HIGH FIVE! is a trailblazing program that Yosef Gerschel created for girls in 6th-9th grades.
There are two main components of the program:
The 1st component is the “chesed groups.” They are small, after-school groups led by dynamic and enthusiastic counselors with several tracks to choose from. In addition to building unity and comradery among the girls, the focus of the tracks is to give the girls a chance to take initiative and develop leadership skills, maturity and confidence through acts of kindness and community service. So far, three tracks have been initiated and developed:
1) visiting and enlivening the lives of the local elderly and sick 2) supporting and staffing a special needs afterschool program that gives overwhelmed mothers a chance to rest and to focus on their other children 3) planning, making, and delivering meals via a “meal train” for those in the community in need, like those experiencing health or personal crises who are unable to provide for themselves
The 2nd component of the program is centered around engaging with inspiring and altruistic personalities to give the girls a real-life illustration of how the acts of kindness and support to those in need in the community make a truly meaningful difference and often have a “ripple effect.” To facilitate this awareness, inspiring leaders and activists in the philanthropic world are brought in to speak to the girls and run workshops with them, and the girls also visit some of these amazing personalities and their organizations to see first-hand the power of their idealism, altruism, and vision.
