Lion's Share - March 2015

LION March 2015 Adar/Nissan 5775

Curriculum Learning & Technology

College Tips from Class of 2015

Community Jewish Art Recognition

Juda and Maria Diener Lower School | Samuel and Henrietta Scheck Middle School | Ben Lipson Upper School

LION’S SHARE Welcome to Lion’s Share: Scheck Hillel Community School’s Grade 6-12 bulletin covering news about curriculum, college counseling and our community. Connect with the names, faces and initiatives that make Scheck Hillel a college preparatory school that develops global citizens with enduring Jewish identity and values. For more school information, please visit eHillel.org.

Curriculum

Learning & Technology Teachers integrate content, skills and best-in-class tech applications to engage students Each school year, students in Nikki Gutierrez’s Grade 6 science class are challenged to apply what they’ve learned about physics, math, design and technology to build a car using only a cardboard box and dowels. Their finished products must stand up to project specifications and testing. This year, for the first time, they are designing prototypes with the help of Tinkercad, a 3D digital design app. The app allows students to receive feedback from their teachers and to make adjustments before building the actual cars. Student collaboration and faculty planning across three different academic departments are essential to the success of the project. This is just one example of how technology and learning come together at Scheck Hillel.

Students test car designs using the Tinkercad 3D digital design app

Scheck Hillel Names Valedictorian, Salutatorian Mazal tov to Nicole Scheck and Salomon Serfati, who have been named, respectively, valedictorian and salutatorian of the Class of 2015. Nicole is a Silver Knight Award nominee, a former Gilinski Hillel Ambassador, captain of the soccer and volleyball teams, a member the National Honor Society and Vice President of the National Art Honor Society. Salomon is Student Government Executive President, served as co-captain of the varsity soccer team and is a current Gilinski Hillel Ambassador.

In addition to achieving high levels of academic performance, our valedictorian and salutatorian have made an impact on their community through active service and leadership. Congratulations to these dedicated students and their families!

Nicole Scheck Valedictorian

Salomon Serfati Salutatorian

Judaic Studies Program Links Past to Present “Even if Israel has to stand alone, Israel will stand.”

The Scheck Hillel students watching Benjamin Netanyahu’s live address in the Rose and Lew Goodman Beit Midrash on March 3, sensed this was the speech’s highest point, for they erupted in ruachfilled applause. Student Life Director, Yishai Cohen had told them, “You are about to watch the Prime Minister of the State of Israel speak to a bicameral session of the United States Congress. This is a very special moment in our history.” The students brimmed with collective pride.

At Scheck Hillel, learning opportunities such as this one are central to the Judaic Studies/Hebrew Language program. According to program head Rabbi Joshua Spodek, “We link Judaics to real world issues, and help students make the connections between our sacred texts and contemporary events.” Our students made this connection once again on Purim, when they prepared Mishloach Manot for the less fortunate in their community.

College

Students prepare Mishloach Manot for a Purim community service project

Class of 2015 Offers Application Tips

We asked six seniors to share lessons learned through the college application process. Here are their responses: Lior Barhai

Maxim Donaher

Evan Hanono

Vanessa Lewinsky

Alex Mendal

Sharon Stambouli

“We discussed my career interests first.

We then developed a list of top schools in my field that fit my college profile.

I recommend applying early if you are looking for scholarships or for financial aid.”

“It was helpful to classify the colleges based on whether they were ‘reach’, ‘safety’ or ‘match’ schools. I recommend applying Early Action to as many of your schools as possible.”

“I was encouraged to apply to diverse schools, and was admitted to the college of my choice.

Make sure to keep a calendar of deadlines so you get everything done on time.”

“The Office of College Counseling helped me organize my thoughts and narrow down options.

I learned that a school’s ‘brand’ isn’t the most important factor. The school has to be right for you.”

“If you are able, visit the colleges. For me this was a turning point. I did a lot of research beforehand, and visiting campuses led me to change my Early Decision choice.”

“The sports recruiting process is no easy task. The support of the Office of College Counseling was crucial, from writing emails to meeting with football coaches. Without them I wouldn’t be in discussions with MIT and Carnegie Mellon right now.”

Community

Art Contest Recognition Mazal tov to Shana Cohen (Grade 10) on winning an honorable mention in the 2015 RAVSAK Judaic Art Contest. Shana took inspiration from the contest theme - Journey - for her design.

“My submission represents the Hand of Hashem delivering the Jews from stormy waters to shelter and freedom in Israel,” Shana explained. Her piece (pictured on right) was selected from hundreds of submissions in the Mixed Media and Sculpture category. Students from Scheck Hillel joined more than 650 participants from 30 schools across North America in submitting works of art to RAVSAK’s yearly competition.

Share with us! Please email your comments, questions and ideas for future editions of Lion’s Share to news@eHillel.org.