Junior Achievement of Western Mass seeks nominations for 18 Under 18

SPRINGFIELD — Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts is accepting nominations for its 18 Under 18 Class of 2025. This event shines a light on the achievements of young people throughout the region who exemplify innovative spirit, leadership and community involvement.

“We believe in the power of uplifting and celebrating the hard work of our young people,” Amie Miarecki, president of Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts, said in a statement. “There are so many who stand out in the community. We hope teachers, mentors, coaches, parents and others come to us with a big pool of nominations this year.”

Eligible students must be 18 years old or younger and attend school in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin or Berkshire counties; Tantasqua, Quabbin or Quaboag regional school districts; or the state of Vermont. Nominations should be submitted at jawm.org/18-under-18-option-2.

The deadline for nominations is Tuesday, April 1. Each nomination requires a supporting letter of reference and an academic submission.

Finalists will be selected for interviews and winners will be notified several days later. Recipients will be honored at an event at Storrowton Tavern & Carriage House on May 19.

Organizers are also inviting local businesses to sponsor the award. Those who are interested can contact Amie Miarecki at amiarecki@jawm.org.

Mass Humanities announces 2025 funding opportunities

NORTHAMPTON — Mass Humanities has updated its storytelling grant program to provide residents with more opportunities to connect history, experience and truth-seeking. This year, the Expand Massachusetts Stories initiative features:

■“Promises of the Revolution” — Organizations are invited to explore how people, past and present, responded to the promises of the American Revolution 250 years ago. Applicants are encouraged to shine a light on untold histories and make space for new stories.

■“Story Forward” — Organizations that have received funding from Mass Humanities in the past can advance their storytelling to reach new audiences or build on previous work.

Reading Frederick Douglass Together grants — Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Application materials for Expand Massachusetts Stories grants, as well as details on eligibility requirements, are available at masshumanities.org/grants. Letters of inquiry are due June 9.

Since its launch in 2021, Expand Massachusetts Stories has contributed to storytelling in every corner of the state. By highlighting the lived experiences of different cultures and communities, Expand Massachusetts Stories aims to provide residents with new ways to understand the present and imagine the future.

Mass Humanities is setting aside $600,000 to fund projects in the “Promises of the Revolution” track. This commitment is intended to add context and insight to the history of the American Revolution and the promises made by the Declaration of Independence: equality for all; the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; and the belief that the power of government rests on the consent of the people.

“The Revolution belongs to all of us, and 2026 should be a time to bring more people into a statewide conversation on our past and the future of our democracy,” Brian Boyles, executive director of Mass Humanities, said in a statement. “By expanding this Massachusetts story, we can make the semiquincentennial a time of renewal for the original promises of equality and freedom that emerged here 250 years ago.”

Mass Humanities launched the Expand Massachusetts Stories initiative in 2021 with the support of the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Barr Foundation. Since then, more than $3 million has been distributed to projects including audio tours, documentary films, oral histories, public events and archival research.

Nominations sought for Deborah Sampson Award

BOSTON — The Executive Office of Veterans Services’ Women Veterans Network is accepting nominations for the 2025 Deborah Sampson Award, which recognizes a Massachusetts woman veteran who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, service and advocacy for fellow women veterans.

The deadline to submit nominations is April 25. The award will be presented at the Women Veterans Appreciation Day Ceremony in June.

The Deborah Sampson Award is named after the Revolutionary War hero Deborah Sampson, who disguised herself as a man to serve in the Continental Army.

To submit a nomination, visit mass.gov/forms/2025-deborah-sampson-award-nomination and provide an overview of the nominee’s military service and achievements, details of challenges she has overcome, her contributions to the veteran community and why she is an outstanding candidate for this honor.

Valley Press Club scholarships available for journalism students

SPRINGFIELD — The Valley Press Club will award the following $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors in western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut who are interested in pursuing a career in journalism.

■The Valley Press Club scholarships, funded by contributions and dues to the Press Club, are for students planning careers in print, online or broadcast journalism.

■The Republican Scholarship, funded by The Republican, is for students living within the newspaper’s circulation area who are planning careers in print journalism.

■The 22News Scholarship, funded by WWLP-22News, is for students planning careers in broadcast journalism.

■The MassLive Scholarship is for a Massachusetts high school senior planning to pursue a career in print, online or broadcast journalism/communication. This scholarship is available to a student who is underrepresented in the field of journalism and is planning to attend an institution of higher education in the field.

■The Edward J. Malley Jr. Memorial Scholarship, established in memory of a chief photographer for the Springfield Newspapers, is for students planning careers in photojournalism.

■The Rhonda Swan Memorial Scholarship, established in memory of an award-winning journalist, editor and author, is for students who are underrepresented, living in the Springfield area and planning careers in journalism.

Primary emphasis is placed on career goals, writing ability, scholastic aptitude and overall achievement as measured by an applicant’s high school transcript, class rank, academic awards, SAT scores and extracurricular activities. The deadline for submissions is April 4.

Scholarship applications are available at ValleyPressClub.com or high school guidance offices. Applications may be sent by mail to Noreen Tassinari, Scholarship Chair, Valley Press Club, P.O. Box 5475, Springfield, MA 01102 or by email to NTassinari77@gmail.com

Over the course of six decades, The Valley Press Club has presented more than $140,000 in scholarships to eligible students. The Valley Press Club consists of active and retired journalists and public relations professionals from corporate and nonprofit organizations.

$1.85M awarded to 740 cultural projects, festivals

BOSTON — Through its Festivals & Projects grant program for fiscal year 2025, the Massachusetts Cultural Council awarded $2,500 awards to organizations to support public activities that incorporate the arts, humanities or sciences. In all, 740 cultural projects and festivals received a combined total of $1.85 million.

“These festivals and projects are more than just events — they are opportunities to connect, celebrate and experience the culture that defines our communities,” Michael J. Bobbitt, executive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, said in a statement. “Reaching all corners of the commonwealth, these investments support the artists, organizations and traditions that bring people together.”

The FY25 Festivals & Projects grant round was competitive, as a total of 1,340 applications requesting $3.35 million in funding were received. The Massachusetts Cultural Council had the resources to fund 55% of these proposals, including the following Franklin County and North Quabbin recipients: Antenna Cloud Farm of Gill; Bernardston Senior Center; Education Earth Museum of Athol; Eggtooth Productions of Greenfield; Empowerment Through the Arts of Shutesbury; Erving Senior & Community Center; Fabric of Life of Shelburne; Franklin County’s YMCA of Greenfield; Garden Cinemas of Greenfield; Human Error Publishing of Wendell; Jonathan Edward Aukstikalnis Character Recognition Fund of Phillipston; Looky Here of Greenfield; Ohketeau Cultural Center of Ashfield; Orange Revitalization Partnership; Queercore Collaborative of Greenfield; Richie Richardson FAB of Montague; Rowe Historical Society; Royalston Cultural Council; Warwick School District; Silverthorne Theater Co. of Montague; Stone Soup Café of Greenfield; Swallow Conservation of Shelburne; The LAVA Center of Greenfield; Valley Players of Shutesbury; Warwick Arts Council; and Weathervane Community Arts of Montague.

The complete funding list and project descriptions are available at massculturalcouncil.org/organizations/festivals-projects/funding-list.