The Jewish Home n
M ay 3 0 , 2013
48
Around the Community Skill Building Through Teamwork Makes BYQ’s 8th Grade Winners! At Bais Yaakov of Queens, students love sports. Their gym is always filled with the sounds of excited students playing basketball, soccer, machanayim, kickball and so much more. During a student council meeting a few years ago, when junior high students met with Mrs. Sarah Bergman and Mrs. Karen Reisbaum, the general studies administrative team, students requested more gym time. Believing students learn in all settings, Mrs. Bergman created the BYQ Team Program. With funding from the Parent Association, Morah Chaviva Pfeiffer was hired to coach a series of team building sports activities. The objective was to have students learn about the value of each and every student; everyone is a part of a whole and every student is an integral part of the Bais Yaakov team. Building on this, the goal was to have students recognize how important each “whole” in their lives is important, whether it is their class, school, family, community or Klal. Teams were created, and the girls played basketball with one another. They had such fun and learned so much. The experience proved to be so positive, that when they requested another series, the school responded in kind. The PA readily offered to fund it, and Morah Pfeiffer was a willing partner to coach the girls, once again. An opportunity to share the girls’ enthusiasm about sports arrived when Torah Academy for Girls, TAG, was interested in having the 8th grade girls play machanayim with one another. BYQ’s students were eager, although there is no official machanayim
team. The team was chosen during gym class by Morah Pfeiffer. On the day of the game, the BYQ Machanayim Team traveled with the entire grade. Everyone wanted to participate, cheer and be a part of the ruach. TAG was the ultimate host. As visitors, BYQ was greeted and led to the magnificent gym. Both schools’ students filled the bleachers to watch and cheer. All of the students exemplified middos tovos and great sportsmanship. The BYQ team did an outstanding job of showing their finest middos and skills. The game was even more fun when they won! Morah Pfeiffer explained to the girls, “A team works together, with each member doing what she does best for the good of the team as a whole. No individual can do everything. You must trust each other and work together to accomplish your goal.” Mrs. Bergman’s objective for the BYQ Team Program, for the girls to realize and apply this lesson, which is true in life, was achieved. “None of us can do it all. We each need to do our best at what we can do. If we help one another, families, communities, and Klal Yisroel and do our part, together we make a whole. We depend on each other and of course put our trust in Hashem.” Congratulations to the machanayim team: Adina Finkel, Chavi Steinberg, Rivka Davidov, Bracha Book, Elisheva Marcus, Raizy Erlich, Adina Aminov, Menucha Kassirer, Yafit Kamel, Rena Rambod, Sara Tropper, Golda Taub, and Rivka Raizel Goldschein. All of the girls, from both schools, deserve much thanks for supporting and cheering their classmates.