To Life!

K EENS

BBYO Pride

Staff photos by Armando Rios

Regional
Convention brings
out the competitive
best in teens.

Hayley Mandell, 15, of Farmington
Hills and Ahavah BBG, and mother
Nancy Robbins-Mandell look at
Regional Convention art work.

W

inter break was a week of individual and chapter competitions for 387 Michigan Region B'nai B'rith
Youth Organization (BBYO) members. Their annual Regional Convention, held Dec. 24-28 at the
Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield, is the highlight of the year for many Jewish high school
students. Jason Berger of Farmington Hills and Stephanie Shatzman, West Bloomfield, both high school juniors,
chaired the convention.
Twenty AZA and BBG chapters participated in 30 events, competing for the title of Most Distinguished Chapter.
AI Jolson AZA won the honor for the second consecutive year and Achayot BBG was a sixth-time winner. Kishon
AZA and Emunah BBG won Most Improved Chapter awards, while Yizhak Rabin AZA and Dora Savage BBG won the
Sportsmanship awards.
Participants collected 2,300 used books for senior citizen complexes and homeless shelters. In addition, BBYO
members made 60 fleece hats for cancer patients at Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. 1

Left: Jolson AZA basketball
players Brad Hanzlir, 16, of
Farmington Hills, Andy Liberman,
17, of West Bloomfield, Zack Simon,
17, of Commerce, Scott Sonenberg,
17, of West Bloomfield, Brad Stone,
16, of Farmington Hills

Right: Kulanu BBG's volleyball
teammates Kari Silver, 16, of West
Bloomfield, Sarah Groden, 16, of
West Bloomfield, Sammi McClain, 17,
of Bloomfield Hills, Laura Groden,
14, of West Bloomfield, Lauren
Shreve, 16, of West Bloomfield,
Marissa McClain,15, Bloomfield Hills
and Lindsey Schwartz, 16, of West
Bloomfield

34 January 18 2007