Schechter Life  |  High School

May 27, 2009

Today we celebrated the concluding event in Schechter’s Internship Program of 2009. And thanks to Adrien W., we were all appropriately dressed in our new Internship T-shirts! All 19 interns gave oral and written presentations that were truly remarkable. There were Power Point presentations, a video and a slide show, gifts and cards from adults and children who benefited from the energy, diligence, and creativity our interns brought to their worksites.

This group of interns was one of the most resourceful in our history, many independently (some quite persistently) pursuing the internship of their dreams. Everyone in the conference room learned just how successful these pursuits were as the interns shared their experiences and what they’d learned about themselves and the “adult work world.” The work sites included museums and a hospital, the IDF and the JNF, public schools and parochial schools, film and television production companies, a public relations firm, a fashion design company, and a business that repaired and sold violins. The interns worked with founders, foundations, very young children and children who have special needs or are at socio-economic disadvantage, assisted in the care of pets, cancer patients, and young adults with severe physical handicaps.

Our interns really matured during this semester: they took their freedom from the structured school day and acquired time management skills as they navigated their way through the NYC subway system, assumed responsibility for and met project deadlines, and worked successfully as part of a team (where they were often the youngest members). At least three interns have been offered paid employment this summer!

Rachel S., May 8, 2009

My internship is with the Friends of the IDF, a non-profit organization that raises money for the Israel Defense Forces. The funds are mainly raised for “loan soldiers,” soldiers who are not from Israel and volunteer for the army; scholarships for soldiers after they leave the army; and items such as portable gyms to make the military experience more enjoyable. The money has also been used to provide Torahs. Earlier this year I got to help with a huge benefit dinner at the Waldorf in NY that raised over 13,000,000 dollars. It really is an amazing experience helping such a great organization, and the office is in the Empire State building, which is super cool!

Joey S., May 8, 2009

My internship is at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. I love it. My day begins with an hour and a half commute, composed of a train, 3 subways, and a 10 minute walk. I then go into the volunteer’s office to check in and proceed to my job as a patient escort. The patient escort’s job is to bring the patients from place to place. Even though this may sound easy, it is not. First, you must know where you are going in this huge hospital. Second, you must know how to remove and replace all the medical equipment (IVs, urine bags, etc.) that the patient has. Lastly, you must keep a positive attitude with all the patients. This is very difficult because sometimes it is hard to look through all the tubes and masks to see that there is a real live human being there.

I am very friendly with all of the staff at the hospital. I have had a couple of memorable experiences. One time I had a patient fall, another time I met someone whom I knew at the hospital. I have also met some famous people; however, I cannot discuss that due to HIPPA. I decided to intern at a hospital because I wanted to be in that atmosphere to decide if I wanted to pursue a medical career. I really enjoy the hospital and am now leaning toward studying medicine. I also hope to be offered a job at the hospital during the summer.


Raffi M., May 4, 2009

I had never seen so many Jews in one place! I am currently working at the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey, which contains pre-K through 8th grade and has a student body of over 1000 students. This school is one of the leading yeshivot in the areas of special education and transitional education. I am working with the latter. This program takes students with learning disabilities, ranging from dyslexia and other processing disorders to autism and other forms of mental disabilities and attempts to give them the best education possible. The students spend time in smaller, more nurturing classes for most of their day but will occasionally join a mainstreamed class for a subject. I work as a shadow for a few kids who are moved into mainstream for subjects such as Judaics, math, and reading. Also, I work with an inclusion 4th grade class as an extra pair of hands. I grade papers, help with those students who need extra help with a subject or assignment, and am just there as another presence in the room.

One of my more memorable moments was when I walked into my Tanakh class and found a full -sized camping tent pitched in the middle of the room. The boys were learning about Avraham and how he traveled around Israel, so the rabbi brought in a tent and they studied from inside the tent that day. They really loved it and it made the text come to life.


Taylor Z., May 4, 2009

Since second grade, I always pictured myself going on Neshama, but when it came down to my decision I decided to do the internship program because I have a very wide range of interests, and I wanted to explore my interest in fashion. I definitely do not regret my decision because this internship program has been full of great opportunities. My internship is at Nicole Miller in NYC in their Production Department. The Production Department is in charge of producing all the Collection, Studio, Studio 1, Bridal, and Signature garments of Nicole Miller. This department is also in charge of buying fabrics and trims, pricing garments, and making the patterns for each garment. In addition, it is also in charge of repairs. If a store has a problem with a garment they send it back to production, and production assesses what went wrong with the garment and either fixes it or exchanges it. Production also works with the factories, inspects everything before garments get shipped out to a store, and sends and makes samples for the major department stores, like Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom.

My work at Nicole Miller consists of rolling fabrics, cutting and tracing patterns (that are used to lay against the fabric to cut out the right size fabric), picking up fabrics in the garment district, running errands, updating and maintaining line sheets (all that is produced is put on a line sheet - a line sheet is a flat drawing of the garment), updating the swatch library, assisting with preparations for fittings, and dying fabric - once I had to dye some tool and grosgrain for a dress that needed to be photographed for Neiman Marcus. Working in production at Nicole Miller has taught me about the immense amount of work that goes into creating and producing one garment. I really enjoy what I am doing and am learning a lot about the fashion industry. In addition to my work at Nicole Miller, I also held an internship at a tween boutique in Westfield and interviewed for many other internships and jobs. This internship program has given me a lot of interview and resumé experience, and I am glad I decided to do it.


Adrien W., May 3, 2009

The Internship Program is amazing! What a breath of fresh air. I absolutely LOVE my internship and the freedom and independence that it allows. In stark contrast to school, where you’re in class all day and have homework and other activities in the evenings, the internship is only 4 days/week, 6 hours/day and the rest of the time is your own. All of the interns also meet periodically to spend time together on fun trips.

I chose to split my time between the JCC of Central New Jersey in Scotch Plains and the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey in Summit. I am at the JCC one day a week, shadowing the art teacher in various classrooms, where I’ve gotten a lot of hands on experience – there is never a dull moment when you’re working with kids!

I spend most of my time at the Visual Arts Center, where I am an education intern for Vanessa Chippendale. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better “boss” or working environment!! Everyone there is so incredibly nice, and the space itself is beautiful to be in. The Center has art classes for children and adults, runs an Art Camp in the summer, offers art lectures and other activities, and has four art galleries whose exhibits change frequently. I help with the upcoming shows in two of the galleries that feature the art work from the Center’s teachers and students, making up price lists and labels for the pieces, and putting together the biographies of the artists for the Faculty Show. I work on registration for Art Camp and research some of the traditions of different countries from around the world that will serve as the themes for each week. In addition, I help out with anything Vanessa needs, such as spending a day with the Kids’ Art Camp over the week of Spring Break, and when I told Vanessa that I like organizing things, she put those skills to good use.

Even if some of these tasks sound mundane, I feel like the experience I’ve gotten from being in a work environment and being in an office is invaluable. I love waking up and going to work, being treated as an adult and an equal, and being “out in the world”. The Internship Program has a perfect balance between getting valuable experience at work and having time on your own to breathe. I couldn’t have wished for a better way to spend this semester and I highly recommend it to everyone!!

Lexi N., April 30, 2009

With much excitement and enthusiasm, I started off my internship at Water Music recording studio. Unfortunately, there wasn't much for me to do, so I changed my internship. I am now happily working at the school I graduated from, the Gerrard Berman Say School-Solomon Schechter of North Jersey. I love it! I split my day between the Nursery 2 class and the first grade. My days are filled with smiles and lots of hugs! All of the children are adorable!

Nursery 2 is filled with cute and loving little boys and girls. I assist with all of the activities during the morning hours. These activities range from circle time and arts and crafts projects to playtime in the gym and music classes. I feel very productive because the pace is non-stop.

In first grade, I help the teachers and children with their daily classroom procedures. Some of the things I am responsible for are providing one-on-one assistance to students in reading and language arts activities, as well as math, and helping the teachers prepare materials for upcoming lessons. One of the highlights during my time here was helping the first graders with their "Around the Community" unit. We went on an exciting field trip to the post office, police station, the supermarket, and the bank. They also interviewed different people in their community and "became" that person during a presentation for the parents. All of this was reminiscent of my days as a student at GBDS. I also helped the children write letters to their neighbors. I especially love "typing buddies" with the first and fifth graders. Interning at GBDS, with its warm and nurturing environment, fills me with such good feelings and provides me with great memories for years to come.


Ilana R., April 21, 2009

Have you ever just wanted to go back to fourth grade? I don’t know about any of you, but my years in elementary school were probably the best of my life. That being said, I decided to take this unique internship opportunity to work at my former elementary school, Oradell Public School, with one of my favorite former teachers. Although it is strange to hear the students call me Miss. R, I am truly enjoying my time in the classroom where I help the kids with projects and class work. I grade homework and I am also able to interact with the kids when I call them up one by one to go over their mistakes and lead them to the correct answer.
During my first week the students were working on their science fair projects where I assisted them in making ooze, making bubbles, building a Lego shake table, and much more. Before this experience I did think about studying to become an elementary school teacher and learning from the best has really helped reinforce my desire to become a teacher. I look forward to the last month of being known as Miss. R and will truly miss it when it is over.


Danielle R., April 14, 2009

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in a school where the students strayed outside of the Jewish Schechter “bubble”? Having been in the Solomon Schechter school system since kindergarten, I have always wondered about the mysteries of public school. For my internship, then, I decided to work with second graders at the Paul Robeson Theme School for the Arts, a public elementary school in New Brunswick, NJ. Most of the children in the school are Hispanic, and many struggle with expressing themselves in the English language. Since I speak Spanish fluently, I translate for students who don’t understand the teacher’s instructions and help them in improving their writing skills. Also, I am proud to say that I was able to act as a Spanish translator for my teacher during parent/teacher conferences.
Aside from utilizing my Spanish language skills, I also work with students who need extra help in math, reading, spelling, and writing. When I am not helping the students, I do projects for the teacher that include grading tests, setting up for class projects, and hanging up finished work around the classroom. While I know that working in education can be difficult, I never truly understood the significance of being an elementary school teacher. In high school, it is assumed that the students know how to add, subtract, and spell correctly (for the most part). In elementary school, however, it is the job of the teacher to teach these basic skills to last them for the rest of their education. I am honored to have the opportunity to help build a strong educational foundation for these students.


Dalya Z., April 6, 2009

My internship is at City Lights Media. Today was the last day of filming for a show tentatively titled "For Sale by Owner" for HGTV. It's pretty much exactly what it sounds like: the host Troy McClain (who was on the first season of The Apprentice and is a really cool guy, you can google him), gives tips and advice and helps homeowners sell their homes on their own without a realtor. The show featured two families, the Pachecos on Long Island and the Gonzalezes in Rahway. Today was the open house for the Gonzalezes, which we filmed (yesterday, they filmed the Pachecos. I was invited to that shoot too, but i didn't go). After the 45 minute drive to Rahway and the obligatory morning coffee and supply runs, my job consisted mostly of helping move things around and set things up.
Once the open house actually started around 1 p.m., my job was to stand outside the house and make sure that everyone who came to see the house signed an appearance release form that said that we were allowed to film them and use the footage. Luckily it stopped raining right around when people started showing up and actually became quite nice out, so it wasn't that bad. It was kind of fun. Afterwards we had to clean everything up and pack up the truck and the various cars we had, which took a while. The family was super nice though and incredibly grateful; and as soon as we wrapped, the husband insisted on everyone but me having a drink or two or five, which made the whole thing, car ride home included, a lot more fun. Once we got back to the city I helped unload the car and put the cameras and stuff away, then took a cab home because it was late.


Jonathan H., April 6, 2009

The state of New Jersey has over 500 distinct municipalities in its less than 7,500 square miles. All this extra bureaucracy puts direct costs on tax payers. Luckily, for my internship I am working for the LUARC Commission in the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs which is specially tasked by the New Jersey legislature and the governor with finding out what savings can be made by consolidating municipal services such as fire departments or 9-1-1 centers. For most of my days, I am researching consolidation initiatives in other states and looking at specific instances in New Jersey, trying to help our local governments maximize efficiency. The job comes with some pretty cool perks. On March 10, when Governor Corzine gave his budget address at the New Jersey state house, I was there watching it inside the Assembly hall. We (the commission I'm working with) even got a mention! Every day of working at the New Jersey DCA makes me feel important (we even got mentioned on New Jersey Network News!), and it also feels great to be actively participating in public service.

Hannah K., April 6, 2009

My internship is at Holistic Pet Care, which is a veterinary practice in Little Falls, New Jersey. Holistic veterinary medicine takes a more natural approach than traditional veterinary medicine. At Holistic Pet Care, eating a well balanced diet and avoiding toxins, dangerous chemicals, steroids, drugs, and excessive vaccinations are emphasized. When appropriate, Holistic medicine uses conventional medical approaches as well. At Holistic Pet Care, I have seen many dogs get chiropractic, acupuncture, and ozone therapy treatments. In addition, I have watched tumor removal surgeries, castrations, biopsies, and dentistry. I have preformed various tasks such as assisting in handling the dogs and cats, vacuuming the rug, and annotating blood work by comparing it to a reference range. I am thoroughly enjoying my internship, and I have already learned a lot and am looking forward to learning more.


Michal G., April 6, 2009

Throughout my life I have been giving and receiving trees as donations through the JNF. But now I am actually working there, behind the scenes and learning everything else about JNF. The Jewish National Fund plays a huge part in restoring and refreshing Israel and now I play a part in helping JNF with these tasks. From press releases to media lists to tweeting on Twitter, I work on many different projects for whatever is coming up. In the public relations and marketing department we are involved in promoting and advertising campaigns, programming and events. Recently, I helped get the word out to editors and publications all over the United States for GoNeutral Shabbat, which was held March 27-29. To paraphrase the publicity material, synagogues, schools and communities join to learn about Shabbat in an eco-friendly way and deepen the connection between Judaism, Israel and the environment. JNF also just celebrated the grand opening of its indoor playground in Sderot. This allows children to safely play without fear of rocket attack. The conservation of water in Israel is obviously a key issue today as the sources become smaller and smaller with drought. That is why JNF has made water conservation a priority and has built more than 180 water reservoirs and dams to store more than 34 billion gallons of water. This is enough water for more than 1.2 million Israelis each year. I am so happy to be working with such a great organization and feel that I am getting wonderful experience, including commuting into the city and riding the subway.

Seffi K., April 2, 2009

My work at Jewish National Fund is engaging and fun! As an intern in their Education and Israel Advocacy Department, I assist my boss with anything she needs. My job portfolio ranges from the mundane (calling schools to follow up on programs), to the interesting (researching which automatic external defibrillators would work in Israel for JNF’s indoor playground in Sderot), to the fun and challenging (writing Yom Ha’atzmaut curriculum about the heroes of Israel to be used in schools across the country). One of my latest projects involves putting together a Powerpoint presentation about the 20-year partnership between the U.S. Forest Service and JNF. I imagine a conversation back then that went something like this: “You like trees? No way! We like trees too!” “Cool, let’s do lunch.” My office is a beautiful brownstone just off of Park Ave. with old time charm coupled with a modern office set-up. As Israel has always been a major part of my life, JNF is the perfect place for me. A fun fact about Jewish National Fund – JNF owns 13% of the State of Israel, land that it holds in trust for the Jewish people. Often, when I call schools and tell them that I am calling from JNF, they say “Oh, the tree people?” “No,” I respond, “JNF is so much more than trees.”

Lilly H., March 27, 2009

Hi! I’m interning at my former elementary school, Gerrard Berman Day School, and I must say it’s so weird to be back there. Everyday walking through the doors is a flashback to when I went to school there four years ago.
I work with the kindergarten in the morning, and in the afternoon I work with the middle school. The first day of interning was the 100th day of school, so I celebrated it all day with the kindergarten. They baked a “100 Cake” and did many different activities having to do with the number 100.
The next day, I got a chance to work with the middle school. It was very strange to be back, seeing all my old teachers and being one of the “teachers” instead of one of the students. For the first few days in the middle school, I observed all the classes to see all the different teaching styles. Then, I began to help out in the classrooms; I’ve helped teach a math class and helped out in a social studies class. This week, I’ve become the science teacher’s aid, helping him prepare for classes as well as assisting to teach. It’s definitely a great experience to plan for, observe, and help teach classes now for when I become a teacher in the future.


Josh H., March 27, 2009

My internship is at Porter Novelli, a very big public relations firm based in New York City. So far into my internship, my main project has been to do the P.R. for remind.org, a foundation started by Bob and Lee Woodruff for injured soldiers. I’ve been compiling numerous press lists and filling in the odd job here and there, too. Most recently, we’ve created a mini-site, tweettoremind.org, as another means of fundraising for the foundation. A second project I’m working on here is maintaining a blog for the company. Basically, it will be a personal blog of my reaction to the news. That’s all I’ve done so far into my internship, but I’m really excited about whatever new challenges they throw at me!


Josh C., March 24, 2009

I have been interning for Audio Vistas, Inc., a small video production agency located on West 52nd Street. Audio Vistas specializes in producing media for non-profit organizations. I go into the city each day and assist Charles Wantman, the founder and president, with all aspects of the business. Though many of the tasks inherent in producing a movie and running a business may be perceived as mundane, I have had many intriguing encounters as well. Some highlights of my experience so far include: going on a “shoot” where I was given the task of controlling the audio input, working with high-tech equipment (including various computers, cameras, and software), and watching Mr. Wantman edit disparate clips into a short video. I have been working in area in which I never envisioned myself specializing. In only a few weeks, I have really gotten a sense of what goes in to making a film.
Whether it be monotonous or stimulating, every experience I have had has been incredibly informative and educational. From only a few weeks I have already gotten a sense of what it is to be a full-time commuting employee and how much work is involved in running a business in this field. I am excited to continue with my internship and learn so much more.

Josh L., March 20, 2009

At David Segal Violins, I have different responsibilities. I deal with customers, looking at their instruments and assessing repairs needed to be done; I show clients instruments and bows; I prepare the instruments for the craftsmen to make repairs; I also help with researching the instruments' origins for appraisals or certification. Research is crucial in placing a value for the instruments. Finally, I also help with the filing and monetary aspects of the business and deal with violin traders, bringing in their instruments for assessments and repairs.


Samantha R., March 18, 2009

I must share with you that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY INTERNSHIP! It is perfect! I love the people, the atmosphere, and just everything! I feel so professional wearing my museum ID, so I can access any part of the museum. I am working in the Education Dept. and I love my boss, Emily Auchincloss; she is quite an amazing person. I work along other staff members who are warm and welcoming people in addition to other interns who are working on gaining college credit.
I edit photos for the museum’s website, assist Emily with teaching her art classes, give her new art activity ideas for future art courses, help take down art installations at the New School, and so much more!
Since I was so impressed with Schechter’s Java Joint t-shirts, I recently emailed JEB Designs to order thirty aprons for the RMA Teens. I also help another woman named Asha with her work as well. Just the other day I helped her schedule two months’ worth of scheduling for the museum's docent program (which was long and tedious, yet well worth the work). I cannot wait to continue sharing my experiences with you! This internship has been quite different than going to school everyday, but it has been a nice change of pace. I cannot wait to see where it takes me.


Healy S., March 18, 2009

Shalom! It's Healy, doing an internship in Israel, and today was my first day on the job. It was amazing; really, it was a day I will never forget. In the morning, it was like a shock to see people my age and older in wheelchairs and unable to function normally like I do; but
then when I got to know these people, it was as if they were not in wheelchairs. When I asked one of the people who is treated there how he was dressing up for Purim, he said, “All the days of the month I dress like a guy in a wheelchair so on Purim I am dressing like a normal guy without the wheelchair.” It is a beautiful place, with lovely people and fun activities. Today I helped do artwork for Purim with the people that work there and then I took the people out for walks privately and got to know each one of them. We cooked together and ate mashed potatoes together. It was really a wonderful experience and I look forward to work more. We also made oznei haman together with the people in wheelchairs and then I went home in a carservice with the people in the facility. After that the driver dropped me off at home, it was a hard and long day and I got home at around 8:30 p.m., but it was very worth it.
Thank you for this opportunity.

Luncheon, March 11, 2009

Hugs and shouts galore were the specials at Mosaica Restaurant on March 11! This was the first time all of the interns had been together since starting work on March 3rd, so students’ chatter filled the room as they peppered one another with questions, trying to catch up, clearly excited to see their classmates. The faculty advisors were just as excited and eager to hear all that the interns are doing—and they’re doing quite a lot!

This year’s 19 interns are such an outstanding group of young adults: enthusiastic, industrious, responsible. Their placements reflect these traits as well as their range of interests. While faculty members kvelled, each intern rose and named his or her work site and shared details of the experience; the students’ stories were wonderful and always followed by the oohs and ahs of their friends.

Our interns are working in the fields of elementary education; special education (here and in Israel); medicine (human and animal); film and TV production; marketing, research, and finance; government; the arts (a museum, a visual arts center, fashion, a violin maker and restorer); and organizations that draw on the students’ connection to Israel (JNF, USY, Friends of the IDF). One student honed his Arabic skills, one her fluency in Spanish. Another made congratulatory calls to winners of a juried art show. One intern watched surgery while another watched Governor Corzine from the balcony of the State House. One rubbed shoulders with Caroline Kennedy. Some students spoke about returning to their respective elementary schools as teachers’ assistants and how it felt to be on the “other” side of the desk. Interns described planning summer projects and gala fund raisers, taking surveys and blogging results.

It was an amazing afternoon. Please visit this site again as the interns post their own descriptions and photos of their lives in the “real” world.
 

Principal’s Message
Academics
Student Services and College Guidance
Upper School Library
Beyond the Classroom
Schechter Abroad
The Israel Experience
The Senior Year
Upper School Happenings
Athletics & Physical Education
Clubs Online
Bell Schedule
Conferences

Lower School
Irving Laurie Building
122 Gregory Avenue
West Orange, NJ 07052
Phone: 973-602-3700

Upper School
(Middle School & High School)
Eric F. Ross Campus
1418 Pleasant Valley Way
West Orange, NJ 07052
Phone: 973-602-3600

Hosted with Jvillage Network