Young Entrepreneurs

Now that the school year is over, we are pleased to present this review of educational programs financed by Partnership 2000 in 2001/02, noting with pride that the Arad Municipality and the Tamar Regional Council receive over NIS 700,000 from Partnership 2000 for educational purposes.

Democratic School

The Democratic School, that began operation in 2000, provides its students with a unique kind of education. Partnership 2000 has provided assistance since the school was founded. We would like to thank Michal and Tamir Strier and the school staff for their remarkable activity. Were it not for their resolve and vision, the Democratic School would have remained only a dream.

Young Entrepreneurs Program

The Young Entrepreneurs Program aims at exposing youth to the world of industry and business. The program, introduced by Partnership 2000, is now in its second year in Arad, with the participation of about 20 youngsters who have demonstrated outstanding talent in the design of impressive products. Last year, the group won first place in a Southern District contest for a product called Bye Bye Birdie that keeps pigeons away from residential buildings. This year, it won second place with Mouse-In, an environment-friendly mousetrap.

Choir in Action

Arad Conservatory

The Arad Conservatory joined forces with Partnership 2000 and set up school choirs that meet during the early afternoon. The program began operation three years ago at all local elementary schools. Last year, choirs enriched ceremonies at the Telalim, Avishur and Levaot Schools. We thank Yitzhak Spiel and teachers Patricia Raber and Nina Munitz.

Sports

Partnership 2000 and the Arad Association for the Advancement of Sports, financed establishment of elementary school sports leagues. The program, now in its third year, offers volleyball, handball, soccer and of course basketball. We thank Hanan Danziger for his initiative and promotion of the project.

Community Center

Drumming Circles

Working together with the Community Center, we drew up two astounding programs: Thinking Big - that encourages youngsters to volunteer for social and community activity - and Drum Circles. We thank Irit Havkin for her initiative and ideas.

Immigrant Absorption

To achieve outreach between new immigrants and veteran Israelis and involve immigrant parents in their children's education, Partnership 2000 financed Parents' Groups that prepare parents and children for first grade. In its three years of operation, about 100 new immigrants, some from the FSU and some from Ethiopia, participated in this prestigious program developed by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

We thank Nehama Gibor for her alertness and initiative in promoting a program to assist students with difficulties and keep them from dropping out as early as junior high school. This year, the program was conducted at the Allon Junior High School.

Intuitive Arts Workshop

Intuitive Arts

About ten youngsters who sought various means of self-expression found appropriate means to do so at the Intuitive Arts Workshop, run by artist Shimon Pinto. There, with no previous knowledge, they learned to work with previously unfamiliar materials. Their creations will be exhibited publicly in October.

Nitzan

The Nitzan chapter in Arad received financing for Didactic Diagnosis of Children from Needy Families, enabling 20 such children to be diagnosed free of charge.

Hen Bemidbar Yeshiva

The Gilad Association, a religious organization that runs the Hen Bemidbar Yeshiva, assists children from families of immigrants from Ethiopia. The group obtained financing from Partnership 2000 to conduct enrichment programs, introducing children to Torah stories and intensifying their knowledge of Judaism. We thank Yaniv Dahan who helped coordinate these activities.

After School Day Centers

After School Day Centers were opened this year at the Levaot and Halamish Schools, financed by Partnership 2000 and the Association for the Advancement of Education with the support of the Arad Municipal Education Department. The centers are open three hours a day, four days a week, providing students with tutoring in mathematics, English, reading basics and general skills, as well as a hot meal. The Levaot School obtained a special contribution to set up a modern and innovative English Library.

Students

This year, ten scholarships were awarded to Arad students who completed their full compulsory IDF service and undertook to perform community service in return. One purpose of this project is to form unmediated ties between students and potential places of employment so that when they complete their studies, they will be able to find jobs in Arad and return home. The community, in turn, gains serious and committed volunteers. We thank Hannah Gur, Nadia Granitz and Anat Rubinstein for their cooperation in this project.

Tamar

We are supporting two projects in the Tamar Region: In Kibbutz Ein Gedi, at its northern extreme, we are helping with computerization of the school library, while in the south, at Kikar Sedom, Spoken English Groups are being conducted for local children at the initiative of Ofra Schwartz. The latter program, financed by Partnership 2000, is now in its first year.

Now that summer is here, we would like to wish you a pleasant vacation. We invite organizations and institutions interested in obtaining assistance for youth development and educational advancement projects to submit their proposals to Partnership 2000 with all due expedience.

Av 5762 - August 2002