Congratulations to our extraordinary teachers who received the 2022 Druzinsky Teacher Enrichment Grant! Jeanah Hong, Creation Lab Co-Director, MS Science Teacher, 8th Grade Advisor, and DEISJ Coordinator; and Ryan Allais, Director of Summer Camp & After School Programs, presented their experiences to the full faculty and staff during the recent end-of-year meeting.
Rodeph Sholom School faculty are encouraged to think broadly about novel learning experiences that would breathe new life into a career and provide new perspectives on areas of deep personal interest. This fund honors former Head of School Paul Druzinsky’s legacy of hiring and developing talented faculty. The grant is intended to support Rodeph Sholom School faculty in their exploration of interests or passions outside of the school environment, returning to their positions inspired, refreshed, and prepared for success.
The grant enabled Jeanah (pictured above) to spend 31 days in Africa, 18 of which she spent volunteering as an Environmental Justice Assistant with the @partnersforconservation in the Musanze district of Rwanda. This organization seeks to build capacity in the preservation of biodiversity which has been greatly affected by climate change, human development, and interactions in central Africa. As a science teacher, Jeanah is eager to bring these experiences into the classroom to build lessons and “spark the passion for the conservation of biodiversity and social justice in my students.”
Ryan traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina where he immersed himself in local culture through song, language, and dance with a focus on the music of the famed tango composer, Carlos Gardel. Ryan spent a month at @menteargentina where he spent 4 hours per day in an intense Spanish language program, went on excursions, and studied Tango. He deepened his knowledge of world music traditions and gained a broader understanding of how music, language, and dance are woven through human connections. He is excited to be able to take the lessons learned from this experience and help nourish students’ abilities to approach the world through a lens of acceptance of diversity.
Learn more about Rodeph Sholom School and employment opportunities at www.rodephsholomschool.org.