Midreshet Shalhevet names its val and sal

Posted

Midreshet Shalhevet High School for Girls in North Woodmere named Hadassah Krigsman its class of 2019 valedictorian and Eliana Hirsch the salutatorian.

Krigsman shines academically and creatively and has a deep sense of responsibility toward others, and is dedicated to achieving excellence in everything she does, MSH officials said. She has a 4,0 grade point average in both Judaic and general studies

In her senior year, Krigsman completed three Advanced Placement courses, multiple honors classes, was the co-editor of the yearbook, and captain of the basketball team. She has also been on the math and college bowl teams throughout high school, and captained the college bowl team this school year. She also joined the inaugural MSH soccer team this year, and was the softball team’s starting third baseman the past two season.

Her mathematical mind, combined with her artistic talent, helps to add out-of-the-box thinking to the hard sciences and mathematical precision to the humanities. As one of the student school photographers, one will often see Krigsman in the hallway taking photos Her photography and videography skills are so good that, as a camper on a summer program, she was asked to create a video to be used for the promotional materials. She has also won an award from the National YoungArts Foundation.

Outside of school she spends summers and weekends as a volunteer at the Kitty Cove animal shelter. After MSH, Krigsman will attend Amudim in Israel, then Macaulay Honors Queens.

Hirsch is considered naturally intelligent, but she also has a lot of grit. Her academic strengths are evident in her 4.0 GPA, top scores in her AP courses, and equally strong ACT and Regents scores. She is a student who deals with life’s challenges with poise and pushes herself to excel in all of her endeavors, school officials said.

Her take-charge personality and determination has pushed her into multiple leadership positions through her high school career. Lobbying to start a school band, forming a glee club, she was the head of choir her junior year, and captain of Torah Bowl senior year, are just a portion of what she has done.

Often cast as one of the lead roles in the school production, Hirsch is also frequently asked to perform, both as head of the school choir, and on her guitar, at many school functions. She and two classmates formed a band to play at community events. When she is not performing, Hirsch divides her time between schoolwork and volunteer work with Friendship Circle, an organization that caters to special needs children, where she visits these children in their homes, on a weekly basis. 

Hirsch plans to attend MMY in Israel, and hopes to pursue a degree in music therapy, to combine her love of music with her natural empathetic nature.

–Jeffrey Bessen