Jackson
For which grades did you attend Pardes? What year did you graduate from Pardes?
I attended Pardes from first through eighth grade. I graduated in 2010.
We’d love an update on your life after Pardes. Where did you continue your education?
Upon graduating from Pardes, I attended Horizon High School, from which I graduated in 2014. I graduated in May 2018 from the University of Southern California with a BS in Global Health. I am currently completing my MS in Global Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, and will be graduating in May 2019. I am currently applying to medical school.
What do you love about Pardes Jewish Day School?
Pardes Jewish Day School gives students the opportunity to build lifelong friendships through its commitment to supporting its own tightly knit community. The small size of my classes was especially beneficial to both my education and to getting to know my classmates. This academic environment provided me the structured environment in which I was able to grow and succeed. Additionally, I was able to get very close to my friends and have maintained friendships that last to this day.
What is one word that best describes the school? Tell us why you chose that word.
Welcoming – Pardes is a place where all are welcomed and encouraged to bring their unique backgrounds to a warm and friendly community. All of my teachers and friends were very supportive of me throughout my education, and I felt comfortable at Pardes from the first day I started there. Additionally, the environment at Pardes taught me to be accepting of others and prepared me to engage with a broad diversity of people throughout my life.
Describe one of your favorite memories of Pardes Jewish Day School.
Our Eighth grade trip to Washington, D.C. was fantastic. We spent a week enjoying the sights of our nation’s capital and were treated to a variety of cultural experiences, including museums and shows. I very distinctly remember the powerful experiences visiting the National Holocaust Memorial with my classmates and teachers. My classmates and I had been eagerly awaiting the trip since our time in earlier grades, and the opportunity to experience such a wonderful trip was truly a bonding experience for all of us. The trip was an excellent capstone to our education at Pardes, and I think it cemented our friendships for years to come.
From your own experiences, why do you believe it was important for you to attend a Jewish Day School?
Judaism and Pardes both place a special emphasis on education that I have grown to appreciate as I have pursued various opportunities in higher learning. I believe that by having the value of education instilled in me early on, I have been motivated to push myself academically and achieve at a high level. Likewise, graduates of Pardes are poised to pass this value on to future generations through the school’s commitment to Tikkun Olam. In my case, I have served as a science educator for elementary students in Los Angeles. After engaging in various service opportunities in my own community and internationally, spurred on by this value, I hope to commit myself to the underserved as a physician.
In what ways did Pardes Jewish Day School prepare you for life?
Pardes certainly stands out for its commitment to Jewish values, and these values are extremely important both to the school’s identity and to the students that it nurtures. I believe that the Pardes community shaped me into a person that truly cares for others, and gave me the basis for skills and values that I have needed and will continue to need to succeed. Pardes provided me with an exceptional educational background that propelled me forward into further success not only academically, but also personally. The stellar education I received at Pardes deserves credit in its own right, but its nurturing community and environment built to establish long-lasting friendships have served to help mold me into a complete person.
What would you tell someone who is considering Pardes Jewish Day School for his/her child?
Pardes provides a wealth of opportunities through its commitment to its community values that will encourage your child to grow and succeed academically. Supported by a caring faculty and caring friends, they will have a love of learning instilled in them and be poised to succeed in high school and beyond. Pardes produces graduates that are equipped socially and academically to make a difference in the world.
We are proud of our graduates! Do you have any accomplishments you would like to share?
National Merit Scholar Finalist, 2014; USC Presidential Scholar, 2014; USC Discovery Scholar, 2018; First author publication in Injury Prevention, 2018; Operation Smile Research Fellow, 2018