Each year middle and upper school students of the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy return from winter break, excited to be back in school. Why, one might ask? Because they participate in Winterims, a week of unique extracurricular classes not usually offered during the regular school year.
“It took a lot of hard work to plan the Winterims this year,” Middle and Upper School English Department Chair Cynthia Knight said. “But it was worth all the work. I loved seeing the students explore and excel outside of their comfort zones. The students try something new and always end up loving it.”
There were over 30 classes offered for this year’s Winterims. Some of these classes included International Jewish Cooking, Winter Camping, Archery, Braille, How to Win at Scrabble and Creative Writing. Eighth-grader Moriah Abrams took part in the Braille class taught by James Wilcox.
“After learning something as simple as the alphabet, I have a new appreciation for the visually impaired. We go by our days reading everything from a speed limit signs to nutrition facts. It isn’t as easy for the visually impaired.”
Many students took advantage of the “Winter” in Winterims by participating in the Winter Survival class. The class ventured out into the cold each day to learn new techniques of how to survive the harsh environments of the outdoors.
“We learned everything from how to pitch a tent to knowing what clothes to wear in order to stay warm,” Freshman Jacob Margolies said. “The best part was making hot chocolate every day.”
For the first time since Winterims began six years ago, one of the classes offered was student-led. Eighth grader Sophia Porter taught students about the art of Henna, after two high school students expressed an interest.
“I was so excited to be asked,” Porter exclaimed. “I love Henna art and I couldn’t wait to share my love with others.”
During this week long class, 13 students learned how to mix Henna and apply it to their hands and arms.
There were also many dance classes offered during the Winterims week. At the end of the week, students who participated in the dance classes put on a showcase. Jazz, Hip-hop and swing were among the classes showcased in the performance.
“It was so much fun to dance center stage,” senior Molly Oberstein-Allen explained. “The swing dance we performed was energetic, colorful and definitely brought back memories to the parents in the audience. This year was my last year for Winterims, and it was certainly the best.”
