TERM 4, 2024
Sponsored by Emanuel School Foundation
This report celebrates the incredible impact of Lauren Berkowitz’s fourweek residency, fostering creativity and collaboration at Emanuel School.
About the Program
Driving Real-World Impact Through Education
The Emanuel School Foundation's "Specialist in Residence" program has made a meaningful impact by bringing real-world expertise into the classroom. This initiative has inspired students to connect their learning with practical applications, foster creativity, and engage with professionals at the forefront of their fields.
Inspiring Creativity and Lifelong Learning
Our aim is to ignite creativity, broaden perspectives, and inspire students to engage deeply with their subjects. By working directly with leaders in diverse fields, students are encouraged to think innovatively and envision new possibilities for their own futures.
A Foundation-Led Initiative
As an Emanuel School Foundation initiative, the program represents a meaningful way for donors to contribute to impactful, inspirational education. It also serves as an exciting opportunity to involve parents, staff, and the broader community in celebrating creativity and expertise.
Welcoming Lauren Berkowitz
We are thrilled to have Lauren Berkowitz, a renowned artist and creative, as the inaugural Specialist in Residence. Lauren’s work, which blends natural and man-made materials, reflects themes of transformation and regeneration. Her unique approach to art and environmental storytelling captivated and inspired Emanuel’s students and staff alike.
CREATIVE JOURNEYS AND LASTING IMPACT
Lauren Berkowitz’s residency at Emanuel School was an immersive, cross-disciplinary experience that left a lasting impression on students and staff alike. Over four weeks, Lauren engaged with students from preschool through Year 12, weaving together themes of creativity, environmental awareness, and Jewish values. Her work served as a powerful catalyst for discussions in a variety of subjects, including science, art, Jewish Studies, and environmental studies.
At the heart of Lauren’s practice is a commitment to sustainability, she challenges conventional ideas of art by working with repurposed and natural materials, demonstrating that creativity has no fixed boundaries. Through workshops and interactive sessions, students were encouraged to see artistic expression as a means of addressing real-world challenges, particularly those related to environmental responsibility and the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam, our collective duty to repair the world.
Lauren’s time at Emanuel was not just about creating art but about fostering a deeper appreciation for the intersection of ideas. Her participation in a variety of different classes provided students with a unique perspective on how artistic practice can reflect and reinforce various subject matters. The conversations sparked during her residency extended beyond the classroom, inspiring students to think critically about the impact of their choices and the potential of creative solutions.
It is hard not to feel inspired by the bridges this program built, between disciplines, between students and teachers, and between the classroom and the world beyond The exhibition showcasing the outcomes of Lauren’s residency stands as a testament to the power of creative thinking.
You can view Lauren’s time at Emanuel here.
BUILDING A LEGACY OF CREATIVITY
The Emanuel School Foundation's inaugural Specialist in Residence program left a lasting imprint on our school community, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and deep engagement with the arts. Through this program, students had the unique opportunity to work alongside a distinguished professional, gaining firsthand insight into professional practice and innovation.
At the opening of the work, Lauren Berkowitz shared insights into her creative process and a deeper understanding of the final installation:
For me personally, it references the rhythms of the natural world, from life cycles and seasonal change to Jewish rituals and circular economies... My residency at Emanuel was collaborative and experiential with both students and teachers. The work became a dialogue between the disciplines of science, art, religious studies, and the pre-kinder Reggio Emilia sensory and exploratory inquiry. My creative process was inspired by the materials and objects that pre-existed within the studio and school environs. The plinths, chairs, tables, books, and tubs formed the structural and topographical composition of the installation. Other building materials such as milk crates that were dispersed around the school also became co-opted into my imagined landscape... The school community was involved in the stockpiling of materials, whilst students actively participated in building terrariums, cardboard structures, and soundscapes, recycling their wastepaper into new sheets. These hybrid objects and fragments I then reimagined into an organic and surreal topography.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Reflecting on the residency, Head of Visual Arts Eytan Messiah noted:
Our School’s investment in the Specialist in Residence program will continue to make authentic connections between our learners’ experiences and the broader world beyond our gates. When students and staff get unique access to the work, values, and insights of specialist practitioners and experts in their field, we create new opportunities for deep learning, wonder, and engagement.
The Emanuel School Foundation remains committed to ensuring that creativity and excellence are woven into the fabric of the school experience. Through programs like the Specialist in Residence, we continue to build a legacy of inspiration, innovation, and transformative learning
Emanuel School is more than just a place of learning, it is a vibrant community dedicated to excellence, innovation, and Jewish pride Through the Emanuel School Foundation, we ensure that current and future students have access to the very best educational opportunities, fostering a love of learning, leadership, and connection to Jewish heritage.
Your support makes a difference.
�� Sustain excellence – Help us provide world-class academic and co-curricular programs
�� Drive innovation – Invest in cutting-edge learning spaces and educational initiatives.
�� Nurture Jewish identity – Strengthen our students’ connection to community, history, and values.
�� Expand opportunity – Ensure that every child, regardless of circumstance, has access to an Emanuel education.
Join Us in Shaping the Future
�� Email: foundation@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au
�� Call: 0488-101-802
�� Visit: https://foundation emanuelschool nsw edu au/
