SKA Presents Magic Mentor Projects

Now in its sixth year, the MAGIC Mentoring Program of the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls has been an enormous success. Each year, SKA students in grades 9-12 have been matched with women who have been successful in professional STEM careers and serve as mentors throughout the year. These productive relationships have resulted in the students learning a tremendous amount, in different scientific disciplines. Using their new skills, knowledge and passion, the girls completed unique, authentic projects that are incredibly sophisticated for high school students.

This year, eight students participated in the program and worked with mentors, seven of whom are SKA alumna, on their projects which were presented on Monday, May 22. They are:

Gabriella Cukier (9th Grade) who worked with her mentor, SKA alumna

Sabrina Hirsch, on AllerRecipes: Where Taste Meets Your Dietary Needs;

Shani Geisler (9th Grade) who worked with her mentor, SKA alumna

Arielle Himmelstein Schwartz, on DNA Sequencing;

Nava Hurwitz (10th Grade) who worked with her mentor, SKA alumna

Rivka Axelrod, on her Magic Hearing Impaired Blog;

Talya Lippman (11th Grade) who worked with her mentor, SKA alumna

Leora Spitz Landesman, on Finding the Fluorescence;

Malky Mintz (9th Grade) who worked with her mentor, Leah Einhorn, on SalesAI;

Daphna Steinmetz (10th Grade) who worked with her mentor, SKA alum- na Devory Leibowitz, on Startups in the Medical Imaging Sector;

Yael Szlafrok (12th Grade) who worked with her mentor, Dr. Amelia Halac, on Epigenetic Effects of Psychological Stress on the Kidney;

Avtalya Teitelbaum (10th Grade) who worked with her mentor, SKA alumna Aviva Beiler Oppenheim, on Never Gonna Let You

HAFTR Middle School Power of Story Event

Over the course of the year, HAFTR Middle School eighth grade students have been busy working on what has now been named the “Power of Story” Capstone Project. Under the leadership of Principal Mr. Joshua Gold, Associate Principal Dr. Yali Werzberger, and faculty advisors Ms. Rebecca Zweibon and Mrs.Jennifer Boccia, students embarked on a year-long endeavor that they have called “life-changing.”

Mr. Joshua Gold explained that the idea for the program came from research conducted at Emory University that identified a correlation between knowing one’s family story and grit and resilience. To that end, all students researched and learned about their unique family history, heritage, and story. Along with eighth grade Social Studies teacher Ms. Zweibon, students learned that family stories do not exist in a vacuum, and the historical context of the times greatly shapes each person’s life and story. In addition to interviewing family members in person and over the phone to learn more about their heritage, students also visited websites, museums, and communities to learn more about the historical background that shaped their ancestor’s lives. Students then examined the values that are central to their family, and the values that they have learned at HAFTR. Lively and thought-provoking conver- sations about the importance of values then followed, and students thought about the person they want to be and the life they want to lead, based on the values that are central and meaningful to them. With the guidance of eighth grade ELA teacher, Mrs. Boccia, students then crafted and wrote a speech, using vivid imagery and powerful prose, to tell their family story, share the values they learned at home and at HAFTR, and discuss how their heritage and values will guide them on the path to becoming the person they want to be and the best version of themselves.

Dr. Yali Werzberger then ran a public speaking seminar, teaching all eighth graders the fundamentals of effective public speaking. Students then practiced and perfected their speeches, and all students gave their speeches to their classmates, inspiring each other. Students and faculty were moved and impressed by the students’ public speaking skills, powerful delivery, family stories, and values. It was heartwarming to listen to students speak about what this project meant to them and how it will shape them in the future.

Students, their families, and the HAFTR Middle School faculty all celebrated together at the Power of Story culminating event, with Isabella Scheer welcoming families, and Max Levine introducing three students, Landon Glicksman, Pia Erber, and Mark Czeisler, who shared their speeches with the audience. Sophia Grossman then introduced the video that showed clips of each student’s speech. Everyone watched spellbound as students told stories about family members who escaped countries due to persecution and built successful businesses from scratch. The video also highlighted the many values, such as integrity, compassion, and vision that are important for students, and the goals they have for themselves now, and in the future.

Down Airplane.

The MAGIC students shared their excitement with the program, noting how diligently the mentors worked with them and how much they learned over the year. Our thanks go to Dr. Chana Glatt, SKA Science Department head and the MAGIC mentors for this remarkable program.

Annie- Rose Lent then welcomed families to view the photo gallery, where each student submitted a photo of the family member they studied, along with text highlighting the meaningful impact this person had on the family and student’s values.

Reflecting on this project, Dr. Yali Wezberger remarked, “It was fascinating to listen to how so many family stories involved people with a certain goal and life path, and by no fault of their own, due to life circumstances, those plans had to change. Our students spoke with pride about how their ancestors did not respond to these circumstances with resignation and despair. Instead, they persevered, and with grit and resilience, built a new life and a new story.”

We thank Ms. Alyson Jacobs, Mrs. Rinat Balsam and Mrs. Devora Krakauer for their work on the video and Rabbi David Lamm, Ian Taub and Joe Walls for their technical support of the evening.