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<\/p>\nNegba\u2019s pilot \u00ab\u00a0Bogrim\u00a0\u00bb program launched in 2017 to prepare pre-teens for the demands of middle school.
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The program commenced last Spring in the Kiryat Menachem neighborhood and is the first of its kind in Jerusalem. The move from elementary school to middle school brings with it physiological, social, academic and emotional changes. This transitional period is a perilous one; and unprepared pre-teens from underprivileged families will find themselves in a large and unfamiliar environment and at extremely high risk of dropping out of school.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe Bogrim program definitely has prepared me for next year,\u201d said Mia S., 12.\u00a0 \u201cThe new school I\u2019m going to is humongous, and I\u2019m nervous about being in such a large place.\u00a0 I\u2019m also anxious about all the hard work I will have to do in math and English.\u00a0 But I feel more ready now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mia and the other 22 participants, many of whom are children of old and new immigrants, come from the three primary schools in Kiryat Menachem.\u00a0 The program is held on the premises of the Guatemala School and operates 3 afternoons a week for approximately 4 hours each day.\u00a0 It includes a Learning Center for instruction in math, Hebrew and English, weekly private consultation time for each pre-teen with a social worker, and informal social and cultural activities.<\/p>\n
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But it wasn\u2019t easy back in April 2017 to convince some participants that the program was for their benefit.\u00a0 \u201cAt first it was a huge challenge to convince them to come,\u201d said Sharon Shalom, Coordinator of the Grade 7 track. \u201cThey didn\u2019t want to do anything connected to learning or that reminded them of school.\u00a0 But over time, they realized it was worth it for them and for their future.\u00a0 Over the year we\u2019ve seen a complete change in attitude.\u00a0 They want to be here.\u00a0 If they miss an activity, they get very upset.\u201d<\/p>\n
Set to begin its second year this coming September, the Bogrim program enjoys the support of the Jerusalem Municipality, which decided to partner with Negba again in the same neighborhood as a result of the established success of Negba\u2019s After-School Home for children ages 7-11 in Kiryat Menachem since 2011.\u00a0 But it\u2019s not just the positive sentiments of the Bogrim program\u2019s participants that demonstrate its effectiveness; the first year evaluation data indicate it as well.\u00a0 94% of participants felt the program prepared them for middle school, and 95% improved in one academic subject with which they struggle.\u00a0 86% of participants felt they possessed increased self-esteem as a result of the program.<\/p>\n
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Given the Bogrim program\u2019s achievement, in September 2018 a third group of 15 new grade 6 pre-teens will be added to the program.\u00a0 In total, the program will serve about 35 pre-teens from grades 6 through 8 in the coming school year.\u00a0 Additional pre-teens and parents have asked to join the program, which is currently limited due to lack of space.\u00a0 But the neighborhood\u2019s residents are now well informed about the academic benefits of the program and the social benefit for the participants.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey really care that we learn, that we know the material,\u201d said Rotem K., 12. \u201cThey really care that we come.\u00a0 Thanks to the help we receive in the program I am getting lots of good grades in school.\u00a0 Negba is like my second home.\u00a0 Only too bad it’s just for 3 days a week.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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