HAFTR Highlights

Student accomplishments recognized, celebrating Israel

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Eager to engage in long-awaited summer plans, students have worked diligently these past few weeks to complete all final assignments and exams. To culminate a rigorous, yet academically productive school year, Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway High School faculty took the time to reward those students who have attained exceptional achievement in both the classroom and the community.

On the evening of May 24, HAFTR High School families and faculty members celebrated the plethora of student achievements at the annual Celebration of Excellence and Honor Society induction ceremony at Congregation Beth Sholom of Lawrence. Students were inducted into the Deah (knowledge) chapter of the National Honor Society, Principals’ Honor Roll, Foreign Language, Art, National Speech and Debate, International Thespian and Community Service honor societies.

Select students also received recognition for outstanding achievement in academics, community service, and creativity during HAFTR’s traditional candle lighting ceremony. Representing the Candle of Torah was Aliza Gettenberg; Benjy Gottesman lit the Candle of Achievement; Jake Greenberg lit the Candle of Character; Regina Generowicz lit the Candle of Commitment; Grace Chabbott lit the Candle of Creativity; Ethan Jesselson lit the Candle of Dedication; Miriam Kopyto lit the Candle of Leadership. Shoshana Wallach lit the Candle of Service, and I, Amanda Schorr, lit the Candle of Scholarship.

Student of the Year Daniel Friedman was the keynote speaker, and delivered an inspiring speech to his classmates. A special awards ceremony ensued where science and leadership awards were presented. After all the students were inducted into their respective honor societies, 2016-2017 Deah president, Rachel Sacks, introduced the new 2017-2018 Deah president and vice president: Erica Hilsenrath and Kyle Seidel.

More student honors
This past month, several students also received honors from the 2017 annual Long Island Science Congress. Sixty-six projects from the freshman, sophomore, and junior classes were submitted to the science congress, and many of these students received certificates and ribbons for their outstanding research presentations.

Four students, including myself, were invited to attend a special awards ceremony, where honors, high honors, and highest honors awards were distributed. In the junior division of the competition, freshmen Ilana Sacolick and Ariella Stefansky received the high honors award for their research on the “Effectiveness of Blood Pressure as a Basis for a Polygraph.”

In the senior division, Miriam Kopyto and I received the honors award for research that focused on “Analyzing the Carcinogenicity of Hydrocarbons and Their Mutagenic Effects on E-coli and Cancer-related Genes in C. Elegans.” I would like to personally thank our science research mentor, Stanley Blumenstein, for all his help and support; we could not have done it without him.

On, June 4, students, parents, and faculty participated in the annual Celebrate Israel Parade in Manhattan. Students marched proudly in their specially designed parade T-shirts from 57th to 74th Street, hoisting with Israeli flags and supportive banners. It was a great opportunity for students to demonstrate their unwavering love and support for the state of Israel.

Because this is my final column, I would like to wish you a happy and healthy summer.