Dear Parents,
Although the school week is a short one due to the upcoming holiday of Pesah, MDYHS continues to abound with exciting events and developments. It is a pleasure for me to share a glimpse of some of them with you.
On Monday, Mrs. Joanne Auman's Global Studies classes had the privilege of hearing a special guest lecturer - Mrs. Janet Kirchheimer, author of How to Spot One of Us, a collection of her poetry. She related her family's experiences during the Holocaust, and read a few of her moving and meaningful poems - showing the studentshow to analyze and appreciate the spirit behind the verse. Our students joined in the lively discussion, and even asked Mrs. Kirchheimer to autograph the packets that she had handed out. What a great way for students to connect to the deeper meanings of the written and spoken word while learning the vital lessons of history. (Please see the attached photo from this poignant presentation).
The method of "learning deeper meanings" takes on many forms. Recently, Rabbi Michael Bitton, our Director of Educational Technology, initiated a monthly Online Review Session for his sophomore Talmud class. The students participate in a live online class where they can ask questions either by "electronically raising their hand" or by typing their questions to the teacher. Students told me that they absolutely love the class - and that some parents have "sat in" and want to become "regulars" in the sessions. Rabbi Bitton will be training other teachers on setting up the appropriate digital platforms so that online review sessions can be conducted in various different subjects.
And speaking of the wonders of online assistance, on Tuesday evening our 10th and 11th graders, along with their parents, participated in a session on Naviance Software - the gold standard of college admissions programming - which the school has secured for all MDYHS parents. Led by Mrs. Debbie Solomon, our Director of College Guidance & Career Counseling Services, and assisted by all staff members of the department, students and parents heard a presentation by a representative of Naviance on the outstanding features of this program - wherein students can gain insights into career choices and can see which colleges and universities best fit their interests and profile, so that when they meet individually with members of the college guidance department the student and parent already know what to focus on. Students can use the program to build their resumes in the most effective manner and can track their letters of recommendation, transcript filings, and fulfillment of admissions requirements. And on a related note, our junior class went on Monday to visit the campuses of NYU, Pace University, Marymount College, and Yeshiva University. Our students learned about the admissions process, scholarship possibilities, the college experience, and Jewish life on campus. (Please see the attached photos from this wonderful trip). Our next generation of MDYHS scholars and career professionals are well on their way!
This generation of MDYHS scholars and career professionals - our current seniors - continue to achieve outstandingly! I am so proud to extend warm wishes of Mabrouk to our 12th graders on their amazing college admissions and merit-based scholarship awards:
Amin Adjmi - Hofstra University, Pace University
Berta Allaham - New York City College of Technology
Nancy Anteby - School of Visual Arts, Pratt Institute
Maya Ballah - Baruch College, Brooklyn College, Hunter College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, College of Staten Island
Marlene Braha - NYU - Poly Institute, Baruch College, Brooklyn College, Hunter College, New York Institute of Technology, Pratt Institute
Linda Dayan - Macaulay Honors College at Brooklyn
Albert Dweck - Dean's Scholar at Baruch College, Presidential Scholar at Brooklyn College
Elliot Elo - Pace University, with a Dean's Incentive Award of $12,000 per year for four years, for a total of $48,000, Hofstra University, with a Dean's Scholarship of $8,000 per year for four years, for a total of $32,000
Alicen Franco - Marymount College, with a merit Scholarship Award of $10,000 per year for four years, for a total of $40,000
Lisa Jrada - Presidential Scholar at Brooklyn College
Sarah Kabariti - Macaulay Honors College at Brooklyn
Joseph Kassin - University Scholar at Brooklyn College, Hunter College
Mickey Kishk - Macaulay Honors College at Baruch, Presidential Scholar at Brooklyn College
David Maleh - Pace University, with a Trustees Recognition Award of $13,500 per year for four years, for a total of $54,000
Molly Maleh - Brooklyn College
Ally Menasche - Brooklyn College
Rachel Naftali - Macaulay Honors College at Brooklyn
Marc Saadia - Macaulay Honors College at Baruch
Gloria Safdieh - Macaulay Honors College at Brooklyn
Nissim Said - Baruch College, Brooklyn College, Hunter College, City College of New York, College of Staten Island
Mosie Schrem - Dean's Scholar at Brooklyn College, Brandeis University
David Setton - Baruch College, Brooklyn College, Hunter College, Rutgers University
Gloria Sitt - Brooklyn College
Abraham Tobias - Macaulay Honors College at Brooklyn, Dean's Scholar at Baruch College, Brandeis University
As I mentioned last week, the Macaulay Honors College is a highly selective and extremely prestigious program within the City University of New York; only a handful of students are selected for this honor. The University Scholar Award - of which only 20 are granted in total - and the Dean's Scholar Award - of which only 100 are granted in total - include a special Honors program, free tuition for all four years of college, a laptop for the student, and a $1,300 stipend to study abroad. We are still in the midst of the college notifications - students have yet to hear from quite a number of the colleges of their choice - and even with the process far from complete, our glorious seniors already include 9 Macaulay Honors students, 16 Dean's, Presidential, and University Scholars, and a total of $1.4 million in earned merit-based scholarships! This is an absolutely amazing accomplishment - we are so proud of all of our wonderful students' achievements!
I look forward to being in touch after Pesah - to let you know about one of the crown jewels of MDYHS - the wonderfulSenior Internship Program, under the direction of our Associate Principal Mrs. Sabrina Maleh, along with our great Internship Faculty Team. As our students excel in their career paths, they will share the highlights, successes, and inspirations with us - I can't wait!
Pesah is the educator's dream holiday. The entire experience of the Seder focuses on the grand theme of transmitting lessons to the next generation. I have always thought that the Seder is a paradigm for the ideal model of education, and in that sense I would like to highlight what I think are 9 key features of the Seder - and of education in general.
1) Great education requires a plan. The very word "Seder" means "order" - a thought-through structure.
2) Every child has a place in the process of education - all "Four Sons" - and each child must be educated according to his or her learning needs.
3) The process of great education involves different methods - audio (telling the story of the exodus) and visual (eating the masot and marror, leaning).
4) True learning means living the lessons and making them an integral part of our lives (hayyav adam lir'ot et asmo ke-eelu hu yasa mi-misrayim)
5) We cannot meaningfully proceed to the future without appreciating and cherishing the past.
6) When we learn, we have a responsibility to take the treasured gift we have received and pass it along to others. Sharing wisdom enhances us.
7) Real learning must involve the inculcation of middot (inviting others to our table, appreciating what HaShem does for us always).
8) Effective education is not done alone - it is a family affair.
9) Great education is a dynamic, exciting, celebratory experience.
This is the Seder; this is mesorah at large; and this continues to be the hallmark and tradition of our great MDYHS community. I wish you and your entire family a joyous, wondrous, pleasant, and fulfilling Pesah. Tizku LeShannim Rabbot!
Sincerely yours,
Rabbi Saul Zucker
