When a group of girls from the AMIT Ramle Technological High School couldn’t find summer jobs, they and their teacher came up with a plan that would keep them occupied, help them earn some money and helps others have fun—all while emphasizing acceptance and diversity.
Inspired by their teachers, who celebrated the end of the school year with an outing to an “escape room,” the girls launched one at the school that they called “Escape from the Stigmas.”
Participants enter the room, which is meant to be the home of a person who categorizes people or stigmatizes them using various descriptions: superficial, liar, nerd, outstanding, secular, religious and other terms. To escape, participants go on a scavenger hunt for letters that form the words respect, love, acceptance, among others. They have an hour to complete the mission.
The escape room has become quite a hit in Ramle, so much so that the girls, who work eight-hour shifts, had to extend its hours of operation. They accommodate about 50 people per day, and charge 80 shekels for a couple, 100 for three people, and 25 shekels per person for groups of four to six people.
“I am so happy I found work for the summer break,” said Chen Shmuel, one of the students. “The work is fascinating…and unlike other jobs where people told me what to do, here I get to delegate. Like many of my friends, I’m saving the money I earn toward my driver’s license. Other friends are saving for a trip to Eilat.”
Dr. Amnon Eldar, AMIT’s director general, urged principals from throughout the network to bring their teachers to the escape room. “The room features an outstanding combination of initiative, wonderful education and a significant connection with the students,” he said.
