The High School program is a student-led program, where the participants partner with the educator to choose the topics of study and activities, and often lead much of the programs.
Last year’s program was a great mix of social action, fun Jewish activities like cooking and music, and learning, all of it done together with the goal of building community. Last year kids focused on contemporary issues, including homelessness, climate change, and democracy and racial justice. Kids also made (and ate!) Jewish holiday foods together twice, had a Jewish jam session, took a trip to hear youth leaders speak, and did community building activities.
We look forward to partnering with this year’s cohort of high school students to select contemporary issues and design activities which can be adapted to the virtual space. Even more so in this time of Covid, we are prioritizing Kavana high schoolers’ connection to their community, peers and teachers.
The program will run monthly on Sunday evenings, 7:00-8:30pm. This year's dates include: Sept. 20th, Oct. 18th, Nov. 15th, Dec. 13th, Jan. 10th, Feb. 28th, Mar. 21st, Apr. 18th, May 16th and June 13th.
As Director of Education, Cara is responsible for ensuring that Kavana’s educational vision is being implemented across the board. Her experience in formal and informal Jewish educational settings position her well to oversee our after-school programs, from designing curriculum to working with our educators on professional development. Since transitioning to virtual learning, Cara has been diving deep into utilizing best practices for online learning, mastering Zoom tools, and designing new pathways for kids and families to maintain their connection to the Kavana community. In addition to our weekly programs, Cara supports families through the B'Nei Mitzvah process as well as our other youth and family programming. Outside of her work with Kavana, Cara enjoys cooking with her husband Tony, social-distance hang-outs with friends and family, and walking in her neighborhood.
Seeking a contemporary model of Judaism that encourages reflection, discussion, and personal engagement over rote observance, Dana found Kavana in 2010; it didn't take long for her to know that she had found the right place, and she became a partner in December of that year. A foodie who can’t wait to return to hosting diverse groups of people together around her huge table, Dana was an early host for Kavana's home hospitality program, and enjoys alternative Shabbat gatherings in coffee shops and parks. A few years ago, Dana co-chaired the Communications Committee and has continued to be involved in conversations around how we communicate both information and values; she believes that words matter, and as a Kavana board member is deeply invested in seeing us continue to communicate clearly as we evolve. During the first part of her professional life, Dana worked as an architect in NYC and Seattle, and then spent twelve years teaching an array of fine arts courses to high school students as a full-time faculty member at University Prep. She also taught as an adjunct instructor with Seattle University's Master in Teaching program, working for six years with pre-service graduate students as they prepared for a career teaching visual art. Dana holds a B. Arch from Pratt Institute, an M. Arch from Yale University, and an MIT from Seattle University. An artist who lives in Phinney Ridge with her husband, John Jacobs, and their daughter, Dana believes the point of our time here on earth is to live a life of purpose, connection, and empathy.