DE TRYT
IEWSHWWS

bi
kids,

little

kids

Hillel

eighth-graders

serve as role

models to Early

Childhood Center

students.

by Jillian Goldstone

Early Childhood Center students Lexie Cutler of Farmington Hills and Spencer Cherrin of Huntington Woods make a pretend meal with Hillel

eighth-graders Hershel Dorman and Milan Goldstone, both of West Bloomfield.

H

illel Day School students
were excited to welcome
students to the Early Child-
hood Center (ECC) at the beginning
of the 2010-2011 school year. [The
new center allows 2-to-5 year-old chil-
dren to enjoy all the resources Hillel
offers.]
The new ECC is not only an incred-
ible place for preschool students, but
an incredible place for older Hillel stu-
dents as well. For the first time, Hillel
eighth-graders have the opportunity to
learn how to interact with preschool-
aged children in a mini-class taught
by Mr. Josh Cutler and Mrs. Barbara
Dworin.
Instruction
includes
learning
about early childhood development.
Eighth-graders enthusiastically took
advantage of the opportunity. Each
mini-class runs 10 weeks and about 15
students participate in the ECC mini-

{fun fact:

class each rotation.
After students volunteer, they are
In the beginning, we eighth-graders asked to reflect on their experiences
welcomed the ECC students to Hil- through journaling. Through this
lel. We comforted them and helped journaling, the eighth-grade students
them adjust to their brand new school brainstorm how they can contribute to
in Farmington Hills. We now see
them three times a week during our
mini-class from 8:15-8:50 a.m.
"The eighth-graders bring ad-
ditional warmth and sensitivity to
the ECC," said ECC teacher Mrs.
Dworin. "They share openly, build
relationships and are positive role
models who encourage our stu-
dents to be the best they can be."
The best part of this experience
is the hands-on experience in the
ECC.
"It is a very meaningful experi-
ence to work with the children,"
said eighth-grader Annie Slabotsky
of Bloomfield Hills. "I feel like a ECC student Isabelle Geller of West Bloomfield and
little kid again!"
Hillel eighth-grader Rachel Hersch of Franklin

It took Leonardo Da Vinci 10 years to paint Mona Lisa's lips.

make the day more fun and interesting
for the students in the ECC.
Eighth-grader Narmina Nesimova
of West Bloomfield used her imagina-
tion and prior experience with young-
er children to create a new game for
the ECC students using dolls and
trains.
It is so nice to be able to build re-
lationships with the younger kids. As
the eighth-graders approach the ECC
during first period, they are greeted
with big hugs and smiles.
"I like the big kids a lot, and I get
so excited when they come and play,"
said Ethan Endelman of West Bloom-
field, an ECC student. "My favorite
game to play is with the blocks."
The students really get to know
each other because the eighth-graders
rotate through all the rooms. This op-
portunity, which connects the oldest

continued on page TT4

teen2teen February 17, 2011 TT1