Being a good citizen means many things.
And AMIT schools encourage its students to fulfill their potential in various ways, including contributing to their communities. The 11th-grade students from AMIT Wasserman Junior and Senior High School in Beersheva, recently worked with the municipality to give one of the city’s parks a facelift.
The project is part of a school program that combines academic excellence with values-based leadership and social skills, encouraging students to contribute to the greater society as they achieve personal growth. The young women brainstormed ways in which they can improve their community, and then based on their interests, they divided into groups. Some of their efforts included creative initiatives, working with animals, and working with the elderly or children.
The group of students that chose to have a creative impact decided to “adopt” a local park that is home to Negev ibexes, a species of wild goats, and refurbish it for the enjoyment and recreation of their neighbors. They met with the head of the municipal maintenance division, agreed on a plan of action, and got started. The city provided the supplies (paint, brushes, gloves) and the students enlisted the help of classmates. Each week they kept a record of their progress and listed their goals for the following week.
Yehuda Rotenberg, a teacher at the school who oversees this program, said other groups of students volunteered at a local school for children with special needs, a nonprofit that helps animals, and another one dedicated to helping local seniors.
“It’s amazing to see their thoughtfulness, motivation, and investment in these projects over time,” Rotenberg said. “Their individual efforts and teamwork stand out throughout the process and they learn to take responsibility and become leaders.”
The experiential project underscores AMIT’s core values: taking care of the Earth, taking care of each other, taking care of those less able, and contributing to a harmonious Klal Yisrael.
Ron, one of the students, said, “This project shows our love for the city and our desire to improve it.”
AMIT Wasserman’s principal, Tzuriel Robbins, added that the students are not only contributing to their community, they are also gaining life skills along the way.
“The investment in projects to benefit their community goes hand in hand with academic achievement,” Robbins said. “Taking responsibility yields results.”
