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Young Leadership Empowerment Project
Through Open Classrooms in Schoolyards
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“I believe in Jewish youth. They will not disparage insignificant tasks, nor will they be
deterred by great ones.”
–
David Ben-Gurion
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Shalom,
In 1901 KKL-JNF was founded as Zionism’s operational arm, and education quickly
became paramount. By means of the famed Blue Box, KKL-JNF educated the children of
the Diaspora to believe in themselves and their ability to return to their homeland. Before
the state was established, KKL-JNF continued its educational activities, inculcating
Jewish heritage at First Fruits ceremonies and Tu Bishvat plantings, as we do to this day.
We believe that education is the most important tool in meeting our challenges. Now
more than ever, protecting the environment is the world’s most important challenge. And
so, on our 110th anniversary, KKL-JNF has embarked on a new educational initiative:
building open classrooms, devoted to the environment, in schoolyards.
Over the next three years we intend to build hundreds of such classrooms, investing NIS
30 million of KKL-JNF’s budget. If additional bodies join us, we can build even more.
Just as in the past we were able to effect profound changes in the consciousness of the
Jewish People, we now work toward a turning-point in the environmental realm. Through
the open classrooms we hope to create environmentally aware and involved young
leadership.
Best wishes,
Efi Stenzler
KKL-JNF World Chairman
Eli Aflalo
KKL-JNF World Co-Chairman
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From the director of the KKL-JNF Education and Youth Division ,
The young leadership classrooms that KKL-JNF plans to install in schoolyards as a gift to
student councils expresses our recognition of the importance of young leadership in
Israel.
KKL-JNF awards the young leadership classrooms in recognition of the student councils’
status as “KKL-JNF trustees” and their pledge to enact Zionist ecological programs in
their schools.
The young leadership classrooms will serve as a base of operations for the “trustees” and
for meetings between KKL-JNF instructors and student council representatives. KKLJNF’s mobile educational unit will also assist the student council members in conveying
the message to the entire student body.
Among the many activities to take place in the young leadership classrooms: planning
class and school fieldtrips; Tu Bishvat plantings; cleanups and work in forests and parks;
blue-box activities; water-quality testing; and KKL-JNF quizzes and contests.
The class will also serve teachers and students in planning extra-mural activities and as a
place to relax in the schoolyard during recess.
All members of the student council who participate in the leadership-classroom programs
will be invited once a year to a seminar on young leadership in schools and a national
conference on the council’s activities with KKL-JNF.
I believe that only by empowering young leadership in the schools will we be able to
advance ecological Zionism and, most importantly, the value of taking active
responsibility for the environment and quality of life.
With good wishes for great success,
Dr. Benzi Bar-Lavi
Director, KKL-JNF Education and Youth Division
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Young Leadership Empowerment Project
Through open classrooms in schoolyards
In honor of KKL-JNF’s 110th anniversary we have initiated a unique
educational-ecological project to build open classrooms for students in
schools across the country.
Student council members who join the young leadership program will be placed in charge
of caring for the structures, as well as conducting the programs and classes in them.
These student-instructors will become KKL-JNF “trustees” – pacesetters among their
peers, inculcating leadership, Zionist ecological responsibility and involvement.
To be eligible to receive an open classroom, the school must pledge to operate the
program for one year and to adhere to its objectives and goals. This will strengthen the
classrooms as a living, active, extra-mural educational anchor.
The educational program that will take place in the open classrooms will give the student
council representatives the tools they need to instruct and lead all members of the student
body oin ecological, environmental and Zionist subjects.
These tools will be provided by KKL-JNF instructors, who will guide the young leaders
at a series of meetings throughout the year in the open classroom and the schoolyard.
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Program Aims
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Establishing educational and environmental leadership groups consisting of the
school’s student council members that will lead educational and environmental
programs among all the students in the school.
Bringing schoolchildren closer to ecology and Zionism through peer-led hands-on
activities in the open classroom.
Promoting school-wide projects to benefit the environment near the school.
Creating a relationship with the various realms of KKL-JNF activity and founding
student groups that will act as KKL-JNF “trustees” in school and the community.
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Use of the Open Classrooms
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The open classrooms will be used as areas for programming of which school
council representatives will be in charge. It will serve all students and empower
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the leadership of the student council representatives vis à vis the entire student
body.
The classroom will serve as a place for students to meet and relax during recess.
The open classroom will be a regular meeting place for the student council with
KKL-JNF instructors and the venue for peer-led and KKL-JNF-led activities.
The bulletin board affixed to the structure will feature educational materials and
various announcements to assist the instructors.
The student council representatives will be responsible for the open classrooms
and will pledge to protect them and keep them clean and in good condition.
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Methods
1. Establishment of the leadership group and getting acquainted with the
program prior to the school’s first group-led activities.
2. Three-day young leadership training seminar during school vacation
at a KKL-JNF Field and Forest Education Center.
3. Implementation of programs by young leadership representatives.
4. Ongoing oversight of programs by KKL-JNF instructors.
5. Feedback meeting with school council representatives to augment and
improve program design; meeting will take place at a KKL-JNF Field
and Forest Education Center during school vacation.
6. School-wide event with participation of KKL-JNF mobile unit.
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Implementation
Classes will arrive at the open classroom at reserved times to take part in the activities led
by the representatives of the young leadership cadre.
The activities will expose the students in new, unusual, hands-on ways to KKL-JNF’s
variety of work involving soil, water, plantings, afforestation, ecology and Zionism, all
under the heading of “Ecological Zionism”.
By means of the experiential extra-mural activities, students will want to
become more involved and committed to what is happening in the
schoolyard and its environs and absorb values and content that will remain
with them beyond school hours.
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“KKL-JNF Trustee” Approved School
Schools that have been deemed “KKL-JNF Trustees” will be invited to join the
project. This status is awarded by the KKL-JNF Education and Youth Division
based on the following criteria (at least five of the nine criteria must apply).
1. Incorporation of Zionist-ecological content in the curriculum through: previous
KKL-JNF activities, incorporation of KKL-JNF content in the annual curriculum –
stamps, booklets, educational kits, on-line content from the KKL-JNF website.
2. Involvement in KKL-JNF’s mobile educational unit, field trips, ecology days.
3. “Adopting” a KKL-JNF grove, forest or park near the school (grove, forest or
park).
4. Volunteer work in caring for the forest.
5. Participation in the annual KKL-JNF quiz on Zionism, people human beings and
the environment.
6. Application in school of eco-principles such as recycling, electricity and watersaving.
7. Participation in Tu Bishvat plantings.
8. School-wide projects: recycled products or a Zionist-ecologically themed fair.
9. Green community action and caring for the school’s immediate surroundings; at
least one school-wide project in the family and community stressing ecology,
involvement, and personal responsibility; sustainable care for the schoolyard.
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More Conditions by which a School Can Earn a Young Leadership Open Classroom
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Pledge to operate a KKL-JNF educational program in the open classroom, led by
student council members, mentored by KKL-JNF instructors.
Starting and leading a KKL-JNF “trustee” group at school.
Allocating teachers to mentor the open classroom programing.
To take part in the program, the school must pledge to continue its activities
in the spirit of KKL-JNF in the years to come.
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Agreement with the Local Authority
Installing a young leadership open classroom is conditioned on a binding agreement
between the local authority and KKL-JNF. Among its important points*:
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The local authority must allocate a site for the classroom.
The local authority must provide/obtain all legally required installation permits.
The local authority must convey all permits to KKL-JNF.
The authority and school pledge to hold the activities outlined in this document.
The local authority and the school will maintain the structure for 25 years.
*Full legal document provided on request.
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Programming Content for Young Leadership Classrooms
KKL-JNF will convey to participating schools content and instructions for 14
meetings in the open classroom. The student council members, guided by KKL-JNF
instructors, will choose at least eight meetings per year.
Activities will involve the following content:
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Water: learning about water in Israel and worldwide; KKL-JNF reservoirbuilding and stream rehabilitation; saving water; conducting water-quality testing.
From nuisance to resource: learning about recycling and refuse treatment.
Afforestation: learning about importance of trees and forests, carbon fixation
and “green lungs” and the concept of the ecological and carbon footprint.
KKL-JNF: KKL-JNF’s history as part of Zionism and its current work.
Tu Bishvat Seder: Ceremony, plantings and other activities in the schoolyard.
Homeland – Independence Day: Experiential game to learn about Zionist
figures and the establishment of the State of Israel.
Biosphere thinking – Sustainable combination of human and environmental
needs.
Forest work – Volunteer work in the forest to learn its needs and help meet them.
Fire prevention – Proper conduct in the forest and rules for post-fire treatment.
Special event – An experiential day led by the KKL-JNF mobile education unit.
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Technical specifications
Structure
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Made of full, natural wooden logs with rounded profile; Finnish style corner fit.
Special emphasis on secure construction.
Use of wood as a safe, flexible, strong ecological material, treated for outdoors.
Pitched, shingled, durable roof tiles secured with metal supports.
Structure anchored safely deep in the ground; earthquake-resistant.
Measurements (large classroom): 24 sq m, height at center – 3 m.
All wooden elements will be treated against pests and fire.
Structure includes the following items
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Bench seating 24 students around the interior walls, seating 24 students.
Bulletin board measuring 1 x 2 m.
Refuse bin.
Planters.
Pine masonry anchor, 22 x 22 mm
Pine log, 180 mm diam.
Foundation as per specifications
For more technical details open here
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16-Square Meter Classroom
Pine logs 180 mm diam.
Wooden bench see item no. 13
Narrow, raised wooden edge
Wooden ramp 8% incline
Roof line
Metal tiles/shingles as per specifications
Ground level
Elevation A–A
Elevation B–B
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