Click on the images above to jump to the corresponding article
From the Desk of Dr. Laura Becker
KNOWING THE SCORE
Autumn has always
been my favorite season.
Along with the splendor of nature I enjoyed growing up in New England, plus the excitement of a new school year, I have always savored the opportunities Tishrei
offers: to measure myself as my good and not-so-good deeds are weighed
in the balance, to make amends, to reflect on our need for Hashem's protection in this fragile world, and to celebrate Torah.
Autumn always enables me to 'know the score,'in all its aspects.
I get a clearer picture of the world and where I stand within it.
What can students do to ensure you 'know the score?'
Start by assessing your personal behavior. Are you exemplifying the values you espouse? Are you making full use your abilities?
Underclassmen: it's never too early to look ahead. This does not mean you should obsess about PSATs or how you scored on your very first assignments and exams! It does mean that you should have the 'bigger picture' in mind as you attend school.
Think about what you're good at and what subjects you like to study.
Consider the basic knowledge and skills you will need to be a good citizen and to compete in this world.
Choose extra-curricular and chesed activities you enjoy which enhance your personal growth and the well-being of our school, community, and/or world.
Stay organized.
Take those standardized tests seriously.
Remember that you need good grades in order to have choices in the future.
Seniors: you should already be consulting Mrs. Kanner, Rabbi Horowitz and Mrs. Roberts to make sure that you are focused on the right seminaries, yeshivot and colleges. Maintain good grades and seize opportunities for leadership - this is your last chance before you head out the door!
We all need to take stock in order to reach our potential. Self-awareness and an eye on your future will help you handle the challenges you face at WYHS, give greater meaning to what you do, and boost your chances of success!
So"step it up," and make sure you know the score!
Dr. Laura Becker Director of College Preparatory Studies
Letters to the Editor
Do you have any comments or suggestions regarding this edition of Yeshiva Highlites?
Feedback will be featured in upcoming editions of the Highlites.
Oops! Highlites Correction
In the Sept. 25 edition of the Highlites, the d'var Torah on Parshat Haazinu, "Listen Up," was inadvertently attributed to Rebecca Fuchs ('10), the D'var Torah Coordinator, though the excellent piece was in fact written by Racheli Mizrahi ('11). We apologize for the error.
The Weeks Ahead
Tomorrow Night Girls Volleyball vs. Hebrew Academy @ Boca JCC
Monday, October 19 Rosh Chodesh
Tuesday, October 20 6 PM Boys Soccer Playoffs @ Boca JCC
Saturday, October 24 9 PM Freshmen Parent Melavah Malkah @ the Tirschwells
Tuesday, October 27 Parent Teacher Conferences 8 PM Junior College Kickoff
Wednesday, October 28 Senior Night Out
Thursday, October 29 In school Eitan Katz Concert
Saturday Night, October 31 Clocks Change
Refuah Shleimah
Simcha bat Luna
Rachel Masha bat Leah
News Brief
Getting a Head Start
Underclassmen tackle the PSATs
By Ezra Kurtz ('12)
On Wednesday
morning, the daily routine of Gemara
and Tushba was discarded in favor of a mad scramble for Number 2 pencils
and calculators. The PSAT had arrived at WYHS.
This three part test,
which measures critical reading, math, and writing skills, was given to
students to provide firsthand practice for the SAT. While only juniors
were eligible to receive scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, all students
were encouraged to use their scores to assess their personal strengths and
weaknesses on an actual standardized
test.
Moreover, the test allowed
students to become familiar with the kinds of questions they will encounter on
the SAT...and, of course, to practice the intricate art of bubbling in minuscule
circles!
News Brief
An InTEN se First Semester for Seniors
Class of 2010 Gears Up For College, Yeshiva, & Seminary
By Lee Lee Borzak ('10)
With our busy schedules and deadlines looming in the (scarily)
near future, we seniors have definitely not developed "senioritis." During this past four-day week, seniors have posed for senior
pictures, interviewed for Yeshiva University/Stern College, and heard six
college presentations--Barnard, Binghamton, Brandeis, Stern, Yeshiva University,
and FAU Honors. In fact, the representative from Brandeis was so
impressed with WYHS students that he waived the application fee for all
WYHS seniors.
Within the next few months, seniors will hear from many more
college representatives from schools across the country. Additionally,
many representatives from seminaries and yeshivot in Israel
will present to the seniors. Thanks so much to Director of College
Guidance Mrs. Marcy Roberts for helping the seniors deal with their
first semester stress, for making the college admission process less
scary and daunting, and ultimately for helping us find the colleges that are most suitable for each of us.
Feature Story
Chesed & Ladders
Even
after a four hour test, WYHS students are ready to do chesed. Right
after taking the PSATS, the sophomores and juniors partook in WYHS'
annual Chesed Day. Some students went to JARC, an organization
dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities, others went to Cross Roads Ministry or Cooperative Feeding in Fort Lauderdale, organizations that provide food for the poor and homeless, and another group visited the Youth Activity Center in Boca Raton. Thanks so much to Chesed Coordinator Mrs. Heather Andron and Vice President of Community Outreach Randi Prince ('11) for a Chesed Day that was both fun and fulfilling.
By Sarah Struhl
('12)
On Wednesday afternoon in
honor of WYHS's annual Chesed
Day, the 10th and 11th grade girls
had the privilege of going to JARC, a facility that assists adults with
developmental disabilities. There, the students had an opportunity to interact
with the JARC members while creating fun as well as useful art projects. After
the projects were completed, numerous games of BINGO were played, which gave the
students a chance to work with the JARC members in order to help them win the
prizes that they all certainly deserved. Following an afternoon filled with
stories, jokes, and learning, both the students and the members of JARC walked
out with smiling faces as well as a few new friends.
By Arie Hizkiya
('11)
The 11th grade boys' chesed program
was a great experience. We had the chance
to feel what those less fortunate than us have to go through just to get the
bare essentials, the things we all take for granted. At the Jubilee Center
in Hollywood,
we helped prepare take-home bags of food for the needy, packing them with simple
things like basic canned goods and powdered milk. We also made bags of beans and rice, added
the cooking instructions, and got to know the head of the kitchen, Marcy. I think
this trip really helped us get our priorities straight and become thankful for
what we have. The knowledge that our
work helped people in need is such a satisfying feeling.
By Simcha Adelman
('12)
The tenth grade boys' chesed project
took place at a food pantry in Broward, helping
the less fortunate. The students helped with various tasks such as
packaging boxes of food and loading them in people's cars.
We observed and interacted with some interesting people while we were there.
I noticed one particularly interesting encounter between a Jewish guy and
another (Christian) volunteer conversing about the Bible. We also worked with a
Vietnam veteran in the warehouse of the food pantry. I noticed
how the people who pulled up in their cars were very happy to be receiving
these boxes of food. The pantry also does something that really helps the
children. I learned today that some kids do not have food to eat at home; their
only meals are at school. The charity makes packages for kids called snack
packs, which are given to kids in the summer while they have no school. I
really enjoyed helping this charity and meeting the interesting people there. I
learned to appreciate what I have and to not take food for granted.
Photo Story
TAG, YOU'RE IT!
The Ninth Grade Goes Laser-Tagging
In Focus
WYHS 411
Freshmen Learn the Ins and Outs of Their New School
By the Highlites Staff
Already a month and a half
into the school year, the freshmen finally know when to expect the bell to ring. Nevertheless, when it comes to vital high school
class and study skills, the freshmen were glad to hear some tips from the more
experienced upperclassmen.
Following the PSATs this past
Wednesday, the 9th graders participated in the crash-course WYHS
Made Easy, in which they learned invaluable lessons on how to excel in their
courses.
For those of you who could
use some note-taking advice, here are some pointers that Ariana Genet
('12) shared with the 9th graders:
-Each teacher is different so
make sure you are aware of their various teaching methods so you can use the best
corresponding note-taking technique
Ex.) Mrs.
Schochet repeats her ideas twice,
the first time in depth and the second time in summary. It's probably better to listen closely the
first time and then to write the notes when she summarizes.
-Write in shorthand. Notes are not formal essays, so as long as
you can understand them, your notes serve their purpose well.
-Label the dates on all your
work. It's a lot easier to review and
compare notes to source sheets, homeworks, handouts, etc. when they're organized
chronologically.
-Write on your handouts. Highlight the key phrases and
scribble notes/translations in the margins. It won't hurt the handout, but it will help you in your studying.
-If you have any questions
you can always ask the teacher and they will be happy to schedule a time to
help you or you can find any upperclassman or classmate to help explain things
to you.
Multimedia
Picture of the Week
Pictured: For Holly Hampton ('09), Aleeza Rubin ('09), Nonny Gross ('09), and David Clements ('09), one major factor of their Chol HaMoed in Israel was meeting up with Mrs. Beverly Weiss, their former AP Calculus teacher and the Math Department Chair of WYHS. Going out to lunch and reuniting with fellow WYHSers added up to a great afternoon!
SpiritualityD'var Torah
We've Got the Whole World in Our Hands
Parshat Bereshit
By Rebecca Fuchs ('10)
We are so fortunate to be human. As the saying goes, "The entire world was created for me." This week's parsha, Parshat Bereishit, describes the wondrous creation of the world. This parsha seems to have a very positive theme for us: mankind is pretty great. As the pshat
and commentaries suggest, the entire world was created for mankind.
Every single incredible act of creation was done solely for humanity.
We are the creations that fulfill the purpose of all creation. Every
detail of the universe is to somehow benefit us. In fact, all of the
beauty of the world, every color, every sunset, was created for our
enjoyment.
Of course we are aware that mankind is unlike any animal species on
this earth. We have higher intelligence, we have free choice, and we
were created in the very image of G-d. Additionally, our value is so
significant that we are considered to be of a higher importance than
even angels, for their purpose would be non-existent if not for
humanity. Our great status, however, does not come without consequence.
As a result of our greater function in creation, we have an incredible
responsibility. Our mission is to bring purpose to creation by
following G-d's commandments. Through our observance of Torah and mitzvot, we are establishing ourselves as higher beings, with the ability to
decipher wrong from right and to act accordingly. Through serving
Hashem, we are fulfilling the very essence of humanity for which the
entire universe was created, When we let go of our purpose and forget
the reason for our existence, we bring meaninglessness to the world.
The Torah shows us an example in this very parsha
of such a possibility. Adam and Chava did not follow the will of
Hashem, and through their mistake, their world was significantly
altered. Gan Eden was created for humanity and
our purpose of serving G-d, and once that purpose was ignored, the
existence of that world was unnecessary, leading to our expulsion.
It is therefore, imperative that we recognize our stature and greatness, and earn our title as humans, those created b'tzelem Elokim,
in the Image of G-d. May we strive to understand our significance and
be able to fulfill our purpose in this world.
