked to submit something “creative,” she added, be it a photo, a video, a poem or story they wrote, or, in the case of students from the Springfield Conser- vatory of Music who were nominated, YouTube videos.
“We’re asking these students to dis- play leadership and entrepreneurship, but in the sense that entrepreneurship is creative thinking, the skills it takes to be an entrepreneur, the ability to think outside the box, and problem solving,” she explained, adding that the exercise in creativity should certainly give the judges some things to think about.
Elaborating on that concept of lead- ership, Connelly said it can come in many forms and many forums, and the 18 Under 18 program should bring this out.
“You don’t have to the student president of a particular grade,” she
explained. “You can be demonstrating leadership in a class, for example, step- ping up when you see someone having problems in class and helping them.”
Community service is the third leg of the triangle, she said, adding that, even during the pandemic — or espe- cially during the pandemic, as the case may be — young people across the region have found ways to help others and serve their community.
The chosen 18 will be recognized
in many different ways, which is one
of the hallmarks of the initiative, said Connelly, adding that she is expecting several local media outlets to introduce the honorees to the region. At the May 19 event, there will be a reception for the honorees, with 250 to 300 attend- ees expected, and awards given out (Country Bank is the award sponsor). There will be even be ‘18 Under 18’ lawn signs to identify the homes of the 18 honorees.
Eventually, the goal is to award col- lege scholarships to the honorees, said Connelly, adding that this goal can be
JA
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     ers, principals, guidance counselors, parents, and other students, show all of those qualities.
Connelly said the program is mod- eled after initiatives launched in recent years by JA chapters in Arizona and Pennsylvania, and is designed to bring
attention to the accomplishments of young people, their leadership skills, and the manner in which they are inspiring others.
She said finalists for the program will be required to attend a 30-minute virtual interview with judges who will
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