Feature Friday: Students Reflect on Summer Activities

by Shir Levenson, SSLI '26

As high school students begin the new year and return to classes, they reflect on various activities and experiences they had over the summer. Students participated in a myriad of programs; the most popular activities included working, learning, traveling, and attending camps.

Many students worked as counselors at sleepaway camps or local day camps. Sarah Shlefstein, a junior, worked at Pierce Country Day Camp in Roslyn. Shlefstein was a counselor for a group of five-year-old boys. She shared that she loved being at the camp because it allowed her to enjoy summer camp activities like swimming and sports while also learning how to manage children and act responsibly. Shlefstein also explained that she had co-counselors who made the experience more fulfilling because they “had a great time sharing responsibility and taking care of [the] children throughout the day.”

During this difficult and emotional time for the Jewish people, some students decided to take it upon themselves and go to Israel for the summer. Sophomore Yoni Pedram spent his summer volunteering, learning, and giving back while also getting to know Israelis and hearing their stories. He went on an Israel trip with CTeen and shared that his “visit to the holy land was truly fulfilling and inspiring.” He continued, “Coming back, I became more proud and connected to my Judaism. I can't wait to go back.”

Yoni camped at Masada and watched the sunrise. (Y. Pedram)

Junior Layna Botwinick used the break from school to her advantage. In addition to spending time with her friends, Botwinick “completed a four-week driver's ed course and took a whole summer SAT course.” She shared that driving is a new experience, so having time over the summer to get comfortable behind the wheel was perfect for her. Botwinick reported, “I only got my permit in June, so starting driver's ed only three weeks later was a huge step up for me. Luckily, I had a great experience in driver's ed and even drove on the highway once.”

Other students participated in extracurricular learning activities where they pursued fields of knowledge of personal interest. Senior Risa Rogers was accepted into a prestigious “science research program at Stony Brook University,” where she “stayed in the dorm on the campus, met people from all over the world, and learned a variety of scientific topics.” Rogers attended lectures and “joined a research project that involved making synthetic blood vessels to be used to model brain aneurysms.” She continued, “I learned how to safely measure chemicals, plate cells, and use different types of equipment. At the end of the program, we had a symposium where all of the students shared their research with friends and family.”

Many students traveled out of the country on trips or with family. Aviva Wolf, a junior, toured Europe with the Long Island Youth Orchestra. Wolf played the violin around Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. She felt “extremely lucky to be able to be a part of this experience” and loved getting to see the culture and try local foods at each new place.

Shir Levenson is a writer for Paw Print Now and has been published on the site since December 2022. Shir is currently a junior at Schechter School of Long Island and can be reached at the following email address: slevenson26@schechterli.org