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The third graders at the Bais Yaakov Academy of Queens filed into the multi-purpose room of the school for a gallery walk celebration of their original “How to” books. Students walked around reading their friends’ books and wrote compliments. This writing celebration was a culmination of a six-week unit of study in writer’s workshop under the direction of Mrs. Susie Garber, BYQ’s writing consultant. The students and teachers were very enthusiastic about this unit of study.

On Sunday, February 2, the Bnos Malka staff gathered together to hear from Dr. Jefferey Lichtman. Dr. Lichtman is the director emeritus of Yachad and current Professor and Lucille Weidman Chair of the newly-established graduate program in Jewish general and special education at Touro College. Drawing from his great knowledge and expertise in the field of education, Dr. Lichtman shared techniques and strategies to help engage, motivate, and inspire every student. Teachers walked away invigorated for the second half of the year, empowered with additional tools to reach every child, a mission at Bnos Malka Academy. Dr. Lichtman’s presentation is but one of the ways that Bnos Malka and Touro College are collaborating to enhance the field of education.

Rosh Chodesh Sh’vat was ushered into Yeshiva Tiferes Moshe’s Early Childhood Program on Monday with a fun and educational program. The boys gathered in the dining room and, after discussing the name of our new chodesh and the special yom tov of Tu BiSh’vat, the boys brainstormed to think of the many things we get from trees. Morah Ahuva wrote down all of the amazing answers on a big tree. From delicious fruits to schach for our sukkah, to paper and fresh air – thank you, Hashem, for all these wonderful things that we get from trees!

On Sunday, January 26, MTA’s Robotics team put on an incredible performance at the First Tech Challenge Qualifier. The team’s robot outranked more than 30 other robots to take first place during the ranking portion of the event, and came in second by only a few points in a nail-biting final match during the elimination rounds.

The Yeshiva of Central Queens hosted its annual Yachad Shabbaton. On January 31 and February 1, Shabbos Parshas Bo, students, staff, and alumni from the Yeshiva gathered to share in a Shabbos filled with learning, ruach, and the making of new friends. Community members opened their homes to house Yachad members and staff, making it possible for them to participate in this amazing Shabbaton.

MTA took second place at the Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education (CIJE) Hack-A-Thon, held on Wednesday, January 29, at Yeshiva University. The event brought together 170 students from 18 different schools, who were divided into teams and given five hours and the necessary computer hardware to develop solutions that address environmental problems.