Savoring victories, broadening students horizons

Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR) students recently participated in three distinct activities on nearly polar ends of the spectrum: the college bowl team attended an annual cerebral palsy fundraiser, the mock trial team won yet another victory, and a group of students attended the Long Island Math Fair. Each event carried with it unique aspects and different characteristics which enabled students to thoroughly enjoy the event.

On Feb. 28, the college bowl team embarked on a remarkable mission. They set out to raise funds for a foundation that needed their help, the team participated in the annual “Trivia Challenge” for the United Cerebral Palsy of Nassau County (UCPN). HAFTR team members included: Isaak Garber, Matthew Goldstein, Jake Kaufman, and Jaimee Schwartz. The team raised nearly $500.

The participating public and private schools engaged in four rounds of competition. In each round, each school was asked one question. At the end of the final round, HAFTR was tied with Rambam and entered a sudden death round. The first team to answer a question correctly while the opposing team answered incorrectly would be victorious. After several questions had been asked, the question was posed, “what type of animal is a skink?” At the last second, HAFTR took a guess, answering rodent, while Rambam correctly answered lizard. Though HAFTR did not win it was the bigger picture that the team really cared about. “The most important thing is that we had a great time while helping an amazing cause,” team members said.

For the first time in several years, the mock trial team is in the “sweet 16,” the 16 teams who are competing in the final rounds. HAFTR, as plaintiff beat the Hewlett team. Those who attended this trial included: Sarah Fuchs, Elliot Fuchs, Matthew Goldstein, Adam Lifshitz, Arye Lifshitz, Samantha Lish, Michael Sosnick, and Tara Seidel. “We are very excited to have made it this far. It is the hard work of our entire team, the amazing leadership of our coach, Ms. Lauren Lillien, and the help of our legal volunteers Michael Weinstock and Tim Killgannon, which have made this possible,” said junior Matthew Goldstein.

Four HAFTR juniors (Miriam Friedman, Matthew Goldstein, Samantha Lish, Danielle Kramer) attended the Long Island Math Fair at Hofstra University on March 1. HAFTR students competed against five other students from different schools sat waiting to present. In each room sat two judges, with math expertise, who would judge the student’s 15-minute presentation, and their fluidity of answering questions in a five-minute question period that followed the initial presentation. Each student wrote a math paper (ranging from 13-22 pages in length), which explained the topic being presented, and made a tri-board to highlight main points of the presentation. “I never realized how much math really does influence every facet of our lives,” said junior Danielle Kramer.

It was wonderful to have the chance to step back from the routine exposure to math that we encounter in class daily and have a chance to explore a more esoteric mathematical concepts. “I am honored to have been able to work with so many motivated individuals with such great talent. Such an experience is unlike what the vast majority of people actually take part in. It was a pleasure to have worked with such an amazing academic group,” said HAFTR Math Department Chair, Neil Bernstein.

Each event, although strikingly different, broadened the horizons of participants and left each one with a sweet taste of happiness and victory on their tongues, even if the victory was not a palpable one deserving of a trophy.