The SKA Girls RISE (Reach with Independent learning, Scholars and Enriching Experiences) program provides an exciting educational platform for students who are interested in exploring academic opportunities outside of the classroom. Students are able to delve deeply into their area of interest with visiting scholars, special trips, guided reflections and independent learning. Under the guidance of Dr. Chana Glatt, SKA’s Science Department Chair, RISE has been tremendously successful over the past three years and has greatly augmented the educational experiences of its members. In the past year alone, students have physically visited the Van Gogh Experience, virtually visited the Manhattan Project, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and joined the virtual lobbying mission to Albany. An exciting Academic Adventures trip to Six Flags is planned for later this month.
The students of RISE also developed independent projects in various disciplines such as STEM, learning a language, Tanach, and Torah SheB’al Peh, and attended numerous speakers and scholars in SKA and in their local communities. In the girls’ RISE Final Presentation at the end of the year, each student will join with family and friends to present her most meaningful RISE experience.
The students of RISE were privileged to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Monday, April 4. Accompanied by SKA faculty member Ms. Sara Meira Weissman, the girls spent much of their time at the museum exploring the Egyptian collection and discussing the connection to Jewish history that could be found in the relics.
It was intriguing to link the pharaohs of ancient Egypt displayed in the exhibit to slaves from other nationalities before and after the Jews were enslaved in Egypt, especially in the days before Pesach. The girls were fascinated as the tour guide brought proof validating the historical exhibits in the museum.
Thanks go to Dr. Glatt for organizing the trip and to Ms. Weissman for chaperoning.
By Sara Erlbaum, Meira Schreier,
and Tehila Cohen SKA ’24
