By Isaac Shiner-
This year, 23 seniors were selected to be a part of the Senior Leader program. The Senior Leader program at Ida Crown Jewish Academy assigns a senior to a group of freshmen each year. The seniors work to make the freshmen feel welcomed at Ida Crown and help them transition to high school life. The Student Social Services department, led by Mr. Zbaraz (Doc Phil) and Ms. Avner, runs the program and selects the senior leaders from a group of applicants.
Ms. Avner explained, “senior leaders can help provide advice and support throughout the beginning of the year for those new students to ensure their adjustment will be smooth and easy.”
Senior Pelah Cohen said that she applied to become a senior leader because “[She] wanted to be able to introduce Ida Crown in the least intimidating way ever. High School is scary -especially when you start at the bottom- and I really think Ida Crown has great opportunities to offer. I want to help my freshmen with the transition. I had a hard transition from Arie Crown so I want to make theirs smoother.”
Ms. Avner explained that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, “things may feel slightly different at the start of this school year in order to create a physically safe environment.” However, “adjusting to longer days, more classes, and new friends are the same this year as any other.”
During a typical year, the senior leaders attend freshman orientation before the start of the school year to show the freshmen around the building, help them set up their lockers, and answer questions about high school. The senior leaders also participate in freshman programming and activities like the Freshman Fridayton (Friday and Shabbat night programming). Throughout the year, the seniors become friends with their group of freshmen and help them adjust to the long high school days. For example, senior leaders can suggest using different study skills, share their experiences in different classes, and teach them how to manage their workloads.
Incoming seniors apply for the position of senior leader because it gives them the opportunity to help freshmen transition to high school. Many incoming seniors had unanswered questions when they were freshmen. Now, the incoming seniors want to make sure the freshmen have someone to answer those same questions.
Senior Abigail Koenig explained that she applied to be a senior leader “because I would like to give back to the freshmen what I received throughout my years in high school. Senior leaders helped me adjust to life at Ida Crown,” she clarified. “I hope to be able to ease my freshmen into the school in the same way that my senior leader did three years ago.”
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