COURSE CATALOG 2020
PRO VITA MISSION
Pro Vita honors Berkshire’s enduring commitment to “Learning not just for school, but for life.� Students engage in new ideas through innovative teaching, place-based explorations, and evening performances and speakers on campus. Students can also pursue global travel opportunities focused on cultural immersion, service, sustainability, and wilderness adventure. Pro Vita brings together students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents to share their passions and expertise in a unique community of experiential learning.
A PERIOD Art & Design BEARS IN STITCHES: LEARN TO USE THE ULTIMATE POWER TOOL, THE SEWING MACHINE Jen Gaenzle Smith and Martha Williamson In this course, students will hone the meaningful skills of learning how to operate a sewing machine and hand stitching. In addition to gaining an important life skill, students will make a difference in the life of a child. Together they will purchase materials, plan, craft, and sew dresses to be donated to Little Dresses for Africa, a non-profit organization. These dresses will be mailed and distributed to children in orphanages, schools, and churches in a number of African countries to provide comfort and pride. Get ready to get your sew and stitch on! (And save some money by ending trips to the seamstress!)
BRAVE INTUITIVE PAINTING Brandi Dahari and Justine Lenter Do you want to learn how to paint? Do you wish you could make big, beautiful paintings that inspire you? Come learn how to access your inner thoughts, feelings, and intuition to create exciting, dynamic, and surprising paintings! Relaxation techniques will be incorporated to warm the group up and prepare them to explore lots of painting techniques that build layers of visual interest. The class will work together in a supportive and nurturing environment as they draw on their feelings to guide themselves through the creative process.
BUILDING BEARS * Rhi Vanderbeek ’13 and Jean Woodward Maher This course will help students understand architecture as more than just buildings that people live or work in. It will, instead, open their eyes to the things that go unseen. Students will get to combine both their artistic and mathematical skills by coming together and making a chipboard/cardboard model of an existing building to scale. They will have the opportunity to peruse a set of construction documents while simultaneously learning about some of the most famous buildings worldwide, what went into designing them, and the brains behind them all. * Rhiannon Vanderbeek ’13 attended Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Penn. She never saw herself having a career in architecture, but thanks to her advisor who urged her to continue with art classes beyond freshman year, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a focus in Architecture. Since January 2018, she has worked at Kimmerle Newman Architects in Morristown, NJ as an architectural designer, a job which entails drawing up construction documents that the general contractor builds off of. Once the drawings are permitted by the town, she works closely with contractors in getting the space built and making many on-site
visits to track progress Following each project from 2D drawings to 3D spaces is probably what she enjoys the most about her job, and about architecture as a whole.
MODELING WITH LEGOS Mike McCabe Do you remember the days as a child when you would build all sorts of different structures with little plastic blocks? Students will recreate many of those experiences in this class! The class will explore some of the basic elements of architecture and design and also allow students ample time to build and explore with Legos. The first days will focus on building replicas, and then the class will shift towards a more creative approach in which students will design and build their own structures based off of prompts. The experience will culminate with a two-day project which will be revealed to students during the class and then share with the whole student body at that Saturday morning assembly at the end of Pro Vita.
For Life BEARS BAKING: BREAD, BUTTER, & SUSTAINABLE FOODWAYS * Susie Norris ’79 and Erin Lyman Ever wonder where bread comes from in the Berkshires? In this course, students will discover local wheat and local bakeries; they will learn to knead, bake, and taste thoughtfully; they will question why bread became a corporate commodity and talk about where to go from here with more awareness. The class will explore some food history, discuss the corporate food system vs. sustainable agriculture, visit an award-winning bakery, conduct a local butter tasting, catch a scary documentary about factory farms; and read and discuss food policy. The finale will be the harvest of the first official Berkshire Cookie Bake-Off. *Susie Norris ’79 is a cookbook author and pastry chef. She taught baking at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, recently worked at Berkshire in the Advancement Office, and loves the farm-to-table food scene of the Berkshires.
BERKSHIRE UNDER THE HOOD Skip Bowman, Dory Driscoll, and Annie Hauser ’20 Discover the inner workings behind Berkshire School and meet the many people who dedicate themselves to making our community a special place. Students will learn about the technical operations, life skills, and knowledge it takes to run a 500-person family like the Berkshire community. Topics will include: ice preparation, skate sharpening and building operations and maintenance in the Jack, Soffer Center, Berkshire Hall and Bellas/Dixon; as well as technology, laundry, car and grounds maintenance; food preparation; budgeting; and Campus Safety. This class will enable students to literally look under the hood, discover, understand, and explore ways that they can also become involved in these areas of Berkshire life that keep this
institution going and looking beautiful on a daily basis. Only fourth and fifth formers will be accepted into this class.
COPS, CRIMINALS, AND THE LAW Jason Gappa This course will explore the criminal justice system in Berkshire County. Class will start by visiting the Great Barrington Police Station to learn about how police officers approach traffic stops and the rights of citizens when they are seized. The next stop will be the Pittsfield County Courthouse to watch the legal system in action and talk with a lawyer about his/her role in counseling clients. Finally, the group will spend the day in the Berkshire County Correctional Facility to get a better sense of the life of prisoners and the role of prisons. The class will culminate with a mock trial of a search and seizure case where students will get the chance to either prosecute, defend, or judge. DISTANCE MATTERS … EASIER SAID THAN RUN! Andrea Bowler Have you ever wanted to run a 5K? 10K? Half-Marathon? Or do you simply want to be a faster soccer, basketball, or lacrosse player? Do you enjoy running for the peace of mind, sense of strength, and connection with the local area that it can provide? This class aims to help students become lifelong runners. Travelling to the Berkshire Running Center in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, students will be guided by the expertise of Kent and Shiobbean Lemme who are local legends in the Berkshire County running community. The class will begin by discussing and learning form, technique, training, nutrition, and injury prevention. Students will then participate in cross-training activities including spinning and a Run Fit Cardio Strength Class. The fourth day of class will be dedicated to learning basic self-defense moves to promote confidence in pursuing longer and rural runs. The last day, we will examine the art of Chirunning to help increase efficiency and prevent injury. All levels of runners are welcome!
FUELING YOUR BRAIN MUSCLES! *Dr. Annie Zimmerli-Haskel ’86 P’20,’22, Peter Quilty, and Tess Haskel ’20 In this interactive and experiential class, students will discuss, understand, and practice some basic principles of mindfulness. The key to enjoying this course is a willingness to participate and engage on a personal level. We will focus on understanding how and why the brain gets stressed and the mind-body connection. Students will practice mindfulness meditation, how to cope with conflict, and how to manage their emotions and stress and will take home actual techniques to help with relaxation and stress management. Students are encouraged to come ready to chat about life! *Dr. Annie Zimmerli-Haskel ’86 P’20,’22 is a Berkshire grad (married to another Berkshire grad) with two current Berkshire students and a 7th grader. She graduated from Tufts University with a combined BA and MA degree in child development, and then completed her education with a doctorate in psychology (PsyD) from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. Over the last 20+ years, Dr. Zimmerli-Haskel has worked as a psychologist in private practice, primarily
working with kids from elementary school through college, as well as their parents. She recently developed her own mindfulness and meditation practice, initially as a participant and then as the leader of a group program that teaches parents how mindfulness practices can lead to greater inner strength. It is this program that she will bring to Berkshire.
HOW THE DEAD SURVIVED Stuart Miller and Kevan Bowler “Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right.” Ranging from late 60s to current day, students will explore both the cultural and artistic impact of The Dead. Students will explore the connections between music and develop their communication skills through a radio show. On air, students will select songs based on their class research and offer a show that provides both an interpretation of the song and its cultural significance. I CALLED 911 … NOW WHAT?! Marc Wysocki So what happens after you call 911? In this course, students will actively explore different emergency responder resources in Berkshire County and become certified in CPP & AED. The class will travel to the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Department, the Sheffield Police Department, Southern Berkshire Ambulance & EMS, and the Sheffield Fire Department where students will meet dispatch operators and see how they handle 911 calls. They will learn about the training and education that goes into each discipline and get hands-on experience with things like wearing firefighter gear and learning how to function in it. Berkshire’s athletic trainers will also explain various sports emergencies on campus and how they use the tools at their disposal. Get ready to save the day and receive some practical experience that can be used in any situation! Students will be charged $45 to be certified in CPR/AED training.
NEXT STOP IS VIETNAM * Jim Fiedler ’64 and Brooke Depelteau “Next stop is Vietnam” comes from a 1960s song called “Fixin’ to Die Rag.” The song asks the question, “What are we fighting for?” Soldiers didn’t seem to know. In this course, students will look at what those young men went through in Vietnam, what happened when they came home, and how it affected their later lives. They will get a feeling for the Vietnam War protests by learning and singing songs of the time. By the end of the course, they will better understand how the Vietnam War shaped the music of the era and how the music of the era shaped the Vietnam War. * Jim Fiedler ’64 graduated from Bucknell University in 1968. He taught American history in public schools in New York and Pennsylvania until his official retirement in 2014 and has taught special classes since then including a Pro Vita class on the Greatest Generation in 2017. His classes are designed to put students into history as if they are experiencing it in real time rather than learning about something that happened in the past. He has always treated the arts as an adjunct to history and incorporated them, especially music, into his teaching.
RANDOM RACKETS Dr. A.J. Kohlhepp Many Bears play racket sports as part of their school experience, but squash and tennis (and other racket sports) are games that one can enjoy, and employ, throughout your life. The purpose of this class will be to share with students a wide range of racket-based sports in the hopes that they will develop a passion that they can pursue well beyond Berkshire. Each day will introduce a new racket sport, randomized for maximum enthusiasm and enjoyment. The group will begin with a quick video tutorial; proceed to assorted skill-building drills; and engage in some high-spirited competition to test our mettle. The “home room” for the course will be the Soffer Center, with variations of racket sports each day.
THE CAMPUS TOUR Paul MacKenzie This course is designed to familiarize students with many different types of colleges by visiting and touring their campuses and meeting with students and admissions reps. Seeing campuses in person and having the chance to speak with admissions officers are vital parts of the college search process. Through these visits, students will be better able to evaluate the “fit” of each type of school as it applies to their abilities and interests. Fifth formers will be given priority for this class.
WHEN TO BET BIG! EXPLORING ODDS AND PROBABILITY IN TWO OF AMERICA’S MOST POPULAR CARD GAMES Michael Bjurlin and Max O’Brien ’20 Should probabilities and statistics change the way you act? In this course, students will explore the probability statistics of winning some of the most popular card games today such as Blackjack and Texas Hold’em. At the conclusion of the week, students will have a greater understanding of the math behind these popular games and knowing when you hold ‘em and when you show ‘em.
Global Studies & Diversity CHANGING THE WORLD Mary Alindato and Kristina Splawn Want to be a world changer? According to Bryan Stevenson, a brilliant and influential lawyer, there are four things you need to know to make a difference on the world stage. Take this class to learn how these things—getting proximate, having hope, changing the narrative, and getting uncomfortable—can actually change the world. People in America suffer from social injustices
and racial injustices every day. This course will look at the history of those injustices and how they contribute to the systems in place in our country that hold some back while allowing others to be successful. Through studying Stevenson's Equal Justice Initiative, using personal experiences, and learning more about the history of racial injustice in the United States, the group will explore how it's possible to make a difference in the world.
SOMALI CULTURE: DISCOVERING A UNIQUE CULTURE IN EAST AFRICA Beatrice Mendez Kennedy and Hamda Hussein ’21 Deborah Cater once said, “You have to taste a culture to understand it.” In this course, students will get a taste of East Africa by focusing on Somali culture—its people, cuisine, dance, language, and clothing. They will get the chance to meet Somali people and will be challenged with understanding world cultures by exploring more about Somali literature and arts. This unique experience will give students an opportunity to reflect on Berkshire School’s core values of diversity, inclusion, curiosity, and respect and will help reinforce a better sense of place and inclusion within the community. By the end of the course, students will be able to share their newfound knowledge with the community. Students will be charged $10 each for a Somali t-shirt.
INITIATION TO ARABIC LANGUAGE & CULTURE Mohammed Hetraf and Rachid Farhat The course is dedicated to teaching the Arabic culture in a distinct way. Students will learn about the Arab world through cooking, eating, playing board games, and diving into class discussions. They will learn basic Arabic language skills, like writing their names, and traditional Arabic dances and music. It will be a good opportunity for members of the community to break through the Berkshire bubble and learn more about the world that surrounds us.
Philanthropy BUILDING ROBERT FROST’S BREAD LOAF ADIRONDACK CHAIR Jim Norton Robert Frost, America’s poet, taught, farmed and wrote prolifically in his 89 years; however, he also liked taking it easy. He famously trained his cows to sleep in so that he never had to get up early to milk them. When he was involved with the founding of the famed Bread Loaf School of English near his farm in Vermont, he designed a comfortable and practical variation on the traditional Adirondack chair for the campus. With a deeper-sloping seat and high back (for napping), Frost’s chair incorporated wide arms on which to rest a notebook and mug. Doesn’t this sound like the perfect chair for the busy, yet sleepy, Berkshire Bear? Each student in this class will craft two of the chairs, one to keep and one to place on campus for the enjoyment of
all members of the community. Students will be charged $50 each for the materials needed to complete their custom-made Adirondack chair. A signed waiver will be required.
GREEN APPLE WEEK OF SERVICE * Kris Govertsen ’15 Green Apple Day of Service is a movement by the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council. The mission of this project is to give students the opportunity for hands-on experience with sustainability, strengthening civic leadership, community service, and project management skills. Over the course of the week, students will plan, implement, and complete a project (or two) on campus that makes a measurable change in at least one of the three pillars of a green school: environmental impact, health and wellness, and environmental and sustainability literacy. * Kris Govertsen ‘15, earned a B.S. at Clarkson University ‘18 in Civil Engineering and is pursuing an M.S. in Sustainable Building Systems and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. at Northeastern University while researching Passive Survivability. She is a member of the Boston Society of Architects, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the United States Green Building Council. She is an Engineer in Training (EIT) and has earned both her LEED Green Classroom Professional and LEED Green Associate certifications.
Sense of Place EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: WHY PLAY IS ESSENTIAL Sylvia Gappa The importance of play has long been a debated topic in schools. People recognize its importance, yet activities that you would consider play are the first to be cut from the curriculum when money is tight. In this class, students will look at different areas of the world and how they incorporate play into their curriculum. Students will look at various types of play and the benefits that arise developmentally from it. They will also use the on-campus day care, UMCC, and another local pre-school as resources by spending time observing their curricula. THE IMPORTANCE OF MANNED SPACEFLIGHT … FOR LIFE! * Dan DeMars P’21 and Dr. Nancy Lyon “If we could land a man on the moon then why can’t we...?” is a common question. It turns out that landing on the moon—six times—indeed wasn’t that simple. In this interactive course taking place 50 years after the first lunar landings, students will examine the history (Mercury/Gemini/Apollo missions) and science (physics of spaceflight, geologic sampling) that NASA discovered along the way. Students will also learn about astronaut qualification and training and potential career paths regarding the exploration of space. They will also investigate the physics of spaceflight through launching Estes rockets and collect geologic samples on the
Mountain (just like the Apollo astronauts), as well as get a close-up look at the moon one cloudless evening via our on-campus observatory. Get ready to properly celebrate the 50th anniversary of landing on the moon! Students will be charged $15 for their own space kit that will include a geology handbook, a geology sample bag, and NASA giveaways. * Dan DeMars P’21 is best known these days as a Berkshire dad … his younger son is Ellis DeMars ’21. He holds a BS in Chemistry from Siena College, an MS in Pathology from the University of Vermont and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The first 30 years of Dan’s professional life were focused on the discovery, research, development, and commercialization of innovative biomedical products. When he’s not on the golf course, skiing, or designing/building guitars, he spends his days as a strategy & operations consultant to Heads of School and Boards of Trustees at independent secondary schools around the Northeast.
THE LADDER OF ESCALATION: AMERICA’S ENTRY INTO NINE WARS * Don Keelan GP’17, * Ryan Keelan ’17, and Bebe Bullock ’86 Marine veteran and author Don Keelan will join students to discuss the 10 rungs of the “Ladder of Escalation” and the historical issues that were in place that led the U.S. to its entry into the Revolutionary War with England in 1775 up to the Vietnam War in 1963. Analyzing the common threads among the various wars that the U.S. has been engaged in, students will form teams of the “Department of Defense” and the “State Department” to advise the “President” on whether to engage or not engage in current global conflicts like Iran and Syria. The big question ever looms: can we climb back down the “Ladder of Escalation?” * From 1957 to 1960, Don Keelan GP’17 served on the United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Team and the Marine security detail for President Eisenhower at the Newport, R.I. Summer White House and Presidential Retreat, Camp David. After a career as a CPA, Keelan published two historical fiction novels, T he Secret of Camp David (1994) and C onspiracy on the Hudson (2014) and in 2002, R obert Todd Lincoln’s Hildene, and How It Was Saved, and Observations of Nonprofits. K eelan is a bi-weekly columnist for the Berkshire Eagle, Bennington Banner, and Manchester Journal as well as for VTDigger and TrueNorth. His grandson, Ryan Keelan ’17, is a junior at Connecticut College.
NATIVE LAND … STOLEN LAND Patrick Donovan, Autumn Coard ’22, and Eli Araujo ’22 Two years ago guest speaker Gyasi Ross, a Blackfeet author, attorney, rapper, speaker, and storyteller asked Berkshire School to consider what our “moral debt” is to Native, Indigenous, and Indian people who lived on this land for thousands of years before settler colonization. The Mohican people who did live on this land are still thriving today on sovereign lands in Wisconsin. Onondaga, Schaghticoke, and other First Nations also steward lands within a 45-minute drive of Berkshire. This class will work to deepen understandings of the ongoing impacts of settler-colonization, introduce reflective practices that might aid in deeper
understandings of our relationship to this land and its history, and ultimately offer to build relationships with Native, Indigenous, and First Nations communities in the area.
NO PROCESS HERE: THE LOCAL WORLD OF FARM TO FORK Heidi Woodworth and Chris Perkins What has become of the farm-to-fork movement over the last 10 years? Is it just another marketing ploy to get more customers through the door? Does the pedigree of the ingredients matter more now than their taste? In this class, students will dive deep into the world of “Farm-to-Fork” by spending time with the owners and chefs of some of the well known farm-to-fork restaurants located in Berkshire County. Students will also spend time with local farmers who provide these restaurants with the staples to their exceptional menu offerings. The week will culminate with a 3-course dinner at a restaurant on Friday night. Students will be charged $40 each for their meal on Friday night.
NOLA VITA Dr. April Burch and Lissa McGovern New Orleans is one of the most unique, historic, and treasured cities in the United States. Although it is known for its blended cultures, delicious cuisine, and diverse community, New Orleans faces many challenges now and in the future. A wider appreciation of the city will help ensure its survival. In this course, students will explore the culture, cuisine, and community of the historic city of New Orleans through several experiential and hands-on lessons. Students will also learn about strategies being explored to protect the city from the perils of climate change. The hope is that through these exercises, students will gain a better understanding of New Orleans’ fragile environment and a respect for its community challenges.
PUT A FACE ON IT! * David Rondeau ’78 and Mandy Morgan Imagine this: you are sitting at Prize Night and your name is called as a major prize winner! The award is named after a former student or faculty member and you start to wonder what kind of a person he or she was. Wouldn’t it be interesting to know if you would have been friends? What do you share in common? What leadership qualities did this person have? How does one end up having a prize named in his/her honor? This course will try to put faces and personalities to the names we hear all the time on Prize Night or see on the plaques in buildings around campus. Students will take reflections from former students and faculty as well as information in the yearbooks, Green & Gray, and archives to construct a short biography of some of the individuals who are important in Berkshire’s history. If you are curious and like to write and do research, this may be the course for you! * David Rondeau ’78 is a Berkshire alum and a member of its Board of Trustees. He is currently the Managing Director at AI Capital Advisors in Greenwich, Connecticut.
B PERIOD Art & Design CROSS-STITCH NEEDLE WORK Christina Tao ’21 and Dr. Tasia Wu Existing in many cultures, “cross stitch” gives you the opportunity to use needle and thread to create adorable decorations, such as card holders and key chains with cute pictures or cartoon figures. Cross-stitch embroidery uses the method of warp and weft interweaving. Though not complicated, it requires patience and diligence to be mastered. Throughout the week, on top of acquiring cross-stitching skills, students will also learn its history and cultural significance. By the end of the week, students will learn how to sew and how to perform a task with scrupulousness. Most excitingly, they will leave with a little decoration that is custom-made by them!
INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ANIMATION: GET IMAGINATIONS OUT OF YOUR HEAD! * Katie Taccone, Jason Epstein, and Wakaba Aihara ’22 In this class, students will learn how to use industry-standard drawing tablets in Berkshire’s digital art lab to create their own GIFS and short animations from their own drawings. They will be introduced to hand-drawn animation using the new Timeline function in Adobe Photoshop CC to learn basic illustration techniques and acquire skills that will bring their imagination to life. Once the principles of animation are known, you can easily create a short, animated piece of art! All levels of drawing expertise are welcome! * Katie Taccone grew up as a musician and discovered her true passion for animation at UMass Amherst. Her interests guided her into the world of gaming, as she worked on several AAA game titles during her career, both locally in Western Massachusetts and in San Francisco. She has given back by sharing her animation knowledge at colleges and tech camps, teaching animation with industry-standard software and tools. She is now a co-founder of Open Pixel, a woman-owned certified animation production studio in Western Massachusetts. It is her passion to continue improving as an animator and inspire future animators to come.
PHISHING UNDER THE MOUNTAIN: THE GENIUS OF THE BAND PHISH * Brian Knight, Lindsay Knight ’21 and Bill Bullock When Phish played their first concert in 1983, no one envisioned that in 2019, the band would be entering its 37th year with over 1,600 concerts under their belt. Founded in Vermont among several college campuses, Phish has sold over 8 million albums and was heralded by Rolling Stone as “the most important band of the 1990s.” This course will explore the wide variety of
musical genres they employ (funk, rock, folk, country, jazz, blues, bluegrass, and pop) and how they started the improvisational “Jam Band” movement in the 1990s. Using WBSL to broadcast daily set lists and Spotify to create playlists, students will study Phish’s discography, research their live concert catalog, explore their famous music festivals, and create a listener’s guide and photo essay to share with Berkshire students. * Brian Knight is a historic preservation consultant and architectural historian. He works throughout Vermont preserving the state’s cultural resources and built environment. He is the author of two books. No Braver Deeds, written in 2004, chronicled the Equinox Guards, Company E, Fifth Vermont, in the Civil War. His latest publication, Snowboarding in Southern Vermont, details the birth, growth, and development of snowboarding from its fringe, humble beginnings in southern Vermont to worldwide acceptance.
RINCE NA SONAS Georgia Tuttle If you’ve ever dreamed of moving your feet to the tunes of Celtic music (and maybe even some Ed Sheeran), this is a perfect Pro Vita experience for you! Taught by Ms. Tuttle, who has had 16 years of competitive Irish dancing experience, this course will examine how this unique type of dance has changed throughout the last 20 years. The culmination of the class is the Saturday performance of a Ceili Dance where everyone will have the chance to show off their hard work! No experience is necessary. Please make sure you will be able to perform at the Saturday assembly if you sign up for this class. THE SECRET ART OF MAGIC … EXPOSED! * Michael Gutenplan ’99 and Cori Chambers Students are invited into the hidden world of magic to learn the real secrets to some incredible tricks! Aspiring magicians will will be taught a variety of tricks, techniques, and skills and be challenged to create their own original tricks. Many tenets of the craft will be taught including basic sleight of hand, concepts of illusions, principles of mentalism, and the history of magic. This class is perfect for the beginner and also appropriate for someone with a little background in magic. Students will be charged $15 for a their own “bag of tricks.” *Michael Gutenplan ’99 is a professional magician, mind reader, and psychic entertainer. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Michael has appeared on TV and film, worked as an advisor to various productions (live, tape, and theme park), and is considered an expert in magic, mentalism, and the performing arts. Prior to his career in magic, Michael created and produced reality TV shows.
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF COMEDY Peter Giordano Comedy is an ancient art form: jokes can be found carved into ancient Egyptian tombs, and the world’s oldest recorded joke has been traced back to a 1900 BC saying of the Sumerians’ (but it’s too scatological to present here). Political satire started with the ancient Greeks and is still
going strong today. Comedy also relieves stress and helps put complicated issues into perspective. In this course, students will break down some of the great comedy happening today and also look at some of the classic comic routines. After studying experts like Penn and Teller, Steve Martin, and Judd Apatow, students will create their own comedy act beginning with finding their own comedic voice and ending with nailing the act itself.
For Life THE BARBERSHOP 101 Derek Murphy This engaging and informative class is designed to give students an introduction to some basic barbering techniques in order to improve their everyday grooming life. Being well groomed can increase confidence and empower young adults during adolescence and emerging adult years. This course is also an introduction to students interested in learning an entrepreneurial skill set. Some students will attend colleges or universities in rural areas, and practicing this knowledge could lead them to be able to monetize their skill set.
BERKSHIRE BOXING CLUB: A SWEET SCIENCE FOR TEENS * Genève Brossard and Tony Amolo ’13 The goal of this course is to provide a fun opportunity for students to develop themselves both physically and mentally through the sport of boxing. Each day students will travel to the Berkshire Boxing Club i n Great Barrington where the goal is to instill the confidence and discipline necessary to help teens deal with the ups and downs of life, and ultimately learn the freedom that comes with self-motivation. The training will include shadow boxing, strength conditioning, rounds on the punching bags, agility, coordination, speed drills, jumping rope, and mitt work with Berkshire Boxing Club coaches. Success will be measured by students’ willingness to learn, their perseverance, and their support of others. Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bear! Students will be charged $100 each for five days of professional-level coaching and space use at The Berkshire Boxing Club. A signed waiver will be required. * Genève Brossard, who began boxing training at Gleason’s gym in 1999, was a two-time New York Golden Gloves and a New York State Empire Games Champion. She was an athlete on the USA Elite Women’s Boxing team in 2006 and represented the US at the Pan American Games. She also was the first woman to represent the London-based Lynn Boxing Club, fighting the European elite amateur circuit for two years and was a London Amateur Boxing Association tournament finalist. Genève has devoted much of her life to boxing, and she loves coaching as a way to share the joy and freedom she has found in the sport. She is delighted and honored to help people reach a full range of goals through boxing.
BEARS ON ICE Lisa Marshall, Nina Stoops ’21, and Jack Marottolo ’21
Have you ever been invited to a birthday party at an ice rink and found yourself sitting on the benches? Or is it a dream of yours to skate at Central Park during the winter holidays? After taking this class students will be ready to join in on the skating festivities! Students will learn the history of skating, the process of making ice, and the proper techniques in order to skate. The ability to skate is a “For Life” skill and this course is a fantastic way for students to step out of their comfort zone and onto the ice! Students will finish Pro Vita week comfortable on skates at Berkshire and beyond. Skates and helmets can be provided and/or borrowed if you don’t own either.
BEARS TACKLE THE RUBIK’S CUBE Jason Keefer and Graham Schwartz ’21 Because this course focuses on the art of solving Rubik’s Cubes, it goes hand in hand with using problem-solving skills in your life. Though the skills that will be learned in this class are primarily algorithms, this tool of problem-solving is still applicable in everyday life. Get ready to battle with various cube designs! Students will be charged $15 each for their own Rubik’s Cube set. CANINE CARE Erica Cohn Hearty students, willing to work, run, teach and play with canines outdoors, will learn the daily care involved in having a dog, practice training and obedience, build an agility course with recycled materials, and create a show of the agility course for the end of the week. We will raise awareness for the training being just as much about the trainer as it is about the hound—an agility hound must be under control at all times and respond to basic obedience commands such as sit, stay, come, and down. If you like dogs and share their boundless energy and friendly spirit, come join this unique experience! Please do not sign up for this course if you think you have allergies to fur and/or being around animals. A signed waiver will be required. DID YOU KNOW AS AN EMPLOYEE, YOU HAVE A LOT OF CIVIL RIGHTS? * Traci Hinden ’98 and Akilah Edgerton Employees are often discriminated, harassed or retaliated against at work based on their race, religion, gender (pregnancy or sex), sexual orientation/identity, disability, veteran status or age, to name a few. Employees are often not paid properly. All are entitled to meal and rest periods and allowed to take medical leave to care for themselves or another. In this course, students will learn how to be prepared to understand their legal rights as they start their journey in the workforce and are given the voice of the ballot. This course will also teach students how to protect themselves if they are found in a situation where their rights are being violated. Learn what a whistleblower is. Learn about defamation. Leave knowing how to exercise your civil rights as an employee! Students will be charged $5 each to put toward toward their visits to the Pan African Historical Museum USA (PAHMUSA) in Springfield, Massachusetts.
* Traci Hinden ’98, is a plaintiff’s employee civil rights litigator in San Francisco, California. She has had her own practice since 2007. In that time, she’s helped countless employees fight for their rights and regain their voices when they were harassed, discriminated or retaliated against at work, or robbed of their wages. For her entire 13-year career, she’s lectured statewide at more than 25 programs; she’s lobbied to expand employee rights in California for the last 8 years; she has been the co-chair of the Bay Area Plaintiff’s Employment Lawyers Association for the last 4 years; and for 6 years she chaired a mentor program to help newer lawyers connect with more seasoned litigators to train them.
GOLF 101 Rylan Kennedy ’21 and Dan Driscoll Fore! Golf 101 coming in hot! This class is geared towards students of all ranges (no pun intended). This course will consist of going on a field trip to a putt-putt course at The Cove in Great Barrington, learning how to swing a golf club, watching golf movies, and creating a putt-putt course. Along with these fun activities, the group will learn more about the history of the game and play some fun trivia. This class aims to teach students more about the game of golf, its history, and how anyone can play with some practice and instruction from two of the best golfers at Berkshire. No experience necessary. I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S NOT GUTTER! Dan Cooper and John West Though the true origins of the game are unknown, in the 1930s a British anthropologist working in Egypt discovered crude objects in a child’s grave that were akin to a bowling ball and pins; this grave dated back to roughly 3,200 BCE! Indeed, this ancient game also has deep roots in America as it is well documented that settlers in Jamestown (1607) brought bowling equipment with them to the New World. This class aims to educate students about the history and science behind the ancient game of bowling. Additionally, students will visit Cove Bowling Lanes in Great Barrington to learn about the operation of the facility, learn championship technique from a professional bowler, and try their best to stay out of the gutter! Students will be charged $30 each for four days of facility use of the local bowling alley, The Cove. MAGIC THE GATHERING: THE WORLD’S GREATEST STRATEGY CARD GAME Jesse Howard and * Hayden Graham ’15 In this course, students will learn the gameplay of the world’s greatest strategy card game, Magic the Gathering. With over 25 years of development, Magic is the world leader in fantasy based card battling. Students will begin with simple, premade decks to learn the rules and develop a sense of flow within the structure of the game. From there, they will be challenged to build their own decks under strict building limitations, constrained by the most recent expansion of cards. Finally, they will use their newfound knowledge of deckbuilding to combine their new cards with their original decks to come up with a creation of their own and battle each other for prizes and pride. Students will be charged $15 each for their own set of Magic playing cards.
* Hayden Graham ’15 graduated from Northeastern University where he studied finance and theater and where he continued acting in, designing, and directing a number of shows. He credits Berkshire and Mr. Howard for introducing him to the theater. While at Berkshire, he helped create the Berkshire Games Club after learning how to play Magic the Gathering in the library during Pro Vita. He is thrilled to be coming back to Berkshire before starting his full-time job at Royal Bank of Canada Capital Markets in the Bahamas where he calls home.
PAIN, PERFORMANCE & POSTURE * Claire Naylor-Pollart P’14,’17 and Klay Johnson ’10 This unique course is based off of the experience that Claire currently offers as self help workshops that are built around the three P's: Pain, Posture, and Performance. Her classes and workshops teach basic muscle anatomy and a vocabulary of movement that give her audiences the tools and confidence needed to eradicate pain, improve posture, and enhance physical performance. Claire believes that by helping people to identify their own "body blind spots"; i.e. areas that are most overused, underused, or misused, they can be successful in working to heal their damaged muscle, increase strength, and establish healthy movement patterns to help live better in their bodies. Get ready to find those sore spots! Students will be charged $30 each for their own set of equipment. * Claire Naylor-Pollart P’14,’17 trained and spent the early years of her professional career working with Bonnie Prudden. During her life, Bonnie was a well known fitness expert, author, and one of the co-founders of the President's Council on Physical Fitness. Claire worked with Bonnie at both the Institute of Physical Fitness and the Institute of Myotherapy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. In '98 Claire went on to establish her own business, Fitness Express Myotherapy, in Great Barrington.
PHILOSOPHY AND FILM Billy Thomas In this class, students will be watching various films including "The Truman Show" and "Minority Report" as well as discussing the philosophical implications within each work of art. The topics of conversation are endless, but the course will focus on things like reality, epistemology (study of knowledge), and notions of free will. The films will serve as a lens through which the class can explore their own personal philosophies, and the discussions will allow everybody to question why we believe the things we believe. Get ready for an engaged exploration of movies and philosophy!
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SIDE OF BECOMING A GREAT ATHLETE: SUCCESS IN SPORTS AND LIFE! Dr. George Stetson This course will examine the psychological side of becoming a high-performing athlete. The objective is to give aspiring athletes and others an understanding of some of the most important intangibles of athletic success and high-level performance. We will examine recent scientific research on the role of mindset, the science behind skill acquisition, the development
of habits, the meaning of mental toughness, and the practical use of mindfulness (and flow) as critical components to achieving high-level athletic success. The course will be based on a series of short readings, videos, and engaged group discussion as a way better to understand cutting-edge research in this area. We will also bring in coaches, players, psychologists, and others who can provide insights, experience, and fresh perspectives on this issue. The overall objective of the course is to help Berkshire student-athletes think more deeply about the process of becoming a high-level athlete.
VIDEO GAMES: HISTORY, ETHICS, POSSIBILITIES Clay Splawn In video games, the simplicity of Pong h as given way to realistic, open-world environments where players—through their characters on-screen and online—can engage in very human behaviors. These behaviors range from kind and generous to murderous and savage. How did we get here? And what does it all mean for the humans on the business end of the controller? This course will engage students around the history of video games (we’ll play some of the all-time greats), the ethical implications of video games (both for players and manufacturers), and with considering where it will all go.
Global Studies & Diversity AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE Ben Urmston Students will be immersed in the culture, language, and customs of American Sign Language. They will leave with a newfound ability to communicate without spoken word, an understanding of issues that face the Deaf community, and an appreciation for their unique and special culture.
DANCING AND EATING - LATIN AMERICAN STYLE Jaimee Christinat-Castillo and Charlie Bour Latin America has many rich culinary and rhythmic traditions with Indigenous, African, European and Asian influences that vary as one moves down the continent. This course will explore several Latin American regions and their particular fusion of flavors and movements. Students will also learn about and taste a couple of Latino dishes at local restaurants; as well as learn to dance the basics of merengue, bachata, and salsa. Students will be charged $15 each for meals at local Hispanic restaurants.
DON’T TELL MY STORY FOR ME: FLIPPING THE NARRATIVE OF FAIRY TALES Kelley Bogardus and Nina Bjurlin
Did you read fairy tales as a child? Were you mesmerized by the image of the prince sweeping in to rescue the princess? Have you ever considered the message, the moral, or the lens through which the story is told? This course will begin by reading the classic tale “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” by The Brothers Grimm and then be followed up with Jeanette Winterson’s flipping of the narrative in her novel Sexing the Cherry. As students examine the story through both lenses, they will consider how the message of the story changes as they look at character motivations, societal pressure, and cultural norms. For a final project, each student will pick a fairy tale to tell through the lens of another character.
RICE TO MEET YOU AMERICA!: A CelebrAsian of EASTERN CUISINE Michelle Wang ’20, Aimi Sekiguchi ’20, R.G. Meade Food reflects culture. Traditional Chinese and Japanese cuisine strongly reflects the culture’s beliefs, values, and attitudes towards food. Interestingly, with its increasing popularity in the United States, original adaptations were added, diverging into unique dishes. Through recipes, groceries, and restaurants, this course will compare modern Chinese and Japanese foods in their original country and in the United States. Students will get a glimpse into the cultural significances in the modern adaptations by visiting an Asian market, cooking traditional and modified recipes, and interviewing local Asian restaurants. Interested in Boba tea, sushi rolls, stir-fried pork, or Chinese and Japanese snacks? Taste and learn! Students will be charged $15 each for a tasting trip to two local Asian restaurants, Steam and Bizen.
SATIRE IS SANITY John Speer Have you ever wondered why more and more people get their news from comedy rather than cable programming? The answer is simple: this world, with few exceptions, is full of “nonsense,”and those of us who prefer to laugh rather than cry, know that comedians have a low tolerance for nonsense. If you would like to read, watch, and work with experts in the field of comedy and satire, become more witty yourself, and/or produce your own creative comedy and satire, come learn with Mr. Speer and delve into political cartoons from The New Yorker, John Oliver, Stephen Colbert, Sarah Silverman, The Boondocks, and “Saturday Night Live,” and work with guest speakers who teach us how to detect nonsense and absurdity and laugh at it with grace.
Philanthropy WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE “GIVE BACK”? WHERE DOES THE DOUGH GO? WHAT DOES IT DO? * James Demmert ’82 and Dr. John Hyland In this course students will learn about the importance of giving back to local or global communities and the value that foundations and nonprofits provide to their beneficiaries. It will
cover some real life pitfalls and heroic stories that nonprofits and foundations have experienced, and lessons to learn from their successes and mistakes. Students will learn about foundations and nonprofits: their purpose, how they are created, governed, and managed. They will also explore the importance of raising funds and investing those funds wisely to last generations. The class will include “sidebars” and the importance of investing with a social conscience. Each student will also create their own mock foundation, their own investment spending policy and ideas for raising funds from donors and creating a winning “mock” investment portfolio. Students who participate in this course will have an open invitation for the Main Street Research summer internship program, here in the Berkshires or San Francisco. Mr. Demmert’s recently published book “The Sustainable Endowment” will be included at no-cost to each student, as well as a copy of his award-winning book “The Journey To Wealth.” *James Demmert ’82 has been managing investment portfolios for foundations and families for over 30 years. He has experience in all aspects of investment management including equity and fixed income research, trading and portfolio management. A devoted philanthropist, Demmert was awarded the 2018-19 Citizen of the Year award for his dedication to giving back to both the local and global community. He is a member of Forbes Finance Council, Foundation Source, The CFA Institute, and the Financial Planning Association.
Sense of Place WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? Mari LoNano When we read about other people’s lives, we often discover things about ourselves. It is when we find knowledge about ourselves that we can be of value in the world. During this Pro Vita class, students will learn to write personal essays in which they try to understand their place in the world. When we know ourselves through our writing, we can make a true difference. Socrates supposedly once said that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” In this course, students will examine their lives through writing so they can make change in the world.
Sustainability BEARS BUILD IT BETTER: INTRODUCTION TO SUSTAINABLE BUILDING DESIGN * Kris Govertson ’15 This course will walk students through the process of designing and drawing their very own Tiny House. Students will learn how to control energy from the sun, capture and treat rainwater, and benefit from, without deteriorating, natural resources such as trees, wind, and soil. They will also learn how to design for net zero energy, net zero water, and go for sustainable building certifications like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Passive House, or Living Building Challenge. This course will force students to look deeper into the built
environment we live in everyday and hopefully inspire them to pursue a career in making the places we live, learn, work, and play in better for people and the planet. * Kris Govertsen ’15, earned a B.S. at Clarkson University ‘18 in civil engineering and is pursuing an M.S. in sustainable building systems and an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. at Northeastern University while researching passive survivability. She is a member of the Boston Society of Architects, American Society of Civil Engineers, and the United States Green Building Council. She is an Engineer in Training (EIT) and has earned both her LEED Green Classroom Professional and LEED Green Associate certifications.
PLAYING THE GLOBAL OPERATING SYSTEM BOARD GAME * Angus S. Laird ’69 We conduct our day-to-day lives within the 21st-century Global Operating System (GOS), a constantly evolving network of interdependent natural and human-made systems. The GOS has inviolable operating rules, limits, and boundaries that influence all aspects of our lives. During the class, students will broaden their understanding of the GOS through brief class discussions and by playing a board game in which four teams of schoolmates compete to win. By week’s end, students may be looking at the world from an entirely new perspective with a deeper personal understanding of all that is and all that they are up against as they step off into college, adulthood, a career, and more. * Angus S. Laird ’69 earned a BA in American civilization (with an environmental studies emphasis) from Williams College, a Masters of forest science from Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Oregon. He spent his career primarily as a management consultant to businesses, NGOs and GOs in the energy and natural resources fields. His interdisciplinary background gives him a unique perspective on the GOS.