HIGHLIGHTING TORAH ACADEMY’S HIGH SCHOOL

By Breindy Lazor Torah Academy High School

The end of the school year means an opportunity to reflect on the entire year’s achievements. It is with great pride that I look back on my second year at Torah Academy’s High School and can point to amazing things that our students have accomplished. Our bulletin board is filled with pictures and fliers showcasing the extra-curricular fun, events, and community services that occurred: baked goods and Chinese food sales; girls’ pajama party & movie night; Shabbatons to Rochester, NY, and St. Louis, MO; 10th of Teves and Taanis Esther programming; and of course, our year-long Jewish history project: a Holocaust documentary film with the “Names, Not Numbers” program that we were privileged to participate in for the second year in a row.

However, those were the events that happened outside of our classroom. Inside the walls of Torah Academy High School, days were filled with rigorous learning in both Judaics and General Studies classes. Our Kodesh department consists of a multitude of Torah courses including Dinim of Shabbos, textbased Chumash learning, interactive Navi, project-based Hashkafa classes, not to mention Jewish History, Tehilim, and Biur Tefilah courses. Our secular studies department, comprised of former and current college lecturers, encompassed courses in World History, Algebra, Geometry, Pre-Engineering, and ELA. The best part of our high school having a small number of students is our ability to enrich our more advanced students with more challenging courses that are one to two years above grade level, while ensuring that remediation is available for students needing more support, whether in Kriah or math.

Of course, extracurricular opportunities and fun are so important for our young ladies and so we continued with student-guided electives like art, yoga, and baking - run by community volunteers. This year, we also launched our high school student government organization, G.O., headed by 9th graders Noa Rosenbaum, Simma Rabinowitz, and Eva Smith. The G.O. heads poured their enthusiasm and creativity into every initiative created, fostering an atmosphere of excitement in the rest of the school which participated in the fun! Some of their accomplishments this year included writing and teaching students in younger grades a schoolwide spirit song and dance, planning Rosh Chodesh and yom tov events and activities, running yummy food sales, brainstorming and executing trip ideas, and creating a Chessed initiative - all with the help of Tammy Fisch. From Adopt a Bubby, to volunteering at River Garden, to V is for Victory, to making food at kiddush for Etz Chaim and the Kollel, our girls found so much fulfillment in giving their time and energy to help others in the Jacksonville community.

We look forward to our high school continuing to grow while adhering to our values and mission: offering strong academic programs in Judaic and General Studies which prepare our students to be successful, Jewish professionals and givers; student government activities and initiatives to foster leadership skills; and extra-curricular opportunities, all of which come together to create a warm, supportive and student-centered Torah environment for the next generation of Jewish leaders.