Volunteers in Northampton schools will host its 18th Annual Dog Show on March 7 from noon to 3 p.m. at Northampton High School.
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The Sphere to launch Westfield Business Accelerator
Low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs living or owning a business registered in Westfield now have an opportunity to apply for the Sphere Westfield Business Accelerator.
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EASTHAMPTON
Council advances Housing Crisis task force, addressed other items
In an efficient meeting on Feb. 4, the Easthampton City Council made moves on city housing issues, appropriated funds for a new dog park and listened to public safety updates.
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HAMPSHIRE COUNTY
FEBRUARY 13th - 16th
Sciarra provides updates as second term begins
By Trent Levakis tlevakis@thereminder.com
NORTHAMPTON — Mayor
Gina-Louise Sciarra said her second term at the helm has been much busier than her first. In a sitdown with Reminder Publishing, she shared that she has picked up from where she left off post-election day.
“I went to work the day after the election, and in many ways, nothing really changed, so it’s just been the constant of the work of the job,” she said.
Northampton’s City Council and School Committee saw quite a bit of turnover from the previous term. Despite the change in representation, Sciarra said she is committed to working with the newly elected officials on behalf of constituents.
“As the chair of the School Committee, there are seven new School Committee members out of 10, and we also have a lot of stuff on our plate as a committee for the next six months to a year, so getting things up and running and assigning subcommittees, answering the questions a chair would get from new people has been a lot, but it’s exciting to work with these new folks,” said Sciarra.
Sciarra said she suddenly feels older after realizing she is the lone person who has served more than a few terms at this point between the bodies. Sciarra was a city councilor for four terms before being elected mayor in 2021, and nobody on the current School Committee has been serving more than four years.
While this turnover brings a level of institutional and historical knowledge loss to the city’s officials, Sciarra said as mayor, she will strive to be there for newly elected officials through her
role as School Committee chair and as a partner with city councilors while they prepare for the upcoming budget season.
“Immediately after the election, I invited the new incoming councilors to meet with me if they’d like to and talk about what their interests were, how I can help them with what they want to work on, and I think all the councilors took me up on that offer,” said Sciarra. “I always view it as a collaborative relationship since I came from the council and had eight years on it, I understand that body very well and enjoyed the relationship … that the council had with the mayor. It’s productive when we are all interested in working together and collaborating. And so that’s always the angle I take with it, and I’m happy to work with folks. We’re not necessarily always going to agree on things, but I like to be able to have real conversations with people.”
Sciarra said that with budget season officially underway, she hopes to see councilors and committee members come together to do what is best for constituents.
Sciarra said early conversations with councilors and committee members have indicated to her that many of the new members really want to dig in and understand the process in full, and specifically in regard to the school budget.
“They see the bigger picture; they see what other communities are going through, and they want to understand how we can best weather this in Northampton,” said Sciarra. “Everybody would like more school funding, we all wish there was more funding for our schools, and that has certainly been expressed, but I see a real interest in trying to kind of understand how the school budget works, how programs work, and
what we can address in this moment in time. But also what we want for the future and how we can work together and achieve those goals, and take the temperature down a bit, because when it is at that high level, it’s hard to really talk about things and really have substantive deliberation about things. How can we have more detailed conversations that are really looking at reality and what’s behind the rhetoric.”
Sciarra added, “We’re going to go through this budget season, and I hope we all can work together and be able to respectfully talk about the reality of the situation and address it. We all have been elected to do this work, so I think we can all work together to do that.”
Looking ahead, Sciarra said one project she is passionate about this year is the road safety improvements outside of Northampton High School. An issue she has been focused on since her first term began, Sciarra said the project will narrow the road, and the current jersey barriers in place will be replaced with permanent, dedicated bike lanes with bollards. There will also be two signals installed in an effort to stop traffic so pedestrians and cyclists can better cross the road. With regards to the Picture Main Street project, Sciarra also said POP: Pardon Our Progress will continue to connect with businesses and formulate a market-
Northampton Mayor Gina Louise-Sciarra Reminder Publishing file photo
See MAYOR on page 2
VINS Dog Show returns for 18th annual show at NHS
By Trent Levakis tlevakis@thereminder.com
NORTHAMPTON — Volunteers in Northampton schools will host its 18th Annual Dog Show on March 7 from noon to 3 p.m. at Northampton High School. According to organizers, the event is once again expected to bring “high levels of tail-wagging fun” in support of the nonprofit’s work.
VINS President Margie Rid-
dle explained that the dog show fundraiser was born from a fundraising event that draws attention to the nonprofit and its work. Although they have different fundraisers and ways for people to donate during the year, the dog show has become a highlight of VINS’ work through a “fun pet” and family-friendly afternoon.
“The idea is that public education works best when it has not just the tax money support of the
citizens and the local community, but also the personal involvement, and that’s what we’re all about,” added Riddle.
The private, nonprofit organization was founded in 1981, and its mission is to have volunteers in all of Northampton’s public schools. The purpose of volunteer involvement in the schools is to supplement and enrich the curriculum offerings at the direction of professional staff.
The event is free, but registration for dogs costs $8 before Feb. 28. Registration is $12 at the door and $5 for non-competing dogs. Donations are accepted, and all dogs must be on a non-extending leash.
“Because we are a nonprofit, we have to raise some money, because what the money is for is to hire a coordinator to manage the program. All the other people are volunteers; this is a job, and so in
order to have that job work, we are independent of the school district, and we have to raise some funds,” explained Riddle. “We were absolutely determined that even though it was a fundraiser, we wanted it to be accessible to all families, all kids and just a fun time. It’s hard to have a fundraiser that’s not asking for funds, but that’s what the dog show is, so we
See VINS on page 8
Healey to offer election year economic development bill
By Sam Drysdale State House News Service
BOSTON — Midway through the two-year session and as data points to a slow job market in Massachusetts. Gov. Maura Healey plans to file an economic development bill “at some point,” she said on Feb. 2, noting she has already put two bills before the Legislature to propel local economies.
Governors often file economic development or jobs bills that lawmakers entertain in the months leading up to elections. As the last session came to a close, Healey and lawmakers in 2024 agreed on a law committing state financial support to the life sciences and climate technology industries, expanding the mission of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center and paving the way for a professional soccer stadium in Everett.
Asked by the News Service
On Feb. 2 what her plans were for a jobs bill, Healey pointed to bills she’s already filed: a $2.5 billion proposal (H 4693) to use bonding to upgrade infrastructure at higher education campuses, dubbed the BRIGHT Act; and a research-and-education based “DRIVE Act” (H 4375) that would infuse $400 million into higher education, research and biopharma development.
“Pending right now with the Legislature we’ve got the BRIGHT Act, that’s going to bring tens of thousands of jobs online in construction to build in-
Mayor
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ing campaign to accompany the project’s progress. Currently, the city is awaiting the finalization of
frastructure on our college campuses. And then we also have the DRIVE Act, which is going to fund a lot of positions and help drive the job growth created in our life sciences and biotech industries. Those are construction jobs, retail jobs, architecture, in addition to scientific jobs as well,” Healey said.
Healey filed the higher ed infrastructure bill over a year ago, last January, and the science funding bill in July.
The BRIGHT Act passed the House in November and now is in Senate Ways and Means. It received a 13-0 favorable recommendation from the Joint Committee on Higher Education. The DRIVE Act has not emerged from the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, where House Chair of the Committee Rep. Carole Fiola pointed to other needs outside of higher education and biotech when asked about the bill in the fall. “There are a lot of important pressing needs: energy costs, all these federal implications of federal cutbacks. So, we’re looking at all of it,” Fiola said in September. The committee has until March 16 to make a recommendation on the bill.
Pressed on whether those two bills made up her economic agenda, Healey said, “No, no no. I’m just saying that that’s already stuff that we’ve done ... In terms of additional bills around workforce and job creation, we’re evaluating that now, but I imagine that we’ll have more to announce.”
design plans from Massachusetts Department of Transportation before the project moves forward.
Sciarra said her economic development team also meets monthly with downtown business owners to listen to any concerns
She added, “I do expect we’ll file an economic development bill at some point.”
The governor said last week that she is leaning on the cochairs of her Competitiveness Council: Dan Kenary, president & co-founder of the Harpoon Brewery and board member of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, and Mark Nunnelly, chairman of Toolbox Holdings and Foundation and former managing director of Bain Capital.
“I think you should take comfort knowing that Dan and Mark are at the helm, leading that with an array of stakeholders, and I’ve asked for immediate feedback,” Healey said at an AIM conference last week.
Data released Jan. 23 shows Massachusetts’ job market continued to move slowly in December, with modest payroll growth paired with rising unemployment and a shrinking labor force.
Preliminary figures from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development show payroll jobs increased by 4,600 in December, following similar gains in October and November. While those gains add up to about 13,500 jobs since September, they point to steady but subdued hiring activity.
At the same time, the unemployment rate edged up to 4.8% in December, from 4.7% in November. The increase came alongside a decline in labor force participation, which slipped to 66.5%. The data showed 9,300 fewer individuals were employed.
about the pending project. She shared that there is a concerted effort from her administration to focus on and listen to the businesses about their concerns with the project.
The state reported that fewer people were working across private and nonprofit jobs, self-employment and entrepreneurship, with some workers likely leaving the workforce altogether due to retirement or other factors.
The mixed signals reinforce a picture of a labor market that is stable but sluggish.
While employers added jobs in December, particularly in leisure and hospitality, health care and education, and manufacturing, the overall pool of workers continued to shrink. That combination — modest job gains paired with fewer people working and a higher jobless rate — suggests employers remain cautious about expanding payrolls, even as layoffs remain limited.
As in previous months, the data points less to a downturn than to a prolonged period of slow movement. Hiring continues at a restrained pace, unemployment has inched higher, and labor force participation has softened, underscoring ongoing headwinds for jobseekers in Massachusetts as the state enters the new year.
“I was looking at your recent survey,” Healey said during her business address last week to AIM. “I think 70% of you said your business was doing well, but only 46% were confident in the economy, right? And so, you know, we’re very mindful of the vibe out there.”
Healey called it “a hard time for people to plan, for people to deploy capital and make investments.”
gun monthly office hours where Northampton residents have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with her. Starting this month, Sciarra will host a two-hour block of individual meetings, happening once a month.
“The reality is, we face a lot of headwinds,” the governor told business executives at the event in Newton. “We have the last three years, and you guys have been living it since we came out of COVID. We are focused on lowering costs, and we’re trying to do that across the areas that I know matter the most to all of you.”
Healey also told the News Service on Feb. 2 while discussing a possible jobs bill that, “I’ve also been very focused on the things that help attract talent and bring people for jobs to Massachusetts and keep them here for jobs. That’s why the investments in housing are so important. Building more; building faster.”
Asked whether she planned to file any additional housing legislation, Healey said she’s focused on laws that are on the books.
“Well, we filed a massive housing bill a few years ago, now we’re in the process of implementing that, along with the changes that we’ve made from the various commissions that I’ve set up and the reports coming back,” she said.
She later added, “If there are more things to do, we will certainly be filing whatever legislation is necessary. But what I want people to focus on right now is implementing what’s already out there.”
Sam Drysdale and is a reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro. Reach her at sdrysdale@statehousenews.com.
latest, according to Climate Action and Project Administration Director Ben Weil, who explained the project at a December City Council meeting on the item.
“I think since this project hasn’t started yet, people get frustrated, and they’re like, ‘we’re not hearing anything,’ and that’s hard. There’s not something to report on in the moment, but we have a really robust communication strategy that we’re working on as we get closer to construction and have all these different ways we will be communicating with people, including daily on what construction is looking like every single day,” said Sciarra. “People should always contact us if they have concerns or questions. There’s a lot of misinformation out there about this project. I have gone business-to-business at times, correcting misinformation. We will continue to talk to businesses. We started a newsletter over a year ago, where we put updates in there as well. People can always ask me questions through there.”
In the same line of thinking, the mayor said she has be-
Appointments are scheduled in 15-minute time slots, giving residents the chance to discuss any topic of their choosing.
“I’m happy to do it. I love talking to residents, so I’m excited we’re going to be setting aside some time every month for people to be able to come in and have a little one-on-one time as well,” said Sciarra. “People should always feel okay to ask us questions. We’re always happy to answer them, we’re always happy to point them in the direction where the answer is. That’s what we do here.”
Sciarra also highlighted the high school’s geothermal project. The new geothermal system will allow the building to cool thanks to the high-efficiency ground source heat pumps.
The high school’s current chillers are well past their expected useful life and will need to be replaced within five years at the
On top of the chillers, the high school’s boilers are also nearing the end of their expected useful life if continually operated. Weil explained that ground source heat pumps are protected from the elements and have an equipment lifetime of 25 to 30 years.
“That’s a capital project that has to happen because the chillers need to be replaced in the high school, and it’s an amazing opportunity to do geothermal, which will last much longer than these chillers,” said Sciarra. “That’s a project that’s really exciting that is going to serve the high school for generations. It will, over time, save not just energy, but of course money, so that’s an exciting project that I’m happy we’re moving forward with.”
Sciarra added that she is looking forward to this next term.
“In general, my vision and what I’ve been focused on, and continue to focus on, is all the work that makes Northampton strong,” said Sciarra.
Herrell’s Ice Cream
hosts ‘What’s Your
Flavor Idea Contest?’
NORTHAMPTON — Herrell’s is asking customers to join in their annual “What’s Your Flavor Idea Contest?,” which lasts until Feb. 28.
This contest runs in both Herrell’s Ice Cream locations: 83 Cowls Road, (Mill District) North Amherst and 8 Old South St. — Thornes Marketplace — Northampton locations.
According to Judy Herrell, “one winner will be chosen from each location, and Herrell’s will make their ice cream concept. We hope people will get their creative juices flowing and come up with some new and unique ideas”.
To enter, customers may come into either Herrell’s store and fill out an entry slip and put it in the box. The shop asks for one idea per entry slip.
The winning flavor ideas will win: a pint of their ice cream, a quartet of Herrell’s Hot Fudge, a Herrell’s Tee-shirt and great bragging rights.
Rose Ritter, Herrell’s kitchen manager, said, “I’m anxious to see the innovative flavor combinations suggested to create new and exciting trends. We really love it when our community engages with us to make flavor history.”
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Symphony Orchestra announced that its fourth Annual Fearless Women Awards are open for nominations, honoring local women who embody courage, resilience and empowerment. Women are nominated by their peers, and nominations are being accepted until Feb. 13 at 5 p.m.
Nominations can be made through a form on the SSO website at SpringfieldSymphony. org. This year’s Fearless Women will be recognized on stage at the SSO’s March 14 performance at 7:30 p.m., “Gershwin and A Woman’s Voice.”
Those who nominate a Fearless Woman can choose among five inspiring categories that most embodies the individual, including Bravery, Advocacy, Passion, Perseverance; and Authenticity. Last year’s Fearless Women Awards honored seven local women, and since its inception, the Awards have recognized more than 20 women in the region.
Those being honored will receive two tickets to the March 14 SSO concert, along with the individual who nominated them, and there will be a Welcome Reception for honorees, their guests and nominators in the Mahogany Room prior to the concert. The Fearless Women will then be recognized on-stage at the start of the performance. The honorees will receive a plaque in recognition of this honor.
According to Heather Caisse-Roberts, president and CEO of the SSO, “The Fourth Annual Fearless Women Awards celebrate the remarkable women whose courage, creativity and commitment elevate our community and inspire us all. They reflect a deep dedication to lifting others, fostering connection, and creating meaningful, lasting impact through their everyday actions. We are proud to recognize their achievements and to shine a spotlight on these amazing women in our very own Symphony Hall.”
City Council advances Housing Crisis task force
By Tina Lesniak Correspondent
EASTHAMPTON — At its meeting on Feb. 4, the Easthampton City Council made moves on city housing issues, appropriated funds for a new dog park and listened to public safety updates.
The council voted to move a resolution in support of creating the Easthampton Housing Crisis task force to the rules subcommittee. Two residents spoke in support of the resolution during public comment time noting that the Easthampton Tenants Union has been discussing issues of negative landlord behavior and the costs of rent in the city. They also encouraged the council to ensure that renters will be on
the task force.
After Councilor Thomas Peake, chair of the finance committee, provided an update on the dog park, the council voted to approve a Community Preservation Act supplemental appropriation of $23,500 to design a new dog park. Peake noted that plans for the dog park have been ongoing for roughly the last decade, and the group is now in a place to move forward with a design. After the design is completed, then the Friends of the Easthampton Dog Park will need to raise funds for the actual construction.
Councilor Amanda Newton, chair of the public safety subcommittee, shared information
Hogan Technology reveals three AI Tools set to explode in 2026
EASTHAMPTON — Hogan Technology, a leading managed technology services provider, revealed the top three artificial intelligence applications that small to mid-sized businesses will be utilizing heavily in 2026. With businesses looking for new ways to eliminate revenue leakage, tame operational chaos and minimize human error, artificial intelligence is the natural solution. However, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: AI is no longer about experimentation or novelty. It’s about fixing long-standing business problems that quietly drain revenue, create friction and slow growth.
Across small and mid-sized businesses, three AI applications are emerging as game-changers — tools that address pain points executives have lived with for years but never truly solved.
Ask any business owner or manager about sales commissions, and you will hear the same frustrations: spreadsheets that don’t reconcile, delayed payouts, disputes over numbers and hours spent manually verifying calculations. For SMBs, this often means leadership personally stepping in to resolve disagreements and accounting staff buried under complexity whether it be from figuring out how to reconcile multiple compensation plans, quotas, employee draws and bonuses. Yet, there’s one powerful AI technology SMBs should expect to see gain steam in 2026 and that’s AI-Powered Commission & Accounting Automation. AI-driven accounting systems can now automatically calculate commissions in real time, reconcile sales data across platforms, flag discrepancies before payouts, and ensure every sales executive is paid accurately and on time. This means leadership can administer faster payouts, fewer disputes, higher trust with sales teams and significantly less administrative overhead.
Most CRMs promise a “single source of truth,” yet in reality, critical information lives everywhere else — scattered across phone calls, emails, Teams chats, Zoom meetings and hallway conversations that never actually
get logged. Modern AI-enabled CRMs are fixing this by automatically capturing and logging all messages without relying on human memory or discipline. Conversations can be summarized, action-items identified, and customer histories are always complete. This gives leadership real visibility into sales pipelines, customer sentiment and account risk without constantly needing to ask personnel to “update the CRM.”
Lastly, most businesses don’t lose money because they sign bad contracts — they lose money because they can’t keep track of those contracts. Contracts sit in random inboxes, shared drives, PDF folders or legal systems that no one checks until it’s too late. That means renewals auto-extend, price increases are missed and compliance obligations can go unnoticed. For SMBs, this means overpaying vendors or missing revenue opportunities. With AI-Managed Contracts & Agreement Systems, business owners and account management
teams can automatically organize contracts, extract key terms, track renewals, flag risks and alert teams before deadlines hit. Contracts and agreements can be linked together, they’re searchable and always up to date. This means that instead of reacting to problems, businesses regain control — turning contracts into strategic leverage rather than hidden liabilities.
Sean Hogan, president of Hogan Technology, said, “What makes these three AI applications unique is not their technical sophistication — it’s their practicality. While most people are trying to use AI for lead-generation, which is typically ‘hit or miss,’ organizations are overlooking the operational efficiency they can immediately benefit from. That’s where you can instantly extract profit from your company. These overlooked AI applications will boom in 2026 and beyond, because they solve problems every business already has without requiring massive behavior change.”
Sean Hogan.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
The Easthampton City Council met on Feb. 4 for a swift 30-minute meeting.
Photo credit: E-Media
NORTHAMPTON
The Sphere to launch Westfield Business Accelerator
By Trent Levakis tlevakis@thereminder.com
WESTFIELD — Low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs living in or owning a business registered in Westfield now have an opportunity to apply for the Sphere Westfield Business Accelerator.
The intensive business development program aims to expand on the proven accelerator model for a community ready for growth and entrepreneurial momentum, according to organizers.
The program is made possible thanks to a $50,000 grant awarded to the Sphere Northampton last June, which helped launch the Sphere Westfield Mindshift Business Accelerator.
The Sphere Northampton is a nonprofit organization that supports new entrepreneurs in Western Massachusetts by providing educational resources, professional trainings, networking events and more. This grant enables The Sphere to expand its accelerator model and entrepreneurial momentum. The funding was awarded through the Westfield Community Development Block Grant.
“The Sphere has been drawing entrepreneurs and business professionals from all over the Pioneer Valley and beyond — East Longmeadow, Deerfield, Greenfield, Pittsfield, Springfield, Holyoke, even Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont,” Sphere co-founder and Chief of Momentum Megan Allen told Reminder Publishing. “We try hard to ensure we are creating programming and experiences that meet what entrepreneurs really need by following their leads, ideas and feedback. We are really data-driven, and our leadership is built of a team of entrepreneurs who are not just talking the talk, we are walking the walk. We are living similar experiences to the community we serve.”
Allen said that two of the Sphere’s community members, Dee Dice and Kasey Corsello, partnered with the organization to offer the Sphere Mindshift Business Accelerator in 2025 with a Mass Development grant. After seeing success, the next move was to bring the program elsewhere in the region.
Crisis
Continued from page 4
that Police Chief Chad Alexander recently provided for the subcommittee. She noted that the Police Department is well aware of view obstructions on Cottage Street caused by the high snowbanks and are ensuring that there are more patrols in the area.
He also let the subcommittee know that any issues of sidewalks not being shoveled should be brought to the attention of the Police Department by calling their non-emergency line. Newton noted that they had also discussed Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the city. According to Newton, Alexander explained to the subcommittee that the Police Department doesn’t
Now, it comes to Westfield for the first time.
The Sphere Westfield Mindshift Business Accelerator will serve 10 local entrepreneurs directly through a robust eightweek training program that combines structured business education, individualized coaching, and access to essential professional services such as financial advising, branding and legal support.
In addition, the program’s outreach events and community-based workshops will reach and uplift more individuals across Westfield’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“Westfield is full of untapped talent and potential,” said Allen.
“This funding allows us to offer the kind of comprehensive, high touch support that LMI [low-to-moderate income] entrepreneurs need to not only survive, but thrive. We’re investing in the people who are ready to build the future of their community.”
The Sphere Westfield Accelerator Program will meet on Tuesdays, starting Feb. 24 in-person at Westfield on Weekends, and wrapping up on April 14 in-person. The Tuesday dates in between are all virtual sessions. Participants must be present for all classes, have access to a computer or the ability to Zoom, and have an existing business, idea or concept to focus on. Individuals must also work and participate in a cohort setting, and live in or operates a business in Westfield.
Corsello told Reminder Publishing it is about taking a “whole person approach” when working with low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs.
“We’re taking a whole person approach because we know that building a successful business isn’t just about having a good idea — it’s about developing yourself as a leader and having the right tools and support. Participants get training in business basics, personal growth and leadership development,” said Corsello.
Through the eight-week business program, entrepreneurs receive coaching and mentorship, business consulting, and business planning, marketing and financial training in support of growing their businesses from the inside
work with ICE and isn’t notified of ICE operations. He added that the department wouldn’t hold someone in custody at the request of ICE, and that the department has a duty to intervene if there were violent situations.
out. The program will also include a three-month subscription to LIVEPLAN software to help with business planning, and there will be a $1,900 stipend for professional services, such as legal help, accounting or marketing.
“For entrepreneurs who might not otherwise be able to afford these resources, this really levels the playing field,” said Corsello. “The real power of this program is that it transforms people from just being entrepreneurs into being powerful business owners; there’s a big mindset shift that happens there. We’re combining personal development with practical business skills, so participants are growing internally while also learning the fundamentals they need.”
Corsello added, “The LIVEPLAN software gives them professional planning tools, and that stipend means they can actually access the expertise they need to scale. By the end, they’re not just equipped with knowledge — they’re ready, mentally and practically, to take their business to the next level.”
The program builds on the success of the Blueprint for Business Accelerator series developed
by Dice and Corsello, which has supported over 30 small business owners in past Westfield cohorts. The Mindshift rebranding represents an expanded and enhanced curriculum, one that integrates entrepreneurial mindset work, leadership development, and emotional resilience alongside technical training. Dice and Corsello will coach this accelerator, as well.
“It seems like a natural fit,” added Allen. “We gave a model that works, so we can easily replicate it for other areas once we understand the needs of the entrepreneurs. Plus, it comes with a community of cheerleaders and customers, The Sphere community.”
Allen said entrepreneurs living in or owning a registered business in Westfield are encouraged to apply for the accelerator program.
“If someone has a business idea or an existing business, this program will help take it to the next level,” said Allen.
To apply, visit tinyurl.com/ mv7hzpbz and for more information on the Sphere or its accelerator programs visit spherenorthampton.com.
T. Wojcik reaches for the ball before it goes out of bounds.
N. Gruszkowski catches a pass from his teammate.
S. Warner jumps in the air and throws the ball back into play before it went out.
N. Ingram wins the loose ball.
D. Sanchez dribbles the ball down the court.
S. Warner dribbles the ball low so the defensive player can’t get it.
J. Cole muscles out the defender and wins the rebound.
D. Sanchez battles for the offensive rebound under the basket.
J. Cole sees an open teammate and makes a bounce pass to him in the corner.
D. Sanchez makes and easy open layup.
Festival to showcase, celebrate youth film and photography
By Trent Levakis tlevakis@thereminder.com
NORTHAMPTON — From the Valley Fest, a new youth film and photography festival started by two Hampshire County high schoolers, is coming to 33 Hawley in Northampton on Feb. 21. The inaugural event will showcase and celebrate the work of young artists in their respective mediums.
The festival was cultivated by Amherst Regional High School junior Ava Beganny and Pioneer Valley Performing Arts School junior Serena Gross, whose passion and friendship tied to photography and visual storytelling helped foster the idea. They became friends at the Deerfield Academy Summer Arts Camp and quickly bonded over their shared interests.
“We’ve been friends for a while, and we became friends because we had a shared love for visual art, such as photography and film. We were looking around the area trying to find some kind of festival to showcase our artwork, and we couldn’t really find anything that was really accessi-
from page 2
advertise the dog show as free, just the dogs have to pay.”
Whether it’s a VINS member generally assisting a teacher in their classroom, or one joining to
ble to us, so we were like, ‘what if we just made it ourselves?’ And so over the summer, we started talking about it and planning, and it all kind of went from there,” Beganny told Reminder Publishing
As part of their summer at DASAC, the two were exposed to analog photography and visual storytelling, which eventually augmented the poetry they wrote.
Beganny said it was a great experience for the two of them because it helped build their skills in those areas.
The festival will run on Feb. 21 from 2-4 p.m. The first hour is devoted to a photo gallery walk/ mixer, where artists can connect further and speak to attendees about their work. The second hour features a presentation of the film submissions themselves.
“Youth artists can meet up with each other and get inspired, and just have a good connectiveness … I think that part is really cool, talking to other people your age that are interested in the same thing,” added Beganny. “It’s [the festival] casual, as in it’s not something to be super wor-
share a personal experience with students with regard to a lesson, the organization has lasted over four decades due to its success, enriching and supplementing classroom experiences.
All VINS members are given a background check before volunteering.
“Kids don’t always know that
ried about going into it. Everyone who submitted has really good art, and it’s amazing to see, so it shouldn’t be a scary event where you’re worried your art isn’t good enough. It’s for youth artists, and it’s for people to try and experiment, and get inspired.
Beganny added, “I think that it’s really important to not only be creative in your own way in whatever art form it is, but to also look at other people’s ideas through artwork. I think it’s important to broaden your scope and to also get connected with other people. I have a lot of friends at Northampton High School, and I’m just trying to get a lot of people to come to this event. Not only if you’re an artist, but to see people doing things you’re not used to, because it can really make your brain open up more to different ideas.”
Beganny said the event is not meant to be competitive. Instead, it’s a showcase of the talented youth working in these areas. With that being said, one photographer and one filmmaker will be highlighted at the end of the event as “The Valley Favorite.”
this is my volunteer who comes in, but he actually lives in the neighborhood. It’s very exciting for children to realize that,” added Riddle.
Competitions listed for the dog show include “Best Fetcher,” “Best Hair” and “Best Smile,” to name a few. A snow date is scheduled for March 8, and the event
“It’ll be a way to showcase one thing that really excelled in our eyes, but we don’t want it to be a competition; it’s just an added benefit. For everyone that’s submitted, we’re all proud of them, and it’s been amazing to see,” added Beganny.
Reflecting on the creation of the festival, Beganny said she and Gross are both thankful to be living in the valley, where doing something like this is attainable.
“I think we’re really lucky to live in an area where it’s accessible to do things like this and also to be supported through that. I think that it’s good that we’re taking this opportunity because there are places where people just don’t have access to these forms of art, or access to the funds to be able to put on such an event,” said Beganny. “We want to take advantage of that and be able to do this so that people will be more inspired in the future to do more stuff like this, because in all honesty, my ideas were inspired by a lot of local theater people who have put on their own events at different venues and such, and I kind of
will also feature raffle prizes. More information on how to volunteer with the nonprofit, this event, and VINS’ work can be found at vinsnorthampton.com.
wanted to lean into that and put on my own event. I just wanted to lean right into my hobbies, which I know a lot of youth share with me, and to be able to have a big gathering where everybody can learn one way or another.”
Tickets for the first-ever From the Valley: Youth Film and Photography Festival are $7 for students and $12 for general admission if purchased on Eventbrite: visit tinyurl.com/tjmvd4s8. The cost at the door is $5 for students and $10 for general admission attendees.
“Art is a very special medium. I think that it’s not encouraged in a lot of places, and I want to be able to encourage that to youth so that they can try this thing that is often discouraged, because it’s hard to make a living when only focusing on art,” added Beganny.
“But I think, especially as a kid or teenager, that’s the prime time to experiment with art, whether it’s film and photography, or theater, or writing, anything like that, I think is just wonderful, and I think everybody should have access to those types of things.”
“It’s silly but so much fun,” Riddle said. “We decided the first Saturday in March, which is a time when everybody is sick of winter, and spring sports haven’t started, and there’s not much going on. So we thought, let’s have something that’s fun and an afternoon free for families. Kids sit around the outside of the ring watching the dogs, and the sillier the dogs are, when they don’t always perform as they’re supposed to, that’s the best.”
