The members of the Class of 2026 are making the most of their final weeks as Yeshiva University High School for Girls (Central) Wildcats. As formal classes wrapped up last week, these soon-to-be graduates marked a long-awaited milestone: Senior Seminar. Each year, Senior Seminar continues to serve as a meaningful bridge between high school and the world beyond. Designed as a series of experiential learning opportunities, the program equips students with the practical knowledge and life skills they will carry with them into adulthood.
This year’s program featured an impressive lineup, including certified financial planner and Senior Financial Advisor to the Achiezer Team, Stacey Zrihen, who guided students through the fundamentals of financial literacy. YUHSG’s own Mashgiach Ruchani, Rabbi Joshua Goller, offered a hands-on session on maintaining a kosher kitchen, while Michelle Greenberg-Kobrin, Board Chair of the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot (ORA), spoke to students about agunah prevention. Additional sessions focused on key aspects of independent adulthood, including healthy relationships and parenthood. Highlights included a visit to a mikvah, a practical workshop on how to change a tire, and a nutrition seminar.
These learning opportunities were offered alongside fun activities like Super Senior Panoply, Senior Apples to Apples, and the compilation of the annual senior time capsule. Also included in the week: The annual senior dinner on Thursday, April 30, which brought soon-to-be graduates together with faculty and staff to celebrate the past four years and enjoy one last chance to bond.
Another headlining event that took place at YUHSG this week: YUHSG held its first-ever Medical Summit. Presented in conjunction with the Jewish Orthodox Women’s Medical Association (JOWMA), the event was facilitated by YUHSG Science Institute Director and Science Department Chair Mrs. Ruth Fried, and Dr. Yarden Goldman Gollan, MD, Director of the Pre-Med Committee and High School Programs at JOWMA. YUHSG’s Pre-Med Club student leaders, juniors Emma Katz and Shira Peskin, also helped to facilitate the program.
Held on Wednesday, April 29, the event offered students, faculty, families, and rising freshmen an opportunity to hear from a full roster of medical professionals with specialties ranging from internal medicine to pediatric neurology to palliative care. Interactive activities included a laparoscopic simulator, intubation simulation, a mock IV/blood draw, suturing, and pediatric CPR. The opportunity highlighted YUHSG’s commitment to education outside the classroom, as well as professional development for its students. “We created the Pre-Med Club to give students real exposure to the medical field, and this summit is our first step in making that possible,” Emma said. “We hope it inspires students to explore careers in medicine and see how they can make an impact.”
An additional bit of professional development for Wildcats will begin next week, when the senior class concludes Senior Seminar and begins its annual internship program, which will last throughout the month of May.