AMOS & CELIA HEILICHER MINNEAPOLIS JEWISH DAY SCHOOL

Heilicher Alumni Board Kicks Off Its Second Year

Heilicher Alumni Board Kicks Off Its Second Year

By Yoni Binus

Last Sunday, 24 Heilicher alumni came together for the first meeting of this year’s Heilicher Alumni Board. The Board, made up of Heilicher alumni who are currently in high school and who applied to join, is an opportunity for alumni to support the school, gain leadership experience, and make an impact on their Jewish community.

It was absolutely amazing to see our former students come together and focus on the work at hand. Their energy, their thoughtfulness, their organization, and their poise all stood out as they chose committee work and got down to business brainstorming this year’s recommendations.

After hearing updates on Heilicher from the Head of School, they broke into four committees (Student Life, High School Preparedness, Jewish Life, and Alumni Engagement) based on interest and experience. In committee groups, they shared their Heilicher memories and high school experiences and begin formulating recommendations that could help strengthen Heilicher and continue to meet the needs of Jewish students in the Twin Cities.

At the end of the meeting, the committees presented their preliminary suggestions to the whole Board. From Israel education to an alumni mentor program for current students, their creative, impressive, and meaningful ideas set the stage for future work in refining a final set of recommendations to present to the Board of Trustees at the end of the year.

We ended the meeting by touring the Makerspace (which was something they requested after I mentioned it in my update at the outset of the meeting). The Board members asked great questions, and many reflected on how they feel the school has grown since their time here. They are proud of the school Heilicher has become!

A special thank you to Yonah Davis, Ethan Kahn, Zachary Weiser, and Nora Cornell who stepped up to take leadership roles on the Alumni Board and to keep the momentum going.

Alumni Board Committee

 

  • Alumni
  • Alumni Board
  • Head of School
  • Yoni 360

More Posts

Jackie Smith testifies at Minnesota House meeting

On Thursday, March 2, on behalf of the Minnesota Association of Independent Schools, Director of General Studies Jackie Smith testified in front of the Minnesota House of Representatives Education Finance Committee in support of a bill that would expand state funding for mental health support in independent schools like Heilicher.

Leah Shapiro and Debate it Forward campers in front of The Adler Planetarium

Heilicher alum Leah Shapiro (Heilicher ’08) is redefining debate — what it looks like, what it sounds like, and, most importantly, who can participate. She created My Voice Matters, a debate camp with programs for pre-K through tenth-grade students, with the concept that all children deserve to be heard and feel empowered to share their ideas.

poster board with photos of students preparing for the event

Heilicher's fifth grade planned a mitzvah day and brought together 170+ people, collected 180+ food items for donation, and made 200 mitzvah bags for those in need. They raised $453 to distribute to Sharsheret cancer research, Hadassah children's hospitals, and the Animal Humane Society. Fifth-grade student Mia M. shared her experience working on the event.