Leah
For which grades did you attend Pardes? What year did you graduate from Pardes?
I attended from fourth through eighth grade and graduated in 2010.
We’d love an update on your life after Pardes. Where did you continue your education?
I went to Horizon High School and then graduated from the University of Arizona with Honors and a degree in journalism! I worked at Lululemon for three years where I was a leader for a year. Now I work at PHNX Sports, a digital sports media startup. I host a show five days a week about the Arizona Coyotes and am also producer on other shows on our network!
What did/do you love about Pardes Jewish Day School?
The community and my classmates are what I loved about Pardes. Eleven years later and they are still some of my best friends. We get together to this day.
What is one word that best describes the school? Tell us why you chose that word.
Family. I chose this word because it’s truly how I feel. Pardes is a family, in every sense – I was challenged, appreciated, seen, pushed, and valued.
From your own experiences, why do you believe it was important for you to attend a Jewish Day School?
Being Jewish is a part of who I am, and without Pardes, I never would have been able to properly know that side of myself. I was able to develop my own Jewish identity.
In what ways did Pardes Jewish Day School prepare you for life?
Academically it definitely set me up for success. I entered high school far more prepared than many of my honors classmates, which helped set me on a great trajectory through high school and into college.
What would you tell a someone who is considering Pardes Jewish Day School for his/her child?
Pardes is a family. At no other school will you have this kind of support from administration to teachers to classmates. The people I met, the teachers I had, and the education I received set me on an amazing path, and I am forever grateful.
We are proud of our graduates! Do you have any accomplishments you would like to share?
I am super proud to be one of four women working in a sports network that covers all of the sports in Arizona!