Erin Breen, Berkshire Community College

Erin Breen, a Human Services student at Berkshire Community College, is a model service-learning student engaged in community building for improved early childhood education. For the past year and a half she has volunteered with the Berkshire United Way to bring greater awareness and resources to the Pittsfield Promise initiative aimed at dramatically increasing literacy rates in Pittsfield, MA. Erin is a valued spokesperson for the initiative and has become a leader in organizing community events. Her service-learning projects focused on interviewing local agencies and engaging with families at “Parent Power” events to develop a comprehensive list of services, resources and assets that can be leveraged to create a more literacy rich community. Erin organized and gathered volunteers for a “Shopping for Early Literacy Success” event at Price Chopper attended by sixty five families. Erin is a skillful communicator who builds community by valuing the opinions of others and sharing her knowledge of resources. She has presented on her community work at statewide and national conferences. She is committed to improving the quality of life for parents and young children in Pittsfield and has the potential to lead literacy initiatives well beyond these city limits.