2020 Courses

We are happy to announce a hybrid program for August. Our “Happiness Toolbox” will launch with pre-recorded sessions accompanied by interactive sessions on Zoom for our 11th season of our summer educational programming!

Happiness Toolbox is rooted in positive education and was co-designed by BRIDGE founding staff trained in positive psychology, holistic psychology and diversity leadership. This year we will be learning about resilience, building a growth mindset, and using your voice and creativity to find your place while make a difference in our world. Our Languages for 2020 are: Spanish, French and Coding! The research-based Character Strengths & Virtues we all possess as a global community show our internal diversity and we will be exploring how to spot those and also how to fill the personal buckets we all hold with happiness!

We will continue exploring diversity, mindfulness and the importance of play with play artist Jeanni Bassis and Circus Artists from DRIVE forward who join us from Boston, California, Georgia and beyond! There will be opportunities for art-making, sewing projects, dance, collaborative games, and more!

Happiness Toolbox programs will be held on a digital platform due to Covid-19 and socially distanced protocols according to Commonwealth guidelines for Field Trips in small groups of 10 for 1-2 hr visits during the month of August will occur. Transportation will be done by families (and rain dates to be determined.) We will visit Woven Roots, Taft Farms, Chesterwood and other places. We will be joined by special guests & educators.

Upon enrollment, you will receive kits for specific lessons, an interactive Zoom schedule, and registration links on the day and a sign up sheet for small socially distanced visits at beautiful Berkshire locations.

Happiness Toolbox summer $100 - $250 for both weeks all available interactive and in-person sessions. Sliding scale available & Campership.
Drop in By session $20.
​Donations welcome as BRIDGE has committed to having the programs accessible to all on our website for free during COVID-19.
To ensure health & safety: This program includes home delivery of kits to accompany the classes (or pick up in Main Lee office by appointment only.) Sliding scale available.


DRIVE Forward: Clown It Up (DRIVE=Diversity, Representation, Inclusion, Voice, and Equity | Leah Abel Meredith Gordon & colleagues
Beekeeping | Smoke & Honey Co. Curtis Mraz  
Happiness Toolbox: Berkshire Legends of Daniel Chester French on Abraham Lincoln |  Gwendolyn VanSant
Happiness Toolbox: Berkshire Legends of  Elizabeth Freeman, Susan B. Anthony, W.E.B. Du Bois, Stockbridge Munsee & more | Stephanie Wright
Happiness Toolbox: Character Strengths/Las Fortalezas De Character | Maricarmen Silva Baker
Happiness Toolbox: Coding | Tim Likarish
Happiness Toolbox Cultural & Language Explorations: French & Spanish | Florence Afanokue & Youth Leader, Lesleye Bautista
Drumming | Otha Day
Happiness Toolbox Youth Time Positive Mindset & Mindfulness | Miles & Audrey and Happiness Toolbox youth leaders
Play | Jeannie Bassis
Bookmaking: Penny for Your Thoughts | Suzi Banks Baum with Ella Rose Mujinga Banks
HANDLE | Elizabeth Frishkoff (with Jess Hampton)
Arts& Crafts: Hand Sewing Masks | JV Hampton-VanSant
Happiness Toolbox: Berkshire Legends of The Stockbridge Munsee and James VanDerZee & Mindfulness in Nature | Stephanie Wright, Maya Richardson, Curtis Mraz (bees)
Music Lesson | Jim Wojtaszek
Kahoot Trivia Night | Youth Leaders: Maya Hampton VanSant, Sarah Drucker
Arts & Crafts: Drawing | JV Hampton-VanSant
Field Trips (Social Distancing- small groups of 10) at Woven Roots, Gideons Garden at Taft Farms, Chesterwood, Thomas and Palmer Brook Reserve at BNRC and First Congregational Church. Virtual Session at Solstice Icelandics Farm
Gather, Games and Garden | BRIDGE Youth Leaders (Soka, Damari, Monet, Julianne, Westley & more!)