Ofra Pe’er, the principal at AMIT Renanim Junior and Senior Science and Technology High School for Girls, believes that the next prime minister of Israel will come from her school.
“We believe that every girl should do whatever she likes,” Pe’er said. “We give them all the tools they need to choose what they want to study, and bring in female role models from all professions to speak about the many career opportunities available to them.”
Renanim provides special programs in accelerated math and science, and is opening new doors by providing access to high-tech studies in cyber and computer sciences.
“I am studying cyber and computers so that I can have a career in the high-tech sector,” one 10th-grade student, Meital, said. “The courses will also help me get into a key intelligence unit in the army.”
Meital takes extra hours for math and enjoys the project-based exams. All the girls are encouraged to take the highest-level math courses, and they meet with mentors from the army who work with them.
Another student, Arielle, said she studies physics so that she can have different options available to her. “I have gained a lot of confidence because of what I’m learning,” she said. “Sometimes, we even get to teach the classes.” Arielle works very hard and is interested in pursuing engineering or law enforcement one day.
In addition to its outstanding reputation for academics, Renanim also offers students advanced Torah studies, while girls with learning disabilities who need special attention have access to a special learning center.
There’s no doubt that the students from Renanim will certainly be well prepared to take on the mantle of leadership in industry or government. However, their school is not the only AMIT school grooming girls to become future leaders in Israel. Other AMIT schools for girls provide special science and technology courses and plan women’s empowerment trips to places like the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot.
Students at AMIT Ulpana Lehava in Kedumim take part in an innovative programming course that prepares them for the high-tech world of tomorrow. The course is held at a science center adjacent to the school, where the students learn to program a mini “Arduino” computer and acquire skills in robotics, electronics and computers.
“We encourage our students to be creative and aspire to excellence in all fields of science and creativity,” said Einat Vallach, principal of AMIT Ulpana Lehava. “The students in the programming course acquire a great deal of knowledge in the field of robotics programming, which is at the forefront of science today, and we are confident that they will advance and continue to lead in the field in the future as well.”
Not only will the girls excel in these cutting-edge fields, they also plan to use their knowledge to make a difference in other people’s lives. At the end of the course, the students plan to apply the programming and robotics skills they have acquired to build a device designed for people with special needs.
As part of the science program at AMIT Wasserman Ma’ale Adumim High School for Girls, the students spent a day devoted to women’s empowerment at the Technion in Haifa. The students met with the Technion’s leading female personalities, including the head of the faculty and an Ethiopian doctoral student, and heard from them about their personal paths to success in the sciences.
The students toured the chemistry department and learned about the various experiments being conducted in the department. They also learned about artificial intelligence and internet research.
“Our goal was to open a window to the world of science and technology, and to encourage our students to excel in the sciences and to use their talents to take their place at the forefront of scientific advancement,” Brenda Horwitz-Parver, the principal of AMIT Wasserman, said.
Meanwhile, Ulpanat AMIT Givat Shmuel students also recently took part in a unique science day, featuring special workshops where they gained hands-on experience in innovative fields. Some girls learned about molecular cooking, in which they explored the connection between the kitchen and the science lab, while others simulated performing heart surgery.
“We believe in enabling every girl to fulfill her utmost potential and encouraging the students toward excellence in the sciences,” said Chanit Freshtand, the principal of Ulpanat AMIT Givat Shmuel. “Many of them successfully integrate into the fields of biotechnology, chemistry and physics in high school.”
With that kind of can-do attitude that trickles down from AMIT principals to students, there’s no stopping these girl from achieving great things.
