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HAFTR Lower School students enjoyed several outdoor experiences with nature over the past two weeks. Before Shavuos, Kindergarten classes helped Principal Ms. Joy Hammer fill our new garden with plants. They enjoyed digging a space to set the plants so that they will grow and fill in the garden over time. They talked about how plants need soil, air, light, and water to grow.

After a year of challenges, and learning, the first graders at the Yeshiva of Central Queens came together with their cohorts to receive their first siddur. The program began with the singing of the “Star Spangled Banner” and “Hatikvah,” led by Rabbi Moshe Hamel and Rabbi Michael Ribalt, followed by a special recitation of T’hilim for all of klal Yisrael during this scary time.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, students in the Middle School have been discussing mental health and wellness, mindfulness, and how to integrate more intentional practices in their use of technology. Students were treated to a wonderful interactive presentation on self-improvement and goal-setting through the lens of Torah and psychology by Rabbi Dr. Saul Haimoff.

At the annual Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education (CIJE) Innovation Day, engineering students from Jewish schools all over the tri-state area will present projects that they have designed and executed over the course of a semester as a culmination of their year’s learning. Though the event will be held virtually this year, Mr. Michael Spindel’s freshman and sophomore Engineering students have approached their presentations with creativity and professionalism. Freshmen Aviva Kessock and Tiferet Tuchman designed a “Kavanah Klock” that lights up and sounds an alarm to remind people to daven at appropriate times. This project required them to use a breadboard to build the physical clock and to write the code in Arduino to allow it to function. Freshmen Tani Fish and Lois Rifkin built a “20/20 Vision Project” to address the currently pervasive problem of eyestrain caused by long periods of computer usage. The “20/20/20 Rule,” which states that, for every 20 minutes spent looking at a computer, one should look 20 feet away for 20 seconds, is a useful principle to prevent extreme eyestrain. However, it is difficult for most of us to implement this rule in practice. Tani and Lois built a device that automatically cuts power to a computer monitor for 20 seconds after 20 minutes of use. We are grateful to have such innovative problem solvers in our midst!

MTA Freshmen had an amazing time bonding with their friends and rebbeim on their grade-wide overnight trip, which took place on Thursday, May 20, to Friday, May 21. The trip began with a stop at Laser One for fun games and laser tag, and continued on to Camp Dora Golding for an overnight. Talmidim took advantage of the perfect weather and enjoyed lots of outdoor sports, including a rebbe-talmid softball game and grade-wide basketball tournament. From chilling in the game room to night activities, a make-your-own ice cream sundae bar, bonfire, and a midnight barbecue, there was something for everyone. The trip was the perfect way for talmidim to spend time with friends whom they may not share classes with, bond with their rebbeim outside the classroom, and come together as a grade with tremendous achdus!

The YCQ Girls’ Torah Bowl team has done it! On Thursday, May 13, the Yeshiva of Central Queens competed in the championship round of Torah Bowl. Torah Bowl is a competition where several yeshivah teams study two or three parshiyos with their perspective Rashis and compete against other yeshivos. Torah Bowl was developed and is coordinated by Rabbi Meir Wolofsky since 1995 with close to 70 teams in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. After the team was in first place in their division, they advanced to the championship round. For the championship, the team members had to study the parshiyos of BaMidbar, Naso, and B’Haaloscha with their corresponding Rashis.