Twenty at-risk high school students cooperated with Israel’s world-renowned Shenkar Design Academy on a unique project.
“Budding Shenkar Students” is a unique three-year program where 20 teenage girls from Ulpanat Dolev, a residential treatment center for 110 at-risk high school girls from across Israel, cooperated and interacted with the prestigious Shenkar Academy of Design in Tel Aviv, one of the nine leading design institutions in the world.
In this innovative program, the Dolev students – who aspire to study different areas of design – are taught by three students from the Shenkar academy as well as by an art mentor.
These students are already studying vocational subjects, such as metal artwork, commercial baking, fashion design, computer repair, hairstyling and cosmetology.
This cooperation with the Shenkar academy exposes the girls to world-class design and art subjects, which normally would not be available to them. During their second and third year of apprenticeship, they will work in small groups and focus on a chosen subject, while receiving personal mentoring.
Ulpanat Dolev, located in the idyllic community of Dolev in Samaria, stands out in Israel as the only school for youth at risk that integrates female students on a weekly basis among the local families. Emphasis is placed on letting the students experience a nurturing environment and positive parenting models.
These students usually come from weak socio-economic backgrounds or troubled homes and are not emotionally prepared to enter Israeli society on their own. The Dolev school becomes their ‘family’ and provides them with educational tools to succeed in life, while enhancing their self-esteem.
The goal is that the accumulated knowledge from this unique program will enhance the students’ portfolio and increase their chances for acceptance to the Shenkar Academy upon graduation.
After successfully completing the first year of study, the Ulpanat Dolev girls are proudly exhibiting their artwork at the Azrieli Mall in the nearby city of Modiin.
By: United With Israel Staff